After years of customers begging BMW to offer an estate version of its M3, the German manufacturer delivered the G81 M3 Competition Touring in the summer of 2022. Finally, Bavaria had a rival to the Audi RS4 Avant and Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate.
Naturally, the M3 Touring recipe is a spicy one: 510hp/650Nm from a three-litre straight-six turbo (upped to 530hp at the facelift), xDrive all-wheel-drive, M Performance brakes and suspension components, and a 1,510-litre boot capacity. The G81 M3CT also boasts a range of M-grade appearance enhancements inside and out.
Having daily-driven our own M3 Competition Touring for some time now, we can confirm it eats back roads and motorway miles without breaking sweat. However, as we find with every modern M car, the M3’s stock suspension is designed to cater for a broad range of driving abilities. This ultimately means compromises in the setup. While very safe and stable, the M3 Touring is not as precise, responsive and communicative as it should be.
In this blog, we’ll explain how to unlock more handling performance and feedback from the G81 M3 Touring suspension to increase driving enjoyment.
Why the BMW G81 M3 Touring Understeers from the Factory
There are no big surprises in the G81 M3’s suspension arrangement, but it’s sophisticated nonetheless: aluminium double-joint spring strut front axle paired with a five-link rear setup; adaptive M-spec dampers; and a rear subframe rigidly mounted to the body to increase stiffness.
Despite going to the trouble of constructing this performance-oriented chassis, BMW configures the G81 M3 to understeer at the limit. That’s great for safety, but enthusiastic drivers will find this setup blunts front-end response, especially on a twisty B-road. Through fast corners you can feel the car rolling off the tyre contact patches and failing to properly bite into the road surface.
This frustrating situation is compounded by the lack of front camber adjustment available from the factory. Meaning you can’t dial in more negative camber to correct that understeer and dull front axle response. Throw the suspension’s soft rubber bushes into the mix and you’ve got a BMW M3 that isn’t as sharp and engaging as it should be.
Best Fast Road Suspension Upgrades for the G81 M3
The great news is we manufacture a range of road-friendly G81 M3 suspension upgrades to correct flaws in the stock chassis and enhance the driving experience. This BMW was born to be the ultimate all-rounder – with the bolt-on Suspension Secrets parts described below it will finally live up to that promise.
G81 M3 Front Lowering Springs
From experience we’ve found the G81 M3 greatly benefits from front lowering springs. As well as lowering the Touring’s centre of gravity and improving the road stance, front lowering springs introduce a positive rake angle.
Positive rake angle means the front ride height is lower than the rear’s. This improves braking stability because the front no longer dives as much when you hit the pedal hard. Positive rake angle also improves turn-in response because body roll is reduced, which in turn causes less hesitation as you turn the steering wheel.
Lowering springs are typically stiffer than OEM springs, which actually improves refinement by reducing BMW’s characteristic suspension crashiness.
G81 M3 Lowering Springs Benefits:
- Lowered centre of gravity
- Less brake dive and acceleration squat
- Reduced body roll
- Improved aesthetics and wheelarch fitment
G81 M3 Adjustable Camber & Caster Plates
Frustratingly (but unsurprisingly), the G81 M3 Touring is set up to understeer from the factory, and you can’t adjust the stock suspension to correct this issue.
The solution is Suspension Secrets Adjustable Camber & Caster Plates, which allow additional negative camber to be dialled into the M3’s front axle. More negative camber means less understeer, crisper turn-in response, and more grip generated mid-corner for faster cornering speeds.
Suspension Secrets Adjustable Camber & Caster Plates for the G81 M3 also increase caster angle, which improves steering feel and also provides dynamic camber gain as steering lock is applied, meaning even more cornering grip. As an added bonus, our camber plates work perfectly with standard dampers, plus aftermarket lowering springs and coilovers.
G81 M3 Camber Plates…
- Reduce understeer
- Sharpen turn-in response
- Increase steering feedback
- Improve tyre wear during fast driving
G81 M3 Adjustable Rear Toe Arms
With more negative camber dialled into the M3’s front axle, the next step is to upgrade the G81’s rear suspension.
During extensive road and track testing, we identified rear toe instability as the main cause of traction loss and rear-end nervousness on corner exit. This instability is caused by flexing rubber bushes in the factory arms.
The best way to fix this problem is with our Suspension Secrets Adjustable Rear Toe Arms. As well as boasting solid rose joints in place of the stock rubber bushes, our arms offer a significant range of toe adjustment. This means you can achieve the perfect camber/toe angles for fast road and even track driving.
G81 M3 Adjustable Rear Toe Arms Benefits:
- Greater adjustment range than OEM arms
- Independent optimisation of camber and toe
- Solid mounting to eliminate flex under load
Should you wish to install our Suspension Secrets front camber plates and adjustable rear toe arms, we have combined both these upgrades into the cost-effective CS+ Handling Pack 1 (Fast Road).
G81 M3 Coilovers
If you want to take your BMW G81 M3 suspension to an entirely new level of sophistication, the next step from this point is full coilovers.
Two-way adjustable systems such as Nitron R1 coilovers feature independent compression and rebound adjustment for increased chassis response, reduced body roll, and improved overall balance for road and track driving.
Three-way coilover systems such as the KW V4 Clubsports feature low- and high-speed bump adjustment, plus rebound adjustment. Three-way adjustable coilovers allow you to control grip level, chassis balance, comfort level and stability – independently of each other. This high level of adjustability explains why they’re a favourite in professional motorsport.
M3 Suspension Geometry Alignment
After fitting any suspension upgrade, it is very important to carry out a suspension geometry alignment. This process ensures that your car is safe for the road and making full use of its new performance parts.
By correctly adjusting camber, toe and caster angle settings (where available), a professional suspension geometry alignment ensures full and proper use of the tyre contact patch to maximise grip and stability.
We have developed our own Fast Road and Track settings for the G81 M3, which work incredibly well with both upgraded and stock suspension. In fact, a full suspension geometry alignment is arguably the most cost-effective chassis upgrade of all.
BMW M3 Suspension Geometry Alignment Benefits:
- Sharper steering response
- Increased cornering grip
- Improved rear traction
- Enhanced braking stability
Should You Upgrade Your G81 M3 Suspension?
If you love driving but feel your G81 M3 is generating too much understeer mid-corner, we would highly recommend installing Eibach front lowering springs and the Suspension Secrets CS+ Handling Pack.
Equipped with lowering springs, camber plates and adjustable rear toe arms, the G81 M3 feels so much sharper, planted and engaging without sacrificing its everyday usability.
FAQs – G81 M3 Suspension Upgrades
Why does the G81 M3 Touring understeer from the factory?
BMW sets up the G81 M3 Competition Touring to prioritise safety and stability, which results in built-in understeer, limited front camber adjustment and soft rubber bush compliance.
Do lowering springs improve G81 M3 handling?
Yes. Front lowering springs reduce brake dive, lower the centre of gravity and improve turn-in response by introducing a positive rake angle.
Are camber plates worth fitting to a G81 M3?
Definitely. Adjustable camber plates allow more negative camber, reducing understeer and improving mid-corner grip and steering feedback.
Why upgrade rear toe arms on the G81 M3?
Upgraded rear toe arms eliminate bush flex, improve stability on corner exit and allow precise camber and toe adjustment.
Is suspension geometry alignment necessary after upgrades?
Absolutely. A professional geometry alignment ensures correct camber and toe settings, maximising grip, stability and tyre performance.
