BMW M3 30 Jahre M3 — F80
Explore BMW M3 30 Jahre M3: rarity, history, specifications, FAQs and credited photos.
The F80 BMW M3 30 Jahre M3 celebrated the model’s first three decades with a 500-car worldwide edition. Announced in 2016, it placed the Competition Package within a dedicated anniversary configuration, giving the fifth-generation sedan a direct link to the original M3’s history.
Record: BMW-092 · 30th anniversary edition · Germany · 2016.
Specifications and rarity
| Item | Documented reference and scope |
|---|---|
| Count and scope | 500 worldwide; regional allocations are subsets |
| US allocation | 150; US model year 2017 |
| UK allocation | 30 with market-specific configuration |
| Engine | 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six; Competition Package |
| Output reference | US release: 444 SAE hp and 406 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual or seven-speed M DCT in the US offering |
Origins and history
The count must be read globally. The 150 US cars and 30 UK cars are allocations within the edition, not extra production to add to 500. Market-specific specifications also matter: BMW’s American release describes Macao Blue and the UK release describes its own finish and configuration.
Design and engineering
The US edition uses the Competition Package’s 444 SAE hp reference and 406 lb-ft torque. A manual gearbox and an optional seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox appear in that release. Those figures should not be mixed with a European metric-horsepower label or a UK automatic-only offering to create a single fictional worldwide specification.
The anniversary treatment is visible in the trim and logos, but the car’s mechanical character comes from the Competition Package. Badging does not replace the importance of factory records. Nor does a similar tune turn a regular F80 into one of the anniversary cars.
Why this BMW matters
This edition is a useful bridge between the M3’s origin and its modern sedan era. The anniversary language invites comparison with the E30, while the turbocharged six-cylinder powertrain reveals how much the engineering proposition changed. The vehicle remains an F80 and should be appreciated within that generation’s own context.
Its rarity is the bounded edition, not the production volume of all Competition Package M3s. Originality is also more detailed than matching a paint colour. A complete record includes the market, gearbox, interior and documentation that establish the car’s original place in the programme. Those details make comparisons between examples more useful than a generic statement that every 30 Jahre car is identical.
Identity and original specification
Begin with the BMW build and delivery documents, identifying the anniversary programme and destination market. Then verify the physical trim and equipment against that market’s release. Regional differences should be documented, not treated as automatic evidence of a replica.
Store 2016 as the programme year and 2017 as the US model year where applicable. Keep the worldwide count separate from those calendar fields. This package uses factory edition photos with their exact captions and does not treat a generic Competition Package sedan as sufficient illustration.
Frequently asked questions
How rare is the M3 30 Jahre M3 — F80?
BMW specified 500 worldwide. US 150 and UK 30 are included allocations.
What makes this version different?
It combines Competition Package engineering with a dedicated anniversary configuration and identification.
Which year belongs in the vehicle record?
The programme was announced in 2016. US cars are described as model year 2017.
Is it the same as other similarly named BMWs?
No. The later 30 Years American Edition is a single SEMA car, not this 500-car anniversary run.
How should an example be authenticated?
Match factory edition documentation and destination-market specifications to the car’s gearbox, trim and finish.
What do the photographs show?
The photos depict factory anniversary-edition examples, with market/presentation scope retained in the captions.
Explore related verified BMW profiles
Sources and photo credits
Photo: BMW AG / BMW Group PressClub · Press/editorial use only. BMW-supplied press photograph under BMW PressClub terms. Original supplied photograph retained without local cropping or content alteration.
Photo: BMW AG / BMW Group PressClub · Press/editorial use only. BMW-supplied press photograph under BMW PressClub terms. Original supplied photograph retained without local cropping or content alteration.
Why this machine matters
Store 2016 as the programme year and 2017 as the US model year where applicable. Keep the worldwide count separate from those calendar fields. This package uses factory edition photos with their exact captions and does not treat a generic Competition Package sedan as sufficient illustration.
Built in limited numbers
500 worldwide; regional allocations are subsets
Gallery
Specifications
Factory specifications may vary by model year, market and configuration.
Identity & production
- Official model
- BMW M3 30 Jahre M3 — F80
- Base model
- M3
- Worldwide production
- 500
Powertrain & performance
- Engine
- 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six; Competition Package
- Transmission
- Six-speed manual or seven-speed M DCT in the US offering
