BMW M
BMW M GmbH, formerly known as BMW Motorsport GmbH, is a subsidiary of BMW AG that manufactures high-performance luxury cars.
BMW M was initially created to facilitate BMW's racing program, which was very successful in the 1960s and 1970s. As time passed, BMW M began to supplement BMW's vehicle portfolio with specially modified higher trim models, for which they are now most known by the general public. These M-badged cars traditionally include modified engines, transmissions, suspensions, interior trims, aerodynamics, and exterior modifications to set them apart from their counterparts. All M models are tested and tuned at BMW's private facility at the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany.
BMW M also provides M packages for the BMW S1000RR motorcycle, with a limited-production homologation-special, race-type machine designated M1000RR, produced from 2021 onwards.
History
Origins
Established in May 1972 with 35 employees, it grew to 400 employees by 1988, and is currently an integral part of BMW's market presence. The first racing project was BMW's 3.0 CSL. After this came the BMW 530MLE in 1976. It was designed to compete in South Africa's Modified Production Series instead of the regular E12 528i. 100 homologated road cars had to be produced for this.After the success of BMW M products like BMW 3.0 CSL in racing venues and the growing market for high performance sports cars, M introduced cars for sale to the public. The first official M-badged car for sale to the public was the M1, revealed at the Paris Motor Show in 1978. The M1, however, was more of a racecar in domestic trim than an everyday driver. The direction of the M cars changed with the 1979 release of the M535i, which was a high performance version of BMW's popular 5 Series mid-size sedan.
In 1993, BMW Motorsport GmbH changed their name to BMW M GmbH.
BMW Motorsport GmbH supplied the 6.1-litre V12 DOHC 48 valve engine that powers the McLaren F1, which, like its engine supplier and manufacturer, has enjoyed plenty of racing success, famously winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, the first year of competition for the GTR racing variant.
Recent history
At present, BMW M has offered modified versions of nearly every BMW nameplate, except for the Z1.The BMW X5 and X6 sport activity vehicles received M derivatives for the 2010 model year onwards. These are the first M vehicles with xDrive four-wheel drive and automatic transmissions, and also the first M-badged SUV models. However, the E70 and E71 X5 and X6 M were actually developed by BMW Group rather than by BMW M.
Although these are considered the most well known in-house tuning divisions, BMW M has a considerably different philosophy than Mercedes-AMG. BMW M has emphasized tuning only vehicles with "Lateral agility", while AMG has created fast versions of many of its nameplates, including flagship sedans and SUVs. Accordingly, "an M car has to be responsive and fundamentally keen on turning as well as accelerating. The M5's technical spec is all about connecting the driver to a car that reacts blindingly fast, whatever request the driver hands down." Until the 2010 model year, BMW M has also never used supercharging or turbocharging, unlike Mercedes-AMG or Audi; for instance the E39 and E60 iterations of the BMW M5 competed against the Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG and the Audi RS6.
BMW M vehicles can use a variety of transmissions, including manual, dual-clutch, and automatic transmissions. The North American market E36 M3s in sedan and convertible form were the first M-vehicles offered with a traditional torque-converter automatic transmission.
BMW M engines were traditionally large displacement naturally aspirated high revving engines, particularly the S85 V10 in the E60 M5 and E63 M6 and the related S65 V8 in the E90 M3. These are the most powerful engines BMW has ever built without supercharging or turbocharging, with an output of 100 hp per liter of displacement, and each has won numerous International Engine of the Year Awards. As late as the early 2000s, BMW regarded forced-induction as low-tech shortcuts to boosting horsepower, stating that this adds weight and complexity while reducing throttle response. BMW purists have noted that while forced induction and/or large displacement does produce more torque for better day-to-day driving, most of them like the "character" and sound of low displacement naturally aspirated engines with high redlines.
However, the late 2000s international regulations trends on reducing emissions and fuel consumption are cited as the reasons not to continue further development on naturally aspirated high redline engines. The N54 twin-turbo inline-6 which debuted in the 2007 BMW 335i gives almost equivalent performance to the E46 and E90 iterations of the BMW M3, while being much more practical and fuel-efficient as a daily driver. Starting with the X5 M and X6 M, and featured in the F10 M5, BMW used the twin-turbocharged S63 which not only produces more horsepower and torque, but is also more efficient than the S85 V10. Also unlike the S85 and S65 which do not share a design with non-M BMW engines, the S63 has significant parts commonality with the base N63 V8 engine making them less expensive to build. BMW has not yet considered supercharging.
