BMW M invited us last week for a preview of the upcoming BMW M5 CS. The location? The exciting BMW M Studio in Garching where the M wizards often hide some of their most unique models. And they have certainly not disappointed us. On display there was a 2021 BMW M3 Sedan featuring the Chalk color. This paintwork was made famous by Porsche who describes the Chalk color “as light grey throwback to 1950s and early 1960s colors like Pearl Grey and Heron Grey.”

The G80 M3 was paired with black wheels and a Merino fine-grain full leather in Yas Marina Blue/Black with accents in Yellow. While the blue looks great, we would love to see a red-based interior paired with Chalk. Of course, customers with deep pockets might be able to customize their interior with the help of the BMW Individual catalog.

We already know that BMW M has a reputation for offering excellent color options for its cars. Iconic colors like Laguna Seca Blue, Dakar Yellow and Techno Violet are all burnt into the memories of BMW purists. However, in recent years, M car colors have become a bit predictable, especially in cars like the M5 and M8. However, with this new BMW M3 (and M4), it seems as if the folks in Garching have returned to form, as the new G80 has one of the best color palettes of any M car in history.

For starters, two of BMW’s now-signature Frozen colors are offered from the factory, without having to special order them or choose a special model. You can get a base-model M3 with either Frozen Portimao Blue or Frozen Brilliant White, right from the standard order sheet. Some enthusiasts bemoan BMW’s Frozen colors, as they’re a bit more finnicky and require more maintenance, but it’s nice to have the option.

Read Also: 2021 BMW M3 / M4 colors: Portimao Frozen Blue, Frozen Orange, Black Sapphire, Brooklyn Grey

Then there are the more interesting tame colors, such as Oxide Grey, which is grey but has a bit of champagne to its hue that really makes it unique. There’s also Toronto Red which is a pretty standard red but it’s metallic and has a nice pop to it.

This is the standard color palette as highlighted by BMW’s Online Configurator (they might vary by market):

  • Non-metallic: Alpine White, Sao Paulo Yellow (new addition)
  • Metallic: Isle of Man Green (new), Toronto Red (new), Sapphire Black, Skyscraper Grey, Portimao Blue, Brooklyn Grey

Whey they go on sale in Summer 2021, the new BMW M3 and M4 will have a slightly higher price than the F80/F82 generation. The 2021 BMW M3 Sedan has an MSRP of $69,900, nearly $2,500 more than the F80 M3 Sedan. The 2021 BMW M4 starts at $71,800 compared to the $69,150 price on the F82 M4. Of course, BMW offers a Competition model for both variants. The 2021 BMW M3 Competition is priced at $72,800 while the M4 Competition sells for $74,700. All these variants send their power to the rear-wheels only.

Click below to see more photos of the G80 M3 in Chalk and also a video of the exhaust sound and revs: