THE M STORY – MOTORSPORT.
MOTORSPORT IS OUR DNA. OUR TRACK RECORD PROVES IT. ON THE NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHLEIFE, AND AROUND THE WORLD. EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF: OUR MOTORSPORT STORY.
///
1973
BMW 3.0 CSL
FROM ZERO
TO HERO
This car is what founded today’s BMW M GmbH and set a milestone in motorsport history. In fact, it’s easier to list the places around the world where the BMW 3.0 CSL has not won than all the places it has.
In the 3.0 CSL’s very first season, it won multiple championships – including the European championship title. This was a major achievement for BMW Motorsport GmbH which at this point was only one year old.
From 1974 to 1979, the BMW 3.0 CSL won the European Touring Car Championship five more times. The car won its class in the legendary Le Mans race and brought home the overall victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Today, every child recognizes the BMW M colours: the 3.0 CSL was the first BMW M model to carry them.
49 years ago, the 3.0 CSL’s performance was out of this world, and it is still impressive today. It got up to 440 hp, it reached 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds, and its maximum speed was 275 km/h.
The title for the ”first true M” is reserved for the BMW 3.0 CSL. That, along with its motorsport track record have turned the BMW 3.0 CSL into a legend, and it still holds its legendary status today.
///
1979
BMW M1 PROCAR
THE FORMULA 1 ATTRACTION
It seems somewhat unimaginable today, but in the 1970s, the fastest Formula-1 drivers of the weekends would always race for a second championship: the BMW M1 Procar-Series. The main prize was a BMW M1 road car.
From Jacques Laffite to Didier Pironi, Alan Jones, Nelson Piquet, Carlos Reutemann …
… and Niki Lauda. Each of these outstanding Formula 1 drivers all wanted a BMW M1. But only two drivers ever won it: Niki Lauda und Nelson Piquet.
///
1983
BMW BRABHAM BT 52
WORLD CHAMPION IN 630 DAYS
Nelson Piquet won the first round of the Formula 1 race in São Paulo in the Brabham BT 52, thereby laying the cornerstone for the largest success in the history of BMW Motorsport GmbH.
The technical brains behind the success was so-called “Motorenpapst” Paul Rosche (left) who developed the championship-winning motor. With highly sensitive acceleration, Nelson Piquet steered his way to the title.
The Brazilian won the Grand Prix on his home-turf, but unexpectedly, Nelson Piquet lost to the reigning World Champion, Keke Rosberg, during the prestigious fifth round of the Formula 1 World Championship in Monaco.
In hindsight that was not to be a problem, as Rosberg had to relinquish the title to Piquet, Brabham, and BMW Motorsport.
During the final in Kyalami, Piquet placed third, thus securing the overall victory. After just 630 days of Formula 1 racing, BMW Motorsport GmbH was world champion—and the BMW turbo engine was the engine to beat.
///
1987
BMW M3 E30
THE CHAMPION MAKER
In 1987 the BMW M3 touring car celebrated its entry into motorsport. The result has yet to be matched (in racing history): with over 1,400 victories and …
… numerous championship titles in nearly every series, including the world championship, the MW M3 E30 is the most prolific touring car in the world even today.
This is how legends are made. Eric van der Poele became a sensation in his first DTM season as BMW junior team driver. Both his and the BMW M3’s first year saw them both become champions – and this without a single first-place finish.
The European touring-car championship ended differently: the BMW M3 won six of the seven races making it the clear winner.
The unbeatable finish of all racing series finishes was set by Roberto Ravaglia. He, too, began his premiere season with the new BMW M3. That which followed was the climax of the Italian’s racing career: the touring car world championship.
The BMW M3 E30’s motorsport history is unmatched and the M autombile is legendary for motorsport enthusiasts. Even today, this model is called: “the champion maker.”
///
1999
BMW V12 LMR
VIVE LA CHANCE
BMW set their ambitions high for the last 24-hour-race of the millennium in Le Mans. The BMW V12 LMR had to hold its ground and assert itself amongst one of the strongest grid line-ups of all time.
After 365 rounds, Joachim Winkelhock, Pierluigi Martini, and Yannick Dalmas were leading the field.
