--- title: "Want BMW Center-Lock Wheels for Your M2, M3, M4? Hope You’ve Got $20,000" date: "2025-02-08" modified: "2025-02-08" authors: - name: "Beverly Braga" job_title: "Weekend Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/beverly-braga" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/want-bmw-center-lock-wheels-for-your-m2-m3-m4-hope-youve-got-20000" categories: - "BMW News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "BMW" - "luxury" - "sports car" --- # Want BMW Center-Lock Wheels for Your M2, M3, M4? Hope You’ve Got $20,000 ![]() *\Fabian Kirchbauer\* [BMW]() fanboys (and gals), you know those snazzy [center-lock wheels]() that have only been available as optional equipment in Europe since 2023? They are now ready for purchase here in the States! But if you have to ask how much… That pretty penny is actually about 2,000,000 pennies. According to [*BMW Blog*](), the M Performance Parts center-locking wheels retail for $11,037.90. Of course, that's just for the parts. Add in labor and installation costs, and the total tally will be about $19,995.23. Um, what?! [BMW]() ain't cheap, and [BMW M]() ain't coming with discounts either. [Sold in Europe for 12,000 euros](), *BMW Blog* breaks down the U.S. market costs, which, as expected, involve a number of specialty install tools: - Release tool - $567 - Sythes Glep 1 grease - $49 - Wuerth Al 1100 aluminum paste - $51.99 - Center-lock wheel socket $323 - Torque wrench - $1,270 Again, that's the price for the necessary bits and pieces needed *before* installation can begin. Factor in the labor hours, and that's how the final receipt will list 20 grand. As for why a torque wrench costs a thousand bucks? A markup maybe, but also because these specialty wrenches need a minimum measuring range of 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft). [BMW M]() says installation of the center-lock wheels requires a torque application of 930 Nm. So, what exactly is the performance advantage here? Although its origins date back to the early 1900s, center-lock wheels are a staple of the modern [racing]() world. As the name suggests, one large center nut holds a wheel in place versus the multiple lug nuts and bolts required of a standard road car. In racing, where macro seconds can separate the winners and everyone else, loosening and tightening a single fastener instead of four to six per wheel saves an innumerable amount of time during pit stops. Having fewer lugs probably means some weight savings, too. All are great benefits *if you race* your M car and have the pit crew change your center-locking wheels. Otherwise, if you're not doing (m)any track days or need to frequently swap out your wheels in an expedient manner, center-lock wheels for any car don't offer many benefits beyond show-and-tell. But if you're just jonesing to spend $20,000 somewhere and happen to own the latest-generation [M2](), [M3](), and [M4](), contact your local BMW dealer. Quantities for North America are said to be limited. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Born and raised in Hawaii, Beverly has been a prolific and published creative writer since her teens. As a contributor to The Drive, Beverly covers the weekend shift, blogging about all things automotive, mobility, transportation, and topics in-between. Currently a digital nomad, Beverly's only constant is her car, a second-generation Mazdaspeed3. Even though she's never in one place for too long, her hot hatch always feels like home. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()