Watch An E30 BMW M3 Pickup Truck Strip A Christmas Tree Naked

An E30 M3 pickup? Yes, it does exist. Unlike Santa Claus.

Way back in 1986, BMW engineers came up with a wild idea: turn the 3 Series into a high-performance coupe. The result was the original E30 M3, and the rest is history. But people at BMW wondered whether the first M3 could serve other purposes. For example, the BMW Motorsport department realized it could also be utilized for transporting equipment and parts around its testing center near Munich. Problem was, a lack of storage space. The solution was simple: a small pickup truck, though it never made production.

Not long afterwards, a 3 Series convertible was turned into the M3 pickup truck. “The convertible bodyshell was chosen as the basis for two reasons,” recalls Jakob Polschak, head of vehicle prototype building and workshops at BMW M Division and an employee at the company for more than 40 years.

“Firstly, we happened to have such a model at our disposal and in perfect condition. And secondly, the convertible’s built-in bracing made it the ideal choice for a pickup conversion.” And with that, now it’s time to check out an old E30 M3 pickup truck in action as it’s used to haul a Christmas tree home. The driver had fun. His wife and daughter weren’t pleased.

BMW M4 Convertible Now Nearly Naked in Snow Testing

The convertible will feature the company’s 3.0-litertwin-turbo six-cylinder engine, making 425 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque.A six-speed manual or seven-speed dual clutch transmission will send power tothe rear wheels. Zero-to-sixty times are expected to be just upwards of fourseconds, with top speeds of 155 mph. These numbers all represent significantimprovements from the previous generation, V-8-powered M3 convertible. Withmost of its camo shed, the car looks pretty much identical to its coupe twin,only with some slightly-awkward roof lines and pillar changes to accommodate thefolding hard top.

BMW 8 Series Convertible Caught Naked Before The Big Reveal

Here’s one last look at the new BMW 8 Series before the its world debut next week.

Next week, BMW will be lifting the wraps off the new long-awaited 8 Series. Specifically, the gorgeous grand tourer will make its world debut on June 15, the day before the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking BMW’s return to the endurance race for the first time in seven years with the M8 GTE. Before the big reveal, our spy photographers managed to snap a photo of an incomplete test version of the 8 Series Convertible completely naked. Not only is it devoid of camouflage, it's also missing taillights, wheels and a rear bumper.

The front is also obscured, but it still gives us an idea of what to expect from the production-ready 8 Series convertible's design, showing off its subtle curves and cutouts for its sleek LED taillights. Like the 6 Series Convertible it will replace, the rear deck is divided into two sections, and the forward compartment will store the car’s retractable soft top. The remaining spy shots show what appears to be a M850i convertible cruising city streets, distinguished by its more aggressive body, large wheels, blue brake calipers and square exhaust tips. Camouflage covers the body apart from a small section of the hood and the electrically retractable soft top.

Under the hood, BMW has already confirmed the M850i XDrive will be powered by a new generation of BMW’s twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 delivering 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. While we’ll get to see the M850i next week, we’ll have to wait a little longer for the full fat M8 to break cover, which is expected to arrive later this year packing a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine developing at least 600 hp to match the new M5.