In a direct link to BMW's motorsport wing, the cylinder head is cast alongside F1 engine blocks at Landshut. The cylinder-head cover is made of carbonfibre, lowering the centre of gravity and saving approximately 10kg.

Interestingly, however, engineers decided to remove BMW's patented VALVETRONIC induction system, reverting instead to a conventional throttle, which is more suited to the higher internal speeds of a racing engine.
On the outside the 320si is styled around the 3-series M Sport model with aerodynamic tweaks front and rear, while underneath there is sports suspension. Inside you'll find sports seats and aluminium trim. Touring Car-style 18in alloys are also fitted.

Despite all of this engineering effort, the cars won't be startlingly quick in road form. Maximum power is just 173bhp at 7000rpm (a 23bhp increase over the standard 320i) with torque topping out at 147lb ft, while the 0-62mph time is a modest-sounding 8.1 seconds. The price is expected to be just shy of £25K and deliveries start in April.