Their secret: the engine was more durable and robust that those of the competition, as the six-liter motor was designed, from the outset, to handle twice the distance of a 24-hour race.
Robust, strong, and lightweight: the completely newly developed BMW V12 LMR prototype set the new standard in 1999 with its V12 Motor and a kerb weight of 915 kg.
In 2021, BMW M announced their return to international prototype racing. The new LMDh race car is being developed for the North American IMSA series.
BMW M Motorsport will compete in the famous classic races in Daytona, Sebring, or Road Atlanta in 2023. The goal after a 25-year prototype break is clear and in typical M style, BMW M Motorsport will fight for the win!
///
2010
BMW M3 GT2
THE ENDURANCE ATHLETE
Since the 1970s, the 24-hour-race on the Nürburgring has been making history and rightfully lays claim to the name of being the hardest endurance race in the world …
… and the long 1,440 minutes of the race through the Eifel make it an absolute highlight in the GT calendar. A car that can win here, is a true motorsport hero. A true all-rounder: fast, robust, and powerful.
It was a BMW M again, that won the overall victory after 154 laps of the Nordschleife in 2010.
Jörg Müller, Augusto Farfus, Uwe Alzen and Pedro Lamy defied all the favourites …
… and did their part in continuing the BMW M3 GT2 legacy.
///
2012
BMW M3 DTM
THE COMEBACK
BMW teams, drivers, and vehicles shaped the DTM from 1984 to 1992. 20 years went by before BMW as a manufacturer returned to the world’s greatest touring car racing series with the BMW M3 DTM.
And what a return! After the second race, Bruno Spengler found his way onto the podium after he won on the Lausitzring in his black BMW Bank M3 DTM. He could not even believe it himself.
And it got even better: after a total of 4 season-victories and a dramatic finale against …
… Gary Paffett in Hockenheim, Spengler was crowned champion in BMW Motorsport’s return to the DTM.
At the same time, BMW and the BMW Team Schnitzer won the manufacturer and team titles.
It was a golden moment. Following in the footsteps of Volker Strycek (1984), Eric van de Poele (1987) and Roberto Ravaglia (1989), Bruno Spengler lifted the DTM best drivers trophy toward the Hockenheim sky.
///
2020
M6 GT3
KING OF THE RING
The Nordschleife is both loved and hated, but above all feared. A brand that can stand this test or even win here belongs to the greatest that motorsport has to offer.
After half a century, BMW M confronts the greatest challenge – the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring. Successfully. No other manufacturer has claimed as many victories as the brand from Bavaria.
At the 48th 24-hour classic on the Nürburgring, BMW earned their 20th overall victory. When Nick Catsburg crossed the finish line in his BMW M6 GT3 at shortly past 3:30 p.m., …
… the cheers were neverending.
Along with ROWE Racing and his teammates Alexander Sims and Nick Yelloly, Catsburg beat the Nordschleifen-thriller. ROWE Racing’s second BMW M6 GT3 claimed third place overall.
Ready to race! In 2022, BMW M and private teams will take the M4 GT3, the BMW M6 GT3’s successor, on the world’s hardest race track, the Nürburgring, to the starting line. The goal is clear – it is written on the door.
///
THE M STORY – OUR CARS.
MOTORSPORT IS OUR DNA, THE NÜRBURGRING OUR TESTING GROUND. RACING SUCCESSES, RECORDS AND M CARS ARE PROOF OF THIS. EXPERIENCE IT ALL FOR YOURSELF. WHERE? ON THE NORDSCHLEIFE - WHERE ELSE?…
///
1973
BMW 3.0 CSL
THE PIONEER
Lightweight construction, motorsport and art all come together to create the first M car which, unsurprisingly, becomes an icon straight away. The BMW 3.0 CSL did not yet have an M on the rear, but it was the first development by the newly formed BMW Motorsport GmbH.
The BMW 3.0 CSL, from model year 1973 has 206 hp and was the most powerful road version to be produced. Fact: the large rear spoiler was removable. The reason for this? It wasn’t street legal in Germany.
