BMW M, a look back at its 48 years of history

The 48 years of history of BMW M are rich indeed, and today we want to pay tribute to the sporting division of the German brand by reviewing its most coveted models.

When the Bavarian marque unveiled the first car from its high-performance motorsport division, BMW M, at the 1978 Paris Motor Show, few could have predicted what kind of legend the M badge would become.

At first, the M models were few and far between, but now that the brand is well established, it offers a reworked version of almost every BMW model. Naturally, some are (much) better than others, but they all have something in common: they are fast, generally fun, and in many cases have proven to be a coveted object of desire for enthusiasts of speed and sportiness. Welcome to the history of BMW M.

History of BMW M: BMW 3.0 CSL (1973)

Developed for the track, the BMW was forced to build road-going examples of the BMW 3.0 CSL for homologation reasons. To reduce weight, the bonnet, boot lid and door skins were made of aluminium, the side windows were Perspex and the interior was stripped out. Only 1,039 units were made; the good ones are now highly sought after and extremely valuable. A treasure in the history of BMW M.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_ol9_0T7RY

BMW M1 (1978)

The first road car to come from the sporting division of BMW and, to date, the only mid-engined supercar. Conceived to compete in Group 5 racing , its gestation period was so long that it ended up competing in its own single-make racing series. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the BMW M1 was the first car to use BMW’s classic 3,453cc straight-six engine; only 453 units were made.

BMW M535i (1980)

This was the car that truly established the template for the M car with its combination of excellent performance, Q-car appearance and family practicality. Powered by the same 3.5-litre engine as the BMW M1, it produced 225 hp that took it from 0-100 km/h in a quick 7.5 seconds for its day, but only that deep front spoiler gave away its potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EiX52RcKeQ

BMW M5 E28 (1984)

The first BMW M5 was as anonymous as a diesel-engined family hack, yet it was the fastest four-door saloon in the world when it arrived in 1984. While the M5 gets all the attention, an M535i was also offered, with the same 220 hp engine as the M535i based on the E12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgCtQVQ26VM

BMW M635 CSi (1984)

Effectively an M5 coupé, the M635 CSi (M6 in the USA) was designed to compete with the Porsche 911. The M635 offered the same level of usability as a standard E24 6 Series coupé but with serious pace; its 286 hp straight-six could launch this coupé from a standing start to 100 km/h in just 6.4 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8yHZV8Sm5g

BMW M3 E30 (1985)

With its elongated wheel arches, the original BMW M3 is more obvious than most of its siblings, but that doesn’t make it any less desirable. Available only with left-hand drive, the first BMW M3 featured a 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine producing 197 hp, and later arrived in convertible and Evo forms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2gUrmPvmBA

BMW M3 E30 Pick-Up (1986)

Is it an M car? Not really, although it was built by the BMW M division. This M is an E30 convertible that was turned into a pick-up for transporting bits around the M Division’s site in Garching. Initially, a 190 hp engine from a BMW 320iS was fitted, but later a 2.3-litre E30 M3 S14 unit with a full complement of 197 horsepower was installed in the engine bay.

BMW M5 E34 (1988)

The E34 M5 was designed to take on the mighty Mercedes-Benz W124, which meant this BMW had fabulous build quality, but with its 315 hp straight-six in the nose it also had plenty of power. From 1991 a 3.8-litre engine producing 335 hp was fitted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUuow8JWKrU

BMW M5 E34 Convertible (1989)

BMW has offered a convertible version of every generation of M3 produced, but has never put an open-top M5 into production. However, it came close, because in 1989 a soft-top M5 was built and was scheduled to be revealed at that year’s Geneva Motor Show. But the plug was pulled at the last minute because BMW did not want to risk cannibalising sales of the 3 Series convertible.

BMW M8 (1991)

It would be almost two decades before BMW acknowledged the existence of this car: a 550 hp version with a V12 engine from the E31 8 Series. That engine was effectively two 3.0-litre straight-sixes combined to create a 6.1-litre V12, which drove the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. With only two seats, race-specific brakes and a menacing body, the M8 would have been an attractive flagship for BMW, but sadly it was not to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hpDHN4bVqA

BMW M5 E34 Touring (1992)

In an attempt to expand its M range, BMW introduced an M5 Touring in 1992. Made only with left-hand drive, just 891 units were built. The M5 Touring was not considered a success, so BMW did not offer an E39 M5 estate. But with Audi and Mercedes-Benz enjoying great success with their fast estates, the M5 Touring was not gone for ever…

BMW M3 E36 (1992)

