BMW's M divison doesn't need an introduction. What started as a team of 35 madmen is now an integral part of BMW. Their magic wand is responsible for making hooliganistic machines out of seemingly sober sedans, coupes, and even SUVs.
While the trend has slowly shifted from true M cars to M-treated cars, it is safe to say that the likes of M-treated ones also have BMW's motorsport essence. Talking of M-treated cars, there were quite a few over the years. In 1996, we had the BMW Z3 M "Clown Shoe" Coupe which had a despicable design.
Then there was the BMW Z4 M Coupe in 2006 which is arguably the most stunning Z car ever made. In 2011, BMW 1M showed us that small is FUN. And the BMW M2 also joined in the M-fever in 2016. But the iconic likes of the M1, M3, M5, and M8 will remain at the crux of what defines an M car.
BMW's M Division recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with an emotional video. We take you down memory lane to show you why the video was emotional.
BMW M Started As A Racing Program In 1972
BMW was able to make a mark in Motorsports during the 60s and 70s because of the legendary 3.0 CSL "The Batmobile". This car became known for two things. One was its cool aerodynamic styling that resembled a batmobile.
And the other was BMW's newly formed Motorsport division's magic on the 3.0 CSL (which was based on the BMW E9 coupe). BMW's M-treated race cars came with souped-up engines, gearbox, suspension, aerodynamics, and sporty interiors. BMW Motorsport is what we now know of as BMW M.
BMW M1 Is The First-Ever M-Badged Road Car
BMW built the very first M-badged road car in 1978, and it remains their technical halo car. The BMW M1 was a mid-engined supercar of the 70s and is the only mid-engined M car produced by BMW. The only other series mid-engined car from BMW was the now-defunct i8 which wasn't an M. The wedgy M1 pumped out 277 hp and hit 62 mph in just 5.6 seconds. It was even faster than the Lamborghini Miura SV.
BMW M3 Is The Popular Boy Of The M Club
BMW M3 is the most popular M-badged car in history. It all started with the E30 3-Series that was souped up by the M division to compete in the DTM races. Thanks to the homologation rules, BMW had to produce 5,000 road-going cars to take part in the race. And that gave us the BMW E30 M3 which kick-started a legend.
The M3 has had its hand in almost everything. From wagons to convertibles, to also exploring bold body styles with the M3 Prototype pickup and the futuristic E36 Compact, the M3 nameplate has remained an accessible dream car for decades. And who can forget the iconic E46 M3 from the Need For Speed Most Wanted?
BMW M5, M6, And M8 Are The Heavy-Weight Champions
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BMW M5, M6, and M8 are the lesser-known of the M family. These three are not subtle in any way, but they have a more mature angle as compared to the M3. Okay, the M5's character is debatable, but the other two are hooligans in tuxedos.
The first-ever M5 (E28) was launched in 1985. With this car, BMW showed the world that a car can look mundane, have four comfortable seats, and still pack a punch.
The M6 came about with the E24 generation in 1987 as a two-door coupe with 256 hp. The second-gen E63 M6 came out in 2005 as a radical M car. It was a meaty-looking coupe that packs 500+ horses of a naturally-aspirated V10 jukebox. An all-new 617 hp BMW M8 Competition was launched in 2020.
But the origin of the BMW M8 is in the 90s. The 1990 M8 had a wedge design and pop-up headlamps, akin to the BMW M1. But it ended up being a prototype with a 6.0-Liter V12 churning out an eye-popping 631 hp. (that's more power than the all-new M8!).
The League Of M-badged SUVs
In 2009, the madmen at BMW's M division decided to swish their magic wand on two SUVs from their portfolio. And that's the beginning of the BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M. It was a very bold move to make as people were not yet on-board with having insanely fast SUVs.
These were not technically M-cars but still had the motorsport essence. These SUVs fared so well that BMW even gave the X3, its M treatment in 2019. Now, the M-treated BMW SUVs are a pack of hooliganistic, yet tamable ones out there.
The M-Division Is Being Taken Over By Beavers
By far the most controversial M cars (or even BMW cars) are the G80 M3 and M4 line-up. The beaver face is to blame, but people are slowly accepting the inevitable. But if you look past the questionable design, The BMW M-DNA is very much retained.
The M3 comes with over 500 hp for the first time in history. And the M4 makes the package more sporty with a two-door coupe layout. With more and more BMW cars taking the "beaver" grille route, we expect to see a lot more questionable-looking BMW M cars.
Future Of BMW M
The future of BMW M is inevitably electric. BMW showcased their vision of M's future with the Vision M NEXT Concept electric car. And it has got us very excited with the M1-inspired design. BMW's M boss also stated that their future electric cars will have more power and be more engaging to drive. While that needs validation, we sure are grateful for BMW's M division is playing a major part in providing "sheer driving pleasure".
Sources: Press.bmwgroup.com, Bmwusa.com, Stratstone.com, Wikipedia.org, Moneyinc.com, Classicandsportscar.com