The quest for maximum performance was achieved by BMW Motorsport GmbH through adding more displacement and power and working on extremely lightweight construction and eye-catching aerodynamics. BMW enthusiasts gave it the nickname “Batmobile” for free.
Hard to beat. In 1973, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Chris Amon win the 6-hour race at the Nürburgring by an unassailable margin and Niki Lauda sets a new lap record of eight minutes and 21.3 seconds in the same race.
But that was just the beginning. Until 1979, no one could get past the BMW 3.0 CSL in six European championships …
… not even the art scene. The CSL set many milestones. In 1975, sculptor Alexander Calder created an artistic monument with the BMW 3.0 Coupé, laying the foundation for the BMW Art Car Collection.
///
1978
BMW M1
FROM PROCAR TO ICON
Whether it was revered as an art car, a racing car in the Formula 1 supporting program, or the fastest German production car at the time - the BMW M1 was a sensation in 1978. It was the first car to be completely developed in-house by BMW M GmbH, too.
With its Italian lines and Bavarian engine engineering, the BMW M1 is still unique today. The timeless design comes directly from the sketches of Giorgio Giugiaro, who also laid the foundation for an outstanding work of art with the M1…
… The M1 was given a racy, colourful design in 1979 by none other than pop art legend Andy Warhol. He raved about it and said "I love the car. It turned out better than the artwork."
Pure dynamics behind three spokes: The unladen weight of the BMW M1 was just 1,300 kg, which, combined with the ideal weight distribution provided by the mid-engine concept, resulted in outstanding handling.
Each BMW M1 is handcrafted and is a rare piece of sports car history. Especially as M GmbH only produced around 400 BMW M1s for the road. Technically it was a pioneer and stylistically it set a real milestone …
… and it was legendary as a procar.
///
1986
BMW M3 E30
THE POLE SETTER
Pure driving pleasure: The first BMW M3 is one of the most impressive and dynamic models in automotive history and is also the most successful touring car of all time.
It was dominant in racing and a pioneer on the road in a new class of particularly sporty vehicles that were also suitable for everyday driving. The interior hinted at its origins, and as is customary in motorsport, the first gear is down on the left.
The heart of the BMW M3 is the high-revving four-cylinder engine. To ensure its leading position in motorsport and on the road, the M3 is developed consistently. As a result, the output rose to as much as 238 hp.
With an open top and top racing technology in the bottom, the market launch of the M3 Convertible in 1988, M GmbH broke new ground. For the first time in its history, BMW M GmbH combined the experience of open-top driving with the performance of an M automobile.
///
1987
BMW M5 E28
HIGH-PERFORMANCE SEDAN
The premiere of the first BMW M5 in 1987 laid the foundation for an automotive legend and epitomised the passion of the young 15-year-old BMW M GmbH, not least because the M5 of the E28 series was created entirely by hand.
A stylish understatement: The car dispenses with large spoilers, but not with power: The 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine develops 210 kW (286 hp) and was originally developed for the legendary BMW M1.
A high-performance sedan with manual transmission like this is rarely seen today. At the time, it was the epitome of dynamism and sportiness. Just like the insignia of motorsport that are taken for granted today, the sports seats and a three-spoke steering wheel added a special signature to the car.
The M5 sprinted from zero to 100 km/h in a remarkable 6.5 seconds. Even more impressive, however, were its dynamics and controllability beyond the straights, characteristics that still distinguish the model series today
///
1997
BMW M COUPÉ
A CAR LIKE NO OTHER
With its strong identity, unmistakable design and iconic engine, the closed Z3 M had a polarized reception when it was first unveiled. Today, the coupé is a classic precisely because of its progressive and distinctive exterior.
Beyond all doubt, the inline six-cylinder engine with 3.2 litres of displacement developed by the motorsport specialists at M GmbH produced 321 hp at 7,400 rpm and thus, for the first time, could produce more than 100 hp per litres in the combustion chamber.
The design of the striking rear section had one big advantage. The upward-opening tailgate provided access to the spacious luggage compartment behind the sports seats. 410 litres of space promised drivers a more solid travel capability.