This was the moment when many enthusiasts wondered whether the best days of the M car were in the past, as the E36 was not exciting enough for some, even if it was more usable day to day. Admittedly it was reasonably quick (0-100 km/h in six seconds), but for some drivers it was not appealing enough and the SMG transmission was poor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJDnTHfZWQs&t=3s

As I say, these perceptions apply only to some; I can say it is a model that gives you goosebumps just by starting it… let alone when you drive it through a good stretch of bends…

BMW 850 CSi (1993)

It may not have carried an M badge, but it was still developed by BMW’s Motorsport Division, so it was effectively an M8 even if it was never sold as such. The interior and bodywork were toned down compared with the single M8 prototype built, but there was a 375 hp 5.6-litre V12, so performance remained entertaining.

BMW M3 Compact (1996)

Here is one that didn’t make it, but had it done so it would have been epic with its light weight (just 1.3 tonnes) and a 321 horsepower 3.2-litre engine. The idea was to produce a smaller, more affordable M car for younger buyers, but BMW got cold feet and the E36-based M3 Compact was shelved after a single prototype had been made. The history of the BMW M evolved largely around this model.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro_kiMrjtSU

BMW M5 E39 (1998)

After the E36 came the magnificence of the E39, the first M car with a V8 engine. As a result, there was a big boost in performance; there were now 395 hp that went to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. Global sales of the E39 M5 totalled 20,482; a big increase over the 12,254 of its predecessor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUfBQ0CX3Zc

BMW Z3M Roadster and Coupé (1998)

The regular Z3 did not provide the best basis for an M car, so what started as a dynamically disappointing model was reworked to create something worthy of the M badge. As a result it was flawed, but still far more entertaining than the car that spawned it.

Now highly collectable and built in small numbers, this shooting-brake Z3 looks strange but is better to drive than its open-top sibling thanks to its significantly stiffer structure. Mechanically, however, it is the same, meaning that up front there is a 3.2-litre straight-six producing 317 hp to give 0-100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds.

BMW M3 E46 (2000)

Responding to criticism that the E36 had been too soft, the E46 was a much more rewarding driver’s car that still had six cylinders, but now 343 hp was available. As with its predecessors, there were coupé or convertible variants to choose from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJvN8zva4jg&t=3s

BMW X5 LM (2000)

BMW was about to launch its first SUV, the X5, and in an attempt to prove that an SUV could be fun to drive, it came up with a one-off car with a V12 engine producing a rather modest 700 hp. BMW then hired Hans Joachim Stuck to push the X5 LM round the Nürburgring in 8:05, which was 15 seconds faster than the M5-engined BMW Z8.

BMW M3 CSL (2003)

Worthy of its own entry here, the M3 CSL was expensive when new and came with an SMG gearbox that some found slightly clumsy and which spoiled the driving experience, but the rest of the package made up for it. Beautifully balanced, fantastically built and with a gorgeous soundtrack, prices have become stratospheric as collectors rush to buy one. One of the automotive jewels that has set a precedent in the history of the BMW M.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1ID6Zd6Q0

BMW M3 E46 Touring

This is another that got away: a compact load-lugging hot-rod with the same 343 hp six-cylinder as the E46 M3 coupé and convertible. A fully functional prototype was built and BMW considered it had overcome the various production hurdles, but the conclusion was that the numbers did not add up as the market for an M3 Touring was simply not big enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF0CUaS0czk

BMW M5 E60 (2005)

With more cylinders than any M car designed up to that point, the V10-engined M5 E60 had 500 hp and the kind of balance you would expect from an incredibly impractical sports car. Capable of carrying five at (very) high speed, this was one of the best cars in the world when it was current.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTum8_9OWdA

BMW M5 E60 Touring (2007)

For the ultimate in high-speed practicality, BMW offered a Touring version alongside the saloon in Europe; the 500 hp V10 was carried over unchanged. Made in left- and right-hand drive, a handful made it to the UK. Without doubt, this model marked a before and after in the history of the BMW M.

BMW M6 E63 (2005)

It may not have looked especially pretty, but the M6 was a very fast machine, even if it was too large and heavy to be considered nimble. Using the same mechanicals as the E60 M5, the M6 could sprint from 0-100 km/h in a blistering 4.4 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bBj9yIhMBI

BMW Z4M Roadster and Coupé (2006)

Launched head-on against the Porsche Boxster S, the Z4M was effectively an E46 M3 roadster, complete with a 338 hp 3.2-litre straight-six. Our verdict after driving it was that “the first obligation of any car wearing the M badge is to possess the capacity to thrill its driver, and, flaws and all, that is a commodity the Z4M possesses in spades.” Job done.

For those who value a stiffer structure over the thrill of wind in the hair, BMW devised a hard-top Z4M that was even better to drive than its open-top brother. Heavier by 15 kg, the coupé featured retuned suspension and quicker steering, but the same delicious 338 hp engine. Values are rising fast; secure a minter before they are out of reach entirely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS7lcPSdrbE

BMW M3 E90 (2007)

For the first time in an M3 there was a V8 driving the rear wheels, a no-less-than 414 hp V8 and it would be the last naturally aspirated engine fitted to an M3. Capable of being revved to 8,400 rpm, the M3 E90 was an enormously capable car, but it was so refined that it lacked the drama of earlier editions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM2TK7je4CI&t=2s

BMW X5M E53 (2008)

This is where things started to get a little silly and we wondered whether the M division had lost the plot. The X5 can handle well for an SUV, but this remains a car that for some drivers is the antithesis of what M should represent. But the customer is always right, and the 545 hp X5M performed quite well for BMW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn_wKJ_7m8g

BMW X6M (2009)

While enthusiasts mocked BMW for producing the X6, once again it was only built because there was sufficient demand, and like the more practical X5M, the X6M was another success story in the history of the BMW M.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5sW6SnT8

BMW M3 GTS (2009)

No history of the BMW M would be complete without special editions. BMW took a leaf out of the Porsche book with this limited-run race-ready M3, of which only 150 were built, all as coupés. Each featured more power (now 444 hp) and less weight (136 kg were shaved off the kerb weight) to produce something very special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR_noVwr-58

BMW 1 Series M Coupé (2011)

The history of the BMW M includes a very special model. Often overlooked because of the high-profile M3 and M4, the 335 hp 1 Series M Coupé is a gem with its compact dimensions and broad power band, plus a delicious balance, of course. It is not the easiest M car to drive quickly, but it is very rewarding on the right roads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBYF82qb13I

BMW M5 F12 (2011)

We had reached peak cylinders with the M5 E60 and for its successor, BMW reduced the number of combustion chambers to eight. But a pair of turbochargers ensured there was more snarl than ever (now 553 hp), which was enough to deliver 0-100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds. This time, BMW did not offer an M5 Touring, only a four-door saloon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUtlaGwxDrQ

BMW M6 F13 (2012)

Once again, the M6 was a less practical, more elegant M5 with the same running gear wrapped in a two-door coupé body, or there was always the four-door M6 Gran Coupé for those who needed a dash of extra usability. Quick and with an incredible soundtrack, the M6 is an epic machine and also a rare one thanks to its high price.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm5tOm9tUA0

BMW M4 (2014)

A fifth-generation M3 in all but name, by the time this edition of BMW’s basic M model reached production, the two-door models had split off as a separate model line. As a result, the coupé and convertible editions were known as the M4, but they were mechanically identical to the M3 saloon sold alongside the three body styles, with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six producing 425 hp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k7bg2RDATk

BMW M2 (2016)

This model has been one of those that revolutionised the history of the BMW M. BMW’s M cars had progressively become more powerful and faster over the years, but they had also become much heavier, much more complex and, in many cases, less involving. The M2 tried to reverse some of this and did a good job of getting close to the spirit of the E30 M3. Initially it produced 365 hp, but in 2018 this rose to 405 hp in the BMW M2 Competition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww37JDbFO20&t=24s

BMW M5 F90 (2017)

Unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the sixth-generation M5 was predictably the most powerful yet, with a twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 producing 591 hp. To help manage that prodigious output, for the first time in an M5 there was four-wheel drive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAlqelMXJ6U

BMW M8 and M8 Competition

This is one of the current milestones in the history of the BMW M. Available as coupé and convertible, the new M8 and M8 Competition feature a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 producing up to 616 hp and a top speed of 305 km/h in the best competition specification, thanks to adjustments to the induction system and stiffer engine mounts than the standard M8.

BMW M2 CS (2019)

BMW’s M division is taking the current M2 to its limit with the introduction of a new limited-edition CS model. This latest performance coupé was revealed at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, with deliveries starting in spring 2020.

Priced 50% higher than the standard M2 Competition, it has a series of exterior upgrades, such as a carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic bonnet with a central air vent and a carbon-fibre roof. The bonnet is claimed to weigh half as much as the steel structure used for the BMW M2 Competition. For now, we do not know how the history of the BMW M will continue in the coming years, but it is certain to be filled with vehicles that will get the pulse racing.