[Auto] There's a Federalized E90 BMW M3 CRT for Sale in the U.S.

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Road & Track logoThere's a Federalized E90 BMW M3 CRT for Sale in the U.S.

 

At the twilight of the E90/E92 generation M3, BMW launched the famous M3 GTS. Using lightweight construction sourced from the company's new carbon production facility built for the i3 and i8, the E92 M3 GTS shed serious weight and gained 36 hp over the standard car. What a lot of people don't remember, though, is that BMW built a similarly hardcore version of the E90 M3 sedan: The M3 CRT. Neither it nor the GTS were ever officially sold here, but at least one CRT has been federalized and imported.

Welcome to You Must Buy, our daily look at the cars you really should be buying instead of that boring commuter sedan.

 

In fact, that one is now up for sale at Autosport Designs. The CRT—short for Carbon Racing Technologies—uses carbon-fiber seats and a carbon hood to help shed 100 pounds compared to the standard E90 M3 sedan. Power goes from 414 hp in the base car to 450 hp in the CRT, meaning this thing has a serious power-to-weight advantage. That power, too, is nestled at the top end of the tach, meaning you'll get to run this thing to its 8300 rpm redline when you're hustling.

Sadly, when you arrive at redline you'll have to shift with the paddles or let the car handle it for you. CRTs weren't available with manual transmissions. At least you get stainless steel brake lines, lightweight wheels, individually adjustable dampers, and reinforced subframes.

 

None of that came cheap when the car was new. Since only 67 were built worldwide, too, these haven't gotten any less expensive. And considering that—according to the dealer—this one was federalized for legal registration in the U.S. at a cost of over $40,000, there's probably an extra premium on top. At least it's the proper Frozen Polar Silver color and shows just 500 miles.

We've reached out to get exact pricing but, well, if you have to ask.

Why is that cool? Because it takes a couple of useful bits from the Rubicon and adds some black trim for way less than you'd have to shell out for the Rubicon. Specifically, it gets the Rubicon's rock sliders (convenient to have off-road with such a long-wheelbase vehicle) and a locking rear differential. It also receives some chunky 32-inch mud-terrain tires, which not only look rad but will make life off-road a lot easier.

 

"Building on the widely popular Wrangler Willys, we're thrilled to announce the Willys model is joining the Gladiator lineup as another way for Jeep to connect with our customers," Jim Morrison, head of Jeep for North America, said in a statement. "Gladiator Willys models harken back to the original Jeep lineup while offering an aggressive look and additional increased capability."

The Gladiator Willys will set you back $36,760, including destination, which, compared with the Rubicon's $45,615, ain't bad. The Willys is currently available at Jeep dealerships.