It could be difficult to find helpful hints and how-to manuals for a vehicle as new as the F30 3 Series. In response, we ensure that you have access to all you require right here on our blog.
A T20 Torx, a T30 Torx, a tiny flat head screwdriver or pick tool, as well as some free time, are required. The entire process shouldn’t take you longer than 30 minutes, and you’ll find all the instructions you need right here.
Find the rubber hood seal at the front of the engine bay first, and then you must remove it naturally starting from a side. The simplest method is to do it that way, but if you want to fight, you can try prying it loose from the centre.
The following step involves removing eight screws, six of which are T30 torx and two of which are T20. On top of the headlights, near the kidney grilles, are where the T20 screws are situated. The bumper cover should glide forward when you remove these screws, but you must be careful not to damage the four metallic clips that hold it together.
You should be able to access the backs of the kidney grilles by pulling it forward. The limited space available will require you to use a flat head screwdriver or a pick tool to pry the kidney grilles apart from the lid. The grill has 3 clips on the top, 3 clips on the bottom, and 1 clip on each side.
Once one of the grilles is removed, accessing the other is simple because to the space you just gave yourself. Before putting the new ones back on, pry the old one off. It will be as simple as pushing the car’s grille to accomplish that. Good fortune!
In This Article...
Kidney Grilles in the M3 Design for the 2012–2018 BMW 3 Series (F30)
If you don’t like the factory chrome frame, the PhaseOne M3 style kidney grills for the F30 BMW 3 series sedans are the ideal upgrade to simplify the appearance of your 3 series.
Any model F30 BMW 3 series can use them as a 100% plug-and-play replacement for the factory kidney grills.
The F80 M3 super car served as inspiration for these kidney grills’ design. The M badging is deleted for a cleaner, more streamlined appearance, but the shape and contour model are identical to their M counterparts.
The double slats come in two finishes; when adding them to your cart, be sure to choose the one you want:
- Gloss black: This is your classic, slick, blacked-out appearance.
- Tri-color: This gives one of the kidney grills’ slats a slight pop of color by adding the triple M-colors.
You simply can’t go wrong with any choice you make. These dual-slatted kidney grills will undoubtedly offer the perfect, recognizable finishing touch to any style.
The reason for BMW’s kidney grills.
BMW built the 303 series between 1933 and 1934. It was the brand’s very first automobile with a six-cylinder engine, among other firsts at the time. The 303 also had an A-shaped tubular frame and was one of the first vehicles to use what are now known as lightweight measures.
BMW also created a strong foundation for developing the new brand identity with the 303. The 6-pot engine’s cooling was greatly enhanced by the upright, large kidneys of the radiator grille, which also gave BMW automobiles their new appearance by bringing the roundel for the first time to the engine.
Other models built during the interwar period, including the 309 (a reengineered 303 with a 4-cylinder unit derived from the M78 engine), the 315 and 319 (along with their roadsters equivalents), and the higher-end 329 sedan, quickly followed suit. The iconic BMW 328 series, which caused a stir at several prestigious motorsport events of the time, including the Mille Miglia race in 1940 and the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1939, also featured a kidney grille by 1936.
The 326 and 327 sibling models, which were produced between 1936/1937 and 1941 and subsequently re-manufactured starting in 1945, were other models that brought attention to their very own and distinctive kidney grille. The 326, 327, and 340 series were built under both BMW and EMW badges until the early 1950s after the end of World War II and the establishment of the Soviet occupation in Eisenach. The article that followed provided more details on this topic.
The operation of the BMW active grille
When more cooling air is needed, the bars and flaps in the bottom air intake of the Active Kidney Grille automatically swing open. Depending on a number of temperature thresholds and the vehicle’s speed, this system will activate.
What caused BMW to alter its front grill?
Before we discuss the ridiculous new nose, let’s first discuss why the brand would have bothered to alter the recognizable BMW kidney grille in the first place. Beamer claims that the M3 and M4 models’ motors are to blame. The new inline 6 motors included in both models, according to them and Autocar, merely required more air. In accordance with marketing conventions, they must also produce more power.
