Aussie Cops Are Busting Lawbreakers In Unmarked G80 BMW M3s

In years gone by, Australian police forces primarily used Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons, but when the local manufacturing industry went kaput, forces had to look at foreign models that were up for the task. Nowadays, different police forces across the country use a wide variety of vehicles from different brands, including Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, VW, Kia, Skoda, and Subaru. There are also plenty of BMWs in service, including M3s.

It was way back in 2019 when images first emerged of a BMW M3 used for undercover policing in the country’s capital of Canberra. That car was a deep blue F80 M3, and when the new-generation G80 was launched, it was quickly added to fleets across the country. This included a BMW M3 Competition briefly used by the Victoria Police Highway Patrol unit. Now, several photos and videos have emerged of G80 M3s being used undercover.

Flashing Lights, Hidden Grilles

One such undercover G80 M3 gained attention during the Chinese Premier’s visit to Canberra. It cruised inconspicuously with a grey paint job, European-style license plates, and no outward signs of law enforcement affiliation—until the concealed red and blue lights, tucked behind the grilles and windows, lit up. Subtlety, it seems, is part of the charm when it comes to these police cruisers.

Read: BMW M3 Competition Reporting For Highway Patrol Duties In Australia

The same stealthy M3 was also spotted earlier this year in action, pulling over a rotary-powered Mazda RX-3. In true unmarked police car fashion, its sleeper status likely caught the RX-3 driver completely off guard.

It’s not just police in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) using the G80 M3. The Victoria police force has as many as five M3s in service, all of which are unmarked. At least one G80 M3 is also used as an undercover cruiser in the state of New South Wales and was snapped online last year. It is no regular M3 either and has carbon fiber Akrapovic exhaust tips.

BMW’s police presence in Australia doesn’t end with the M3, though. Various non-M models, including dozens of 5-Series sedans, are deployed across the country.