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Lightweight construction, motorsport and art: the first M car immediately became an icon. The BMW 3.0 CSL did not yet have an M badge on its tailgate, but it was the first car to be developed by the fledgling BMW Motorsport GmbH. From 1973, the sports coupé delivered 206 hp and was to remain the most powerful road version of the series. In Germany, the large rear spoiler was delivered separately – it wasn’t approved for road use. Maximum performance was achieved not only with its impressively optimised engine, but also through the intelligent lightweight construction. The striking aerodynamics package underlined this claim. Enthusiasts bestowed it the nickname ‘Batmobile’.

The 3.0 CSL was virtually unbeatable in motorsport: Until 1979, no one could beat the BMW 3.0 CSL in six European championships. And even in the arts, the first BMW M left a lasting impression. In 1975, sculptor Alexander Calder created an artistic monument with his BMW 3.0 CSL, laying the foundation for the BMW Art Car Collection.

Pure driving pleasure: the first BMW M3 is one of the most impressive and dynamic models in automotive history and also the most successful touring car of all time. And as for public road use, it pioneered a new class of particularly sporty everday cars. With its lightweight, high-revving S14 inline four-cylinder engine, driving pleasure is guaranteed. By 1990, the power output of the compact engine had increased to 238 hp.

With the market launch of the M3 Convertible in 1988, M GmbH broke new ground: for the first time in its history, the experience of open-top driving was combined with the high performance of an M model.

Strong identity, unmistakable design and iconic engine: when it was first unveiled, the closed Z3 M initially polarised opinion. Today, the coupé is a classic precisely because of its progressive and distinctive exterior. The design of the striking rear end also had an advantage: the upward-opening tailgate provided access to the spacious luggage compartment behind the sports seats – making it suitable for travel.

The long bonnet, compact rear end and wide wheel arches were atypical in 1997. The performance, on the other hand, was typical of M. If there was one thing the Z3 M Coupé stood for, it was driving pleasure. The 3.2-litre inline six-cylinder engine developed by the M engineers delivered 321 hp, exceeding 100 hp per litre of combustion chamber for the first time.

There are just a few cars that are said to have classic potential shortly after their market launch. This is especially true when it comes to compact class models. However, this was the case with the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupé. In just one year of production and with only 6,331 units delivered, the sports car became the benchmark for maximum driving pleasure. The manual transmission and rear-wheel drive made the model a highlight for purists. Delivering 340 hp and 500 Nm of maximum torque from the 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine (N54B30), the model completes the sprint to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds – and to 200 km/h in another 12.4 seconds. A milestone in the compact class.

This high-performance vehicle, limited to 50 units, was the highlight of the brand’s 50th anniversary in 2022. The BMW 3.0 CSL brings the concept conceived in the 1970s – using racetrack technology for pure driving pleasure on the road – into the present day. Dynamic elegance in the exterior, a classic sports car cockpit, intelligent lightweight construction, an inline six-cylinder engine, manual transmission and rear-wheel drive are based on the traditional principles of a BMW M car and, with the help of modern technologies, complement each other to create the ultimate symbol of the fascination with high performance in the style of the brand, which has now been successful for over five decades.

With the BMW XM, BMW M GmbH combined the unrivalled performance of M high-performance models with an electrified drivetrain for the first time in 2023. The M HYBRID drive makes the BMW XM the most powerful production model in the brand’s history with up to 550 kW (748 hp). Its expressive exterior, which is also characterised by reinterpreted design features from the legendary BMW M1 super sports car, stands for maximum exclusivity. Vintage leather combinations have found their way into the interior, and the inviting M Lounge in the rear of the SAV brings typical M, sporty luxury to the second row for the first time.