Want BMW Center-Lock Wheels for Your M2, M3, M4? Hope You’ve Got $20,000

BMW fanboys (and gals), you know those snazzy center-lock wheels that have only been available as optional equipment in Europe since 2023? They are now ready for purchase here in the States! But if you have to ask how much…

That pretty penny is actually about 2,000,000 pennies. According to BMW Blog, the M Performance Parts center-locking wheels retail for $11,037.90. Of course, that’s just for the parts. Add in labor and installation costs, and the total tally will be about $19,995.23. Um, what?!

BMW ain’t cheap, and BMW M ain’t coming with discounts either. Sold in Europe for 12,000 euros, BMW Blog breaks down the U.S. market costs, which, as expected, involve a number of specialty install tools:

• Release tool – $567
• Sythes Glep 1 grease – $49
• Wuerth Al 1100 aluminum paste – $51.99
• Center-lock wheel socket $323
• Torque wrench – $1,270

Again, that’s the price for the necessary bits and pieces needed before installation can begin. Factor in the labor hours, and that’s how the final receipt will list 20 grand. As for why a torque wrench costs a thousand bucks? A markup maybe, but also because these specialty wrenches need a minimum measuring range of 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft). BMW M says installation of the center-lock wheels requires a torque application of 930 Nm.

So, what exactly is the performance advantage here? Although its origins date back to the early 1900s, center-lock wheels are a staple of the modern racing world. As the name suggests, one large center nut holds a wheel in place versus the multiple lug nuts and bolts required of a standard road car.

In racing, where macro seconds can separate the winners and everyone else, loosening and tightening a single fastener instead of four to six per wheel saves an innumerable amount of time during pit stops. Having fewer lugs probably means some weight savings, too. 

All are great benefits if you race your M car and have the pit crew change your center-locking wheels. Otherwise, if you’re not doing (m)any track days or need to frequently swap out your wheels in an expedient manner, center-lock wheels for any car don’t offer many benefits beyond show-and-tell.

But if you’re just jonesing to spend $20,000 somewhere and happen to own the latest-generation M2, M3, and M4, contact your local BMW dealer. Quantities for North America are said to be limited.

Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com

The post Want BMW Center-Lock Wheels for Your M2, M3, M4? Hope You’ve Got $20,000 appeared first on The Drive.