The long hood, compact rear end and wide wheel arches were atypical in 1997. Typical M, on the other hand, was the performance. During the first tests, it was clear that if there was one thing the Z3 M Coupé stood for, it was driving pleasure …
… The Coupé achieved top results in the slalom and the ISO wobble test - against competition from Zuffenhausen and Maranello. The M Coupé sprinted "hopelessly away," as the German car magazine "Auto, Motor und Sport" wrote.
///
2009
BMW X5 M AND X6 M
PREMIERE: X MEETS M
The premiere of the BMW X5 M and X6 M brought many new features, such as the first all-wheel drive and the first turbocharged engine from BMW M. Together with the perfectly tuned chassis, both M models became the most dynamic one in their class.
So, the test conclusion of the British magazine "Top Gear" is not surprising: The X6 M sets the same time as the M3 E46 on the Nürburgring - and that's absurd. A straight line is no challenge. Getting around the Nordschleife quickly is.
The V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, cross-cylinder bank exhaust manifold and gasoline direct injection pushed output to 555 hp. The tremendous torque of 680 Nm impressed even seasoned test drivers.
Performance and SAV in perfect harmony. The BMW xDrive was perfectly tuned for performance. The M specific chassis design and new steering raised the M models to a new level. It just fits, as they would say in Bavaria.
///
2011
BMW 1 SERIES M COUPÉ
PURE DRIVING
There are very few cars that are considered to have classic potential so quickly after their market launch. Especially when it's a model in the compact class. However, that was the case with the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupé …
… after just one year of construction and with only 6,331 units delivered, the M Coupé became the benchmark for maximum driving pleasure and, with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, it was "a highlight for purists."
Its high-performance powertrain is a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with 340 hp. Torque of 450 Nm is already available at 1,500 rpm. The engine achieves the maximum of 500 Nm thanks to the overboost function.
Combining driving pleasure with high performance, the BMW 1 Series M Coupé sprints from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds, and 200 km/h can be reached after a further 8.8 seconds. This is the perfect example of a "small but mighty!" car.
///
2021
BMW i4 M50
NEW TIMES AHEAD
The BMW i4 M50 is the first fully electric automobile from BMW M GmbH and the pioneer of a new generation of performance cars. It transfers the M typical combination of agility, dynamics, and precision into the world of electromobility.
It feels like the dawn of a new time. Without interruption, the i4 M50 accelerates to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. A particularly intense and new M experience, also thanks to the emotional drive sound BMW M IconicSounds Electric.
With its two BMW M eDrive motors, the BMW i4 M50 produces 544 hp in Sport Boost mode. The range of up to 510 kilometres (WLTP), which is suitable for everyday use, brings the Gran Coupé from the future into the now.
This is the future. In the interior, the BMW Curved Display tilts towards the driver and the slim instrument panel characterise the ultra-modern ambience. High-tech materials and progressive design characterise the innovative interior.
Just in time for its 50th anniversary, M GmbH is starting a new chapter in the company's successful history with the BMW i4 M50. More electrifying cars will follow. Stay tuned ...
///
THE M STORY – M PEOPLE.
MOTORSPORT IS OUR DNA. OUR DRIVING FORCE IS THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MOST POWERFUL LETTER IN THE WORLD. TAKE A LOOK AT THE PERSONALITIES FROM THE PAST 50 YEARS…
///
1972
LUTZ AND NEERPASCH
THE FOUNDING FATHERS
"A company is like a human being. If it plays sports, it is fitter and more efficient," said Robert A. Lutz, a member of the Board of Management of BMW AG in 1972. This was the baptismal motto for BMW Motorsport GmbH.
The former jet fighter pilot appreciated fast cars, motorcycles, and motor sports. So, you could say that the launch of BMW M GmbH was the culmination of all of his passions.
Lutz, an avid motorcyclist, was tasked with concentrating BMW AG's motosport activities into a new subsidiary and to maximize performance on the world's racetracks.
On May 1, 1972, BMW Motorsport GmbH took the reins. Jochen Neerpasch (2nd from left), formerly a works driver at Porsche and racing manager at Ford, became head of the team of specialists, which initially numbered 35.