The BMW M3 was the last "traditional" M car left, as the rest of the list features turbocharged engines. The next iteration of the M3 and M4 features a twin-turbocharged straight-6 engine.
BMW X2 2018-2023.
This sports activity coupe has a unique logo on the rear pillar, it pays homage to the BMW 3.0 CSL 1972, first car built by the M Sports team.
Leadership
- Jochen Neerpasch
- Dieter Stappert
- Adolf Prommersberger
- Ulrich Bruhnke
- Ludwig Willisch
- Kay Segler
- Friedrich Nitschke
- Franciscus van Meel
- Markus Flasch
- Franciscus van Meel
M cars versus M-badged cars
Vehicles with the "M Sport" upgrade feature smaller M badges on the wheels, front fenders, steering wheel, gearshift and door sills, whilst fully-fledged M cars have larger "M" badges on the grille and/or trunk, wheels, steering wheel, gearshift and door sills with the model number. The exceptions include the M Roadster and M Coupe models, both Z3, Z4 and 1 Series variants, which only have an "M" badge with no number displayed on the boot.
BMW has offered these 'M Sport' options on their standard vehicles since the late 1970s which explains why these vehicles carry M badges straight from the factory. In comparison, vehicle maker Audi also employs this same type of nomenclature. There are fully fledged 'S' models, as well as an optional 'S'-line package that can be equipped to their standard vehicle lineup.
An example of 'M'-badged vehicles in recent times includes the 5 Series and 6 Series only having a choice of either a manual or automatic transmission, but the 'M' Sport package had an optional Sequential Sport Gearbox until after the 2007 model year.
Exclusive M cars
Two models, the M1 and XM, are not pinnacle versions of an existing BMW model, but rather, are ground-up performance models produced and sold exclusively in their M variant. Sometimes labelled as "M Original" cars, these models represent flagship performance and design for the M brand.M Performance models
In 2012 BMW introduced a new category for M cars, branded as M Performance, designed “to bridge the gap between M Sport variants and the outright M high-performance models.“ The lineup included the diesel-powered M550d in saloon and touring body styles, X5 M50d, and X6 M50d, marking the first diesel-powered BMW models to ever carry M-badging. The gasoline-powered M135i debuted shortly after.BMW has since announced M Performance variants of nearly every model in their lineup, including four electric models, the i4, i5, iX and the i7.
Exceptions
- The BMW X-based M vehicles bear their normal model designations followed by the "M" stripe badge. If the nomenclature followed tradition, then they would have had the "M" preceding the model designation, e.g. MX5 and MX6, already used by Mazda.
- The Z3-based M Roadster and M Coupe bore numberless "M" badges as standard fitment.
- The first generation Z4-based Z4 M Roadster and Z4 M Coupe bore their normal model designations followed by the "M" stripe badge.
- The M635CSi followed the M535i naming tradition but was a fully-fledged M-Car.
- The BMW 1 Series-based M cars is called the BMW 1 Series M Coupe to avoid confusion with the original BMW M1.
List of cars
Current M cars
- M2 – G87 coupé
- M3 – G80 saloon, G81 estate
- M4 – G82 coupé, G83 convertible
- M5 – G90 saloon, G99 estate
- M8 – F92 coupé, F91 convertible, F93 Gran Coupé
- X4 M – F98
- X5 M – F95
- X6 M – F96
- XM – G09
Current M Performance models
- i4 M50 xDrive - G26 BEV gran coupé
- i5 M60 xDrive - G60 saloon and G61 estate
- i7 M70 xDrive - G70 saloon
- iX M60
- M135 xDrive – F70 five-door hatchback
- M235 xDrive – F74 gran coupé
- M240i/M240i xDrive - G42 coupé
- M340i xDrive and M340d xDrive - G20 saloon and G21 estate
- M440i xDrive and M440d xDrive - G22 coupé and G23 convertible
- M760e xDrive - G70 saloon
- M850i xDrive - G14 convertible, G15 coupé, and G16 gran coupé
- X1 M35i xDrive - U11
- X2 M35i xDrive - F39
- X2 M35i xDrive - U10
- X3 M50 xDrive - G45
- X4 M40i - G02
- X5 M60i xDrive - G05
- X6 M60i xDrive - G06
- X7 M60i xDrive - G07
- Z4 M40i - G29