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BMW M: Difference between revisions

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==Current and future products==
==Current and future products==
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* '''[[BMW M3|M3]]'''
* '''[[BMW M3|M3]]'''

Revision as of 07:53, 10 June 2008

BMW M Logo

BMW M GmbH (previously: BMW Motorsport GmbH) is a subsidiary of German car manufacturer BMW AG established in May 1972 with just eight employees. BMW M, also known as M-Technik or just "M" (for Motorsport) was initially created to facilitate BMW’s racing program, which was very successful in the 1960s and 1970s. The first racing project was BMW’s 3.0 CSL; in the late 1970s the first modified street legal road cars were produced for the contracted racecar drivers as their personal vehicles. By 1988, the number of employees had risen to 400.

BMW M: Modified street-cars for the public

After the success of BMW M in racing venues and the growing market for high performance sports cars, M introduced cars for sale to the public. The very first M badged car for sale to the public was the M1, revealed at the Paris Motor Show in 1978. The M1, however, was more of a racecar in domestic trim than an everyday driver. The direction of the M cars changed with the 1979 release of the M535i, which was a high performance version of BMW’s popular 5-Series mid-size sedan. Since 1978 BMW M has offered modified versions of nearly every car on BMW’s production line, excluding the 7 Series and X Series sport utility vehicles. To this day BMW M continues to serve up some of the most highly tuned street-cars available in full production. BMW M offers modified engines, suspension, interior trim, aerodynamics and exterior styling. The objective of BMW M is to sell factory production sports cars that are comfortable enough for everyday use while offering uncompromised driving satisfaction and performance.

Competition

Auto tuning has become a worldwide market providing mild to exotic modifications. Many aftermarket companies have been formed that will modify your car, independent of the manufacturers control. Hamann, Alpina, Dinan Cars, AC Schnitzer and Hartge are other companies who rival BMW M, taking new cars for modification and having "semi-official" status with BMW regarding warranties, etc. DaimlerChrysler is one of BMW's top competitors, and offers a similar motorsports division to their customers known as AMG. AMG, like BMW M, is an in-house tuning company that has a direct relationship within the parent company. Also, Audi AG offers similar packages on its cars, which bear an "S" badge (such as the S4, S6, and S8). However, Audi's modifications are considered more of an optional package than a special construction by an historically significant counterpart. Also, BMW M supplied the 6.1 liter V-12 engine that powers the McLaren F1, which, like its engine supplier and manufacturer, has enjoyed plenty of racing success, famously winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, the first year of competition for the GTR racing variant.

M-Cars vs. M-badged cars

There are several BMW models to which BMW Motorsport made changes without being full M-Cars. Vehicles which