Jochen Neerpasch and engine developer Paul Rosche (right) are a perfect match, because Neerpasch sees his new role in Munich not just as head of a racing department, but above all as the leader of a think tank.
This attitude is probably one of the reasons why BMW Motorsport GmbH started to win so many legendary victories – that and the innovative strength of the team, of course. In fact, the BMW 3.0 CSL, the first car to be developed in-house, starts to win championships straight away.
Neerpasch's successes not only include numerous titles, but he also broke new ground away from the racetrack. For example, he founded the legendary BMW Junior Team, where young drivers received professional motorsport training for the first time.
50 years of BMW motorsport passion: Jochen Neerpasch is still involved in BMW M today.
///
1973
STUCK, LAUDA, TODT
BIG NAMES, BIG SUCCESSES
After just one year, the racing world started to see red or blue more and more often - especially on the body of the CSL coupé, …
… which, with drivers Chris Amon (left) and Hans-Joachim Stuck (right), was the first to cross the finish line after 42 laps of the 6-hour race at the Nürburgring.
In the same race, the future Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda set a new lap record of eight minutes and 21.3 seconds in the second 3.0 CSL entered by Alpina.
The races of the BMW 3.0 CSL became triumphs for BMW Motorsport GmbH, after just one year.
Dutchman Toine Hezemans (3rd from left) becomes the European Touring Car Champion with the 3.0 CSL. This is the first of six European Championship titles for the CSL.
The FIA organizes a world rally championship for the first time, and BMW is on the starting line. The 235-hp BMW 2002 wins a world championship round on new terrain with Achim Warmbold from Duisburg at the wheel.
In 1973, the co-driver of the BMW 2002 is a brilliant navigator – Frenchman Jean Todt.
After navigating many obstacles, Todt's time with BMW was over. Instead of studying the road book, he became the Ferrari team boss and the FIA boss.
///
1977
RAUNO AALTONEN
FAST, BUT SAFE
1977 marks the birth of BMW driver safety training. What does this have to do with motorsport? A whole lot, actually …
… because rally drivers are considered the best among racing drivers. In Rauno Aaltonen, a Finn, BMW hires a top instructor who is also regarded as a meticulous technician …
… what’s more, he is a former European champion and winner of the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. If Aaltonen couldn't show BMW drivers how to drive at the limits, who could?
1977 also marks the beginning of a wonderful idea, which can still be seen today. This idea produces more driving talent for BMW than almost any other manufacturer: the BMW Junior Team.
The initial lineup sent to the starting line by junior promoter Jochen Neerpasch is legendary: Manfred Winkelhock, Eddie Cheever and Marc Surer (from left to right).
The trio makes a big splash. Surer wins the very first race in the German Racing Championship, with Winkelhock finishing third. From now on, the juniors mix things up, and for the drivers, this is the springboard they’ve been looking for.
///
1980
PAUL ROSCHE
THE PROMISE
BMW announces its entry into Formula racing on April 24, 1980. Two years later, in Montreal in June 1982, the BMW-powered Brabham BT 50 Turbo took its first Formula 1 victory with Nelson Piquet at the wheel.
Crucial to this victory and all the others that followed was the new technical director Paul Rosche (right), who had been developing racing engines for BMW since 1969 and had set his sights on nothing less than the Formula 1 title.
The man, who was nicknamed "Nocken-Paule," – which means as much as "camshaft Paul" – was to make good on his promise a few years later. He had laid the foundations for Formula 1 successes back in 1980, when BMW Motorsport GmbH started developing the first F1 engine.
The BMW turbo engine, which went by the designation M12/13, was a four-cylinder series block with 1.5 litres of displacement. With special fuel and custom-made exhaust turbocharger, it was initially able to produce 630 hp.
Later, Paul Rosche's team extracted an unmeasured but estimated 1,400 hp from the engine. Rosche says casually: "We don't know exactly what the speed was because the measuring scale of the dyno stops at 1,280 hp."
In 1983, he makes good on his promise and Nocken-Paule, BMW Motorsport GmbH and driver Nelson Piquet all reach their shared goal: a world championship win in the top class!
