BMW M
Check Engine is here to help you find your way around the dozens of sports models that the German manufacturer BMW M GMBH (formerly BMW Motorsport) has offered or has offered since 1972.
We also invite you to discover a page of BMW M‘s history, as well as its German factories in Munich.
HISTORY
The Munich-based brand was founded on 1 May 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH, thanks to Robert A. Lutz & a team of motorsport experts. In the early 70s, racing cars in the red, purple and blue colours of the design of the time (including the famous BMW 3.0 CSL) were always the favourites. This gave rise to a myth: customers who saw these cars on the track also wanted to enjoy their performance on the road.
1973 marked the start of hostilities for BMW’s Motorsport department, with the arrival of the BMW 2002 & 3.0 CSL equipped with in-line 6 cylinders, dedicated to competition.
From 1974 onwards, the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series road cars were launched… And in 1978, the BMW M1, which was to cause a sensation, made its appearance. In 1986, the famous in-line 6-cylinder engine became standard on road vehicles, giving birth to the emblematic M3. This was followed by the M5 in 1988, the V8 engine in 1998, and the 10-cylinder in 2004… A lot of ground has been covered, not forgetting competition… where the Motorsport department excelled in GT3, F1 and even prototypes at Le Mans!
Today, BMW M is entering a new era, thanks in particular to hybrid technology and new vehicle ranges (XM, M2, etc.).
