The kidney grille is the first thing people notice on a G80 M3 or G82 M4, so changing it changes the whole face of the car. A carbon grille swaps BMW’s black plastic for real carbon fiber and a different bar layout. Nothing else on the car has to change.
We sell four grille styles for these cars: CSL, GT, V and GTS. This guide shows how each one looks, which ones work with the front radar, what one-piece and two-piece mean, and what each costs. Start with the radar check below, because it decides which grilles can go on your car.
Key takeaways
- Check for the front radar first. Cars with Driving Assistant Professional (option code 05AU) have an Active Cruise Control radar behind the grille and need a grille made for it.
- The styles differ below the wide center band. There, the CSL has angled bars, the GT and GTS have straight bars, and the V is open.
- One-piece grilles are a single frame, like the factory grille. Two-piece versions use a separate frame for each kidney.
- All of them are prepreg dry carbon with a gloss clear coat. Prices run from $699 to $899 at the time of writing (October 2026).
- The grilles don’t come with a badge. Your factory badge moves over to the new one.
G80 M3 and G82 M4 carbon grilles at a glance
Every grille in this table fits the G80 M3 sedan, the G82 M4 coupe and the G83 M4 convertible. Prices are from October 2026, and the product page always shows the current price.
| Grille | Below the center band | Pieces | Made for the front radar | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSL style, with radar | Angled bars, with the lower half of the driver’s-side kidney left open | One | Yes | $699 |
| CSL style, without radar | Angled bars in both kidneys | One | No | $699 |
| GT style | Two straight bars | Two | No | $789 |
| GT style, one-piece | Two straight bars | One | Ask us | $899 |
| V style | Open | Two | Ask us | $785 |
| V style, one-piece | Open | One | Ask us | $899 |
| GTS design | Two slim bars | Ask us | Ask us | $789 |
You can also browse every grille for your car on the G80 M3 grilles and G82/G83 M4 grilles pages.
First, check your car for the front radar
Some M3s and M4s have an Active Cruise Control radar sensor behind the grille, and a new grille has to leave room for it. In the US, the radar comes with the Driving Assistance Professional Package (option code 5AU, often written 05AU). BMW offers that package only on automatic Competition models (BMWBLOG). A grille with no opening for the sensor sits right in front of it, and Active Cruise Control stops working properly.
To check, stand in front of the car and look at the bottom inner corner of the kidney on your right. On a US car, that’s the driver’s side. If a flat black panel covers the lowest bars there, your car has the radar. If you can see between the bars, it doesn’t. A manual M3 never has it. Text us a photo of your grille if you’re still not sure, and we’ll tell you which version you need.
Our grille radar and badge guide covers this in more detail, with photos of what to look for.
CSL style: the M4 CSL look
The CSL style is our best-selling grille. It copies the look of the M4 CSL, which BMW limited to 1,000 cars worldwide. BMW gave the CSL a grille with fewer slats and wider gaps, which it says improves airflow to the radiators (BMW Group press release, May 2022). Our version follows that layout. It has a slim bar across the top of each kidney and a wide flat band across both at mid-height, with angled bars below. A center spine ties the two kidneys together.
BMW also sells the genuine M4 CSL grille as a part (51138085968). It has red contour lines, “M4 CSL” badging and no cutout for the front radar. Ours shows the carbon weave instead of the red trim and keeps your own M3 or M4 badge. It also comes in a version for cars with the radar.
With radar or without radar
The two CSL versions differ in one place. The with-radar version leaves the lower half of the driver’s-side kidney open, so the sensor behind it can see out. The version without radar has the same bars in both kidneys.
Pick the with-radar version if your car has Active Cruise Control, and the version without radar if it doesn’t. Both are $699 at the time of writing.
GT style: straight bars, closest to the factory layout
From the factory, the M3 and M4 grille has horizontal double bars that carry the model badge. The GT style keeps the bars horizontal, with a slim top bar, the wide carbon band and two straight bars below it in each kidney. The change is subtler than with the CSL, so it suits owners who like the factory shape but want carbon.
