Found this putting the Touring together. Any guesses?

Trailer hitch cover

Yeah, the diffuser looks oddly pushed out in the center. And, seeing the wire harness...probably is a trailer hitch.

Well, you guys are on it... I have never seen one before. Factory option! What a clean way to pull a tire trailer.

They don't build em like they used to :)

Bummer....here I thought it was gonna be some secret agent/inspector gadget stuff....like..

Oil Slick.....
Spring loaded spear to puncture radiator of car behind you
hidden camera to monitor predators...ohh well....:(

Well, you guys are on it... I have never seen one before. Factory option! What a clean way to pull a tire trailer.

Nah. This is our turbo project car. Right foot to floor eliminates the need for those I think?

Look at the hitch installed on your current Euro 3.2L project car. Pretty stealthy.

That is pretty sweet!

That is a Euro style hitch. I saw them on cars (not just BMWs) in France, Spain and England when I was on deployment last year. I have never seen that style of hitch on cars in the US before. My guess is that it doesn't meet some sort of US safety spec.

Its not a US car, its an import.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8691772&postcount=30

Pretty sure this is the same project, right?

Correct.