We have good news, and we have bad news. The good news is that BMW is launching a new special edition of the M3 sedan and M4 coupe. The bad news is that it's only making 15 examples of each, and they're all destined for Japan.

Called the M Heat edition, the special model starts off with the Competition package, and adds to it a whole mess of M Performance components. That includes a front splitter, rear diffuser, and mirror covers – all made from carbon fiber. Inside it features an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, stainless steel pedals, and more carbon-fiber trim.


It's all finished off in a special shade of Tanzanite blue, with special 20-inch alloys and the requisite special badging. BMW Japan will charge ¥ 13,610,000 (US$ 120,720) for each M3 Sedan M Heat Edition, and ¥ 13,850,000 (US$ 122,850) for the M4 coupe version. That's a big chunk of change for vehicles that start at about half that in the United States, but then the Japanese government levies a rather hefty import tax on foreign-made cars – especially ones with big engines and BMW's 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six certainly qualifies in Japanese terms.

More relevant is the premium that BMW Japan is charging for the special edition over the models on which they're based, which comes down to US$ 1.5m yen (US$ 13.5k) for the sedan and over 2 million yen (US$ 18k) for the coupe.