Of course, adding more air and fuel will accomplish that goal more quickly. Despite the new 2 Series’ attractive exterior, BMW need a larger nose to allow for airflow. Of course, its design leader also claims that it is because the 328-inspired shape of the new BMW kidney grille is a nod to earlier models. Regardless, the new look hasn’t been well welcomed, and I’m a loud critic of the nose on the BMW M4.
Why are there two grills on BMWs?
Because the double kidney was nothing more than a radiator grille separated into two long vertical pieces that angled backward on the outside when the BMW 303 was created in 1933, a brief historical comment is required.
This split design was implemented by designer Fritz Fielder to enhance the 303’s aerodynamics. His choice started a legend that has since appeared on BMW’s vehicle. The distinctive grille has evolved in height, width, form, and placement over time, yet it continues to instantly identify a BMW when it is seen.
Why is the size of BMW grills increasing?
According to BMW, the iX grille is a “intelligence panel” for sensors that is “totally blocked off.” But like the 4 Series, it is so large that the license plate splits it in half. Additionally, it is larger than necessary for the electronics because there are definitely no sensors behind the license plate. It’s big just for being big.
Why are the grills on some BMWs colored?
In the 1970s, when the German carmaker initially began its motorsports racing program, the famous /M logo of BMW was created. The italicized “M” of the logo is followed by various colored stripes, each of which has a distinct significance.
The blue stripe, according to BMW Blog, symbolizes both the automaker and the Bavarian area from which it is derived. The red stripe commemorates Texaco, a major American oil company that collaborated with BMW in the early stages of M racing. As red and blue combine to form purple, the central purple stripe stands for their cooperation.
BMW made a minor change to the M emblem in recent years, swapping the purple stripe with a dark blue one. The symbol is still widely recognized, though.
In fact, the three stripes are tastefully incorporated into both the exterior and inside of every BMW M-badge car. Even vehicle upholsterers are finding it difficult to come up with fresh, original methods to use the colors to adorn the cabins.
Of course, using the proper thread and colors is necessary in order to pull off these small but significant elements.
Amann’s Serafil polyester thread, which is used by BMW, is available at JPM Coachworks in Smyrna, Georgia.
According to Joseph Pavich of JPM Coachworks, “the most popular colors individuals choose for the tri-stitch are red 504, light blue 7463, and dark blue 1078.” “Most modern wheels use a significantly thicker Tex size 207 (Ticket size 15), while older wheels used a Tex size 138 (Ticket size 20).”
What makes it a kidney grille?
The BMW 303 is significant in BMW history for two reasons: first, it was the mid-size sedan’s first six-cylinder model; and second, it was the first car to include an air inlet that has since become synonymous with BMW and is still present in nearly all of its vehicles today, nearly 90 years later.
What does it cost to wrap a car’s grill?
How Much Will It Cost to Wrap the Grille of Your Car? You can anticipate paying roughly $300 to have a shop install your grille wrap.
The BMW Hofmeister kink, what is it?
The Hofmeister kink, also known as Hofmeister-Knick, is a rearward/forward angle found near the base of the rearmost pillar in vehicles. It was on vehicles manufactured by various brands prior to Wilhelm Hofmeister’s time as BMW’s design director from 1955 to 1970, but it bears his name.
Some 1949-model 2-door General Motors vehicles with this design characteristic included the Cadillac Club Coupe, Buick Sedanette, Chevrolet Fleetline (Buick and Oldsmobile had comparable body designs), 1958 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato, and 1961 Lancia Flavia Coupe.
It was initially used in the BMW 3200 CS and BMW 1500, which were unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1961 and afterwards named after Wilhelm Hofmeister, the company’s then-director of design.
Even though the Hofmeister kink is frequently connected to BMW vehicles, similar C-pillar kinks have been spotted on vehicles from many different manufactures for a long time. There is a noticeable Hofmeister kink on the 1951 Kaiser Deluxe Golden Dragon. The 1974 Volkswagen Golf Mk1, 1977 Fiat 127 Series II, and 1994 Chevrolet Impala SS all exhibit a Hofmeister kink.