There are two versions:
- The GT style grille ($789) comes in two pieces, one for each kidney. It’s for cars without the front radar.
- The one-piece GT style grille ($899) joins both kidneys in one frame. Ask us before ordering it for a car with radar.
V style: the most open look
The V style has the fewest bars: a slim top bar and the wide band, with the lower half of each kidney left open. On the car, the open lower half shows more of what sits behind the grille. That’s why it looks the most aggressive of the four, even though it has the least carbon.
Like the GT, the V style comes in two versions: the two-piece V style ($785) and the one-piece V style ($899). If your car has the front radar, ask us before ordering either one.
GTS design: the newest option
The GTS design grille is the newest in the range. Each kidney has a slim top bar, the wide band and two slim bars below it, and the model badge sits on the top bar. That puts the GTS between the GT and the CSL in how much it changes the look. Its listing is the only one in this guide that also names the G81 M3 Touring. At the time of writing, it costs $789.
One-piece or two-piece: what’s the difference?
The factory grille is one part, with both kidneys, the center section and the lower tab joined. A one-piece carbon grille copies that with a single frame and a center spine. Both our CSL style grilles and the one-piece GT and V styles are made like this.
A two-piece grille has two frames, one for each kidney. The two-piece GT and V styles use this design and cost less than their one-piece versions. Either way, the front bumper comes off to fit the grille.
What these grilles are made of
Every grille here is prepreg dry carbon fiber. Prepreg is carbon cloth that comes already soaked in a measured amount of resin, and the part is cured under heat and pressure. The result is a thinner, stiffer and lighter part than carbon laid up by hand with wet resin, and the weave comes out more even. Each grille has a high-gloss clear coat, and most of the listings specify a UV-resistant finish.
Some lower-priced “CSL style” grilles are plastic, painted gloss black or wrapped in a carbon-look finish. Before you buy, check the photos and the product description. On real carbon, the weave shows on every bar. Our prepreg vs wet layup guide explains the difference in more detail.
Fitting a carbon grille
On the G80 M3 and G82 M4, the front bumper cover has to come off to change the grille (BimmerWorld). That makes it a job for a shop with a lift, or for an owner with the tools, a helper and a free afternoon. Your M3 or M4 badge and the front parking sensors move from the factory grille to the new one. Seat the sensors’ rubber grommets properly, or the parking sensors can throw errors.
Keep your factory grille. Going back to stock is the same job in reverse, and some buyers want the original part if you sell the car. Our install guide walks through the grille, front lip and diffuser jobs.
If a grille doesn’t fit the car listed on its product page, contact us before installing it and we’ll cover the return shipping for a refund or replacement.
Frequently asked questions
Does a carbon grille improve cooling or performance?
Treat it as a styling part. BMW says the M4 CSL’s open grille improves airflow to the radiators, and our open designs follow that layout. But we haven’t measured temperatures on a road car, so don’t buy one expecting a change you can feel.
Will these grilles fit a 2025 or newer M3 or M4?
Yes. BMW left the grille completely untouched when it updated the M3 and M4 for 2025. Every grille in this guide is listed for 2021 to 2027 cars, and the radar check above applies to every year.
Does the grille come with the M3 or M4 badge?
No. Your factory badge moves over to the new grille when it’s fitted.
Can I fit a grille without a radar opening if my car has Active Cruise Control?
No. A grille that covers the sensor blocks the radar, so Active Cruise Control and other systems that use it won’t work properly. Choose the with-radar CSL style, or ask us about the other styles.
Will a G80 M3 grille fit the G81 M3 Touring?
The GTS design listing includes the G81 M3 Touring. For the other grilles, ask us before ordering for a Touring.
Which grille style is the most popular?
The CSL style. Counting both versions, it’s our best-selling grille, and the GT style comes next.
Which grille should you choose?
- For the look most people recognize, get the CSL style, in the with-radar version if your car has Active Cruise Control.
- If you like the factory shape and want carbon, the GT style or the GTS design will suit you.
- For the most open look, go with the V style.
Check your car for the front radar before you order, then browse every carbon grille in the shop. You can also pair your grille with a front lip to finish the nose.