///
1983
NELSON PIQUET
CHAMPION IN 630 DAYS
Nelson Piquet becomes the champion in the premier class in 1983. And wins the first F1 title in record time for BMW Motorsport. After just 630 days in F1, the Brazilian wins and makes history.
He leads after the first world championship round and ends up winning the Formula 1 world championship - for himself, for Brazil, for Team Brabham and, of course, for engine partner BMW. But the fight for the title was a real thriller …
… It took another twelve races after his initial victory for Piquet to win again. From then on, he drove consistently and collected points. And at Monza and Brands Hatch, Nelson Piquet and his Brabham BMW Turbo BT52 crossed the finish line first.
At the finale in Kyalami, third place was enough for him to take the overall victory. This marked the end of the turbo era in Formula 1 but also marked the end of BMW’s first foray in the top class.
///
2000
RALF, NICO & SEBASTIAN
THE F1 COMEBACK IS SET
At the turn of the millennium, BMW makes a strong comeback as the engine supplier to the BMW Williams F1 Team. And a German driver causes a sensation in the early stages of the season.
Ralf Schumacher finishes third in the German-English team's first Grand Prix, making it the most successful Formula 1 entry by an engine manufacturer since 1967.
The motorsport bosses in Munich are Dr. Mario Theissen and Gerhard Berger. At the end of the season, Schumacher is fifth and the team finishes their first season in an excellent third place in the constructors' championship.
BMW M has a tradition of promoting young talent. Alongside its Formula 1 talent made up of drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Schumacher, the Munich-based company is also committed to supporting new talent with a specially created junior class: Formula BMW.
The beginners not only race in a specially built formula racing car they are also trained in everything a modern driver needs to be able to do.
The first Formula BMW champion is Nico Rosberg, who goes on to become Formula 1 world champion.
Sebastian Vettel (center), Nico Hülkenberg and Adrian Sutil also receive the training which prepares them for their later careers here.
///
2014
MARCO WITTMANN
FROM ROOKIE TO CHAMPION
From "Rookie of the Year" in 2013 to the DTM driver's title in 2014. Stories like this are only written in the world of sport. BMW’s driver Marco Wittmann wins the championship in what was only his second season in the DTM.
And another young talent catapulted Wittmann into the history books of the DTM and M GmbH: the new BMW M4 DTM. With it, Wittmann continued a special BMW tradition, whenever BMW comes up with a new model …
… and it competes in the DTM, the drivers' title always goes to BMW. After Strycek's success in 1984 with the BMW 635 CSi, this happened again with van de Poele and the BMW M3 in 1987 and again with Spengler's triumph in 2012 with the BMW M3 DTM.
A commanding lead to the title: Wittmann celebrated his first victory in the Ice-Watch BMW M4 DTM at the season opener in Hockenheim. From the third race onwards, he held an uninterrupted position at the top of the drivers' table. And at the Lausitzring, he commanded the title fight very early on.
With a 69-point lead over Christian Vietoris (Mercedes), Wittmann was unassailable at the top of the overall standings before the two final rounds at Zandvoort and the Hockenheimring.
At the age of 24 years and 294 days, Wittmann is the youngest DTM champion to drive for BMW to date.
Marco Wittmann said of the title at the time: "Today I am the new champion. I could only dream of this before the season. But sometimes a dream does come true. I have fulfilled mine together with BMW Motorsport."
///
2021
FRANCISCUS VAN MEEL
THE FUTURE
A return for the best reason: Franciscus "Frank" van Meel is the new man at the helm of the brand with the most powerful letter in the world.
He had led the company into a successful future from 2015 to 2018. Now, the father of six is back with a clear line, vision, and passion.
"The future will be electric – and we are embracing this task. The important question for us is, if an M is always supposed to drive like an M how can we get the M feeling of a conventional vehicle into an electric vehicle? That’s exactly what we want to achieve," says Frank van Meel.
A firm eye on the future: For BMW M's 50th birthday, the CEO hopes there will be "many unforgettable celebrations with our fans, because M has only become so big thanks to this extraordinary community."
///