In 2026, BMW M made its appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with a series of crowd-pullers. The BMW M3 Touring 24H celebrated its UK premiere. So did the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse. Valentino Rossi wowed the crowd in the Le Mans-winning BMW V12 LMR. The BMW M2 with M Performance Track Kit took to the track in the legendary Hillclimb race. And at the BMW M Trackside Paddock, visitors celebrated “40 years of the BMW M3” and were able to marvel at all generations of the model in a special race.
“40 YEARS OF THE BMW M3” x GOODWOOD.
“40 YEARS OF THE BMW M3” x GOODWOOD.
BMW M kicked off its official programme at Goodwood House with the celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the BMW M3. To mark the occasion, a special race took place on Thursday, in which a parade – featuring one BMW M3 model from each generation – tackled the legendary Hillclimb.
Further celebrations of the “40 Years of the BMW M3” anniversary took place at the BMW M Trackside Paddock, where visitors could admire both the founding model of the series, the BMW M3 E30, and the limited-edition BMW M3 GTS E92 from 2011.
A FORMULA 1 LEGEND AT THE HILL.
A FORMULA 1 LEGEND AT THE HILL.
Alongside the M3 parade, BMW M and BMW Group Classic brought a selection of exceptional racing cars to the Goodwood Festival of Speed: these included the BMW M3 GTR E46 with former racing driver Dirk Adorf, and the BMW M3 DTM E92 with BMW M works driver Jens Klingmann at the wheel. And BMW M CEO Franciscus van Meel took part in the famous Hillclimb from the cockpit of the McLaren F1 GTR, which is powered by the legendary BMW S70/2 6.1-litre V12 engine.
FASTEST “ESTATE” ON THE HILL TOO.
FASTEST “ESTATE” ON THE HILL TOO.
Two BMW M fan favourites made their British debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed: the BMW M2 with M Performance Track Kit and the hero of the recent 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, the BMW M3 Touring 24H. While the BMW M2 impressively demonstrated the enhanced agility and increased performance on the racetrack provided by the Track Kit, the M3 Touring 24H further cemented its cult status at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. As at the Nürburgring, there was another surprise success in the Hillclimb. With BMW M works driver Jordan Pepper at the wheel, the estate with GT-DNA clocked a time of 46.54 seconds, finishing fifth overall at the festival and taking class honours.
The atmosphere at Goodwood was great from the start to the end. It was a very special moment to take the BMW M3 Touring 24H up the hill, push this incredible car to its absolute limits and put on a good show for everyone.
NEW CLASS ELECTRIFIES GOODWOOD.
NEW CLASS ELECTRIFIES GOODWOOD.
Having already caused a stir at its world premiere at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse made its UK debut. Goodwood provided the stage for only the second public presentation of the concept car. Embodying the vision for the future of BMW M design and electromobility, the all-electric high-performance vehicle attracted considerable attention. A large crowd gathered at the BMW M stand as BMW M CEO Franciscus van Meel and BMW M Head of Design Michael Scully unveiled the concept car.
VALENTINO ROSSI IN THE BMW V12 LMR.
VALENTINO ROSSI IN THE BMW V12 LMR.
The BMW V12 LMR is back – sporting a special matt black livery that the Le Mans car had been fitted with exclusively for the Goodwood Festival of Speed. None other than Valentino Rossi took the wheel of the legendary racing car for a special demonstration. However, the high-speed run at Goodwood held a spectacular surprise: the BMW M works driver and former MotoGP champion lost control after the rear of the legendary V12 LMR broke away in a bend. But #46 demonstrated lightning-fast reflexes: in front of an enthusiastic audience, Valentino Rossi performed a controlled, perfect 360-degree wheelie in the ultra-light, 600 hp rear-wheel-drive car.
The appearance in this livery remains a one-off event. The matt black wrap can be removed without a trace, so that the BMW V12 LMR will once again shine in its former glory after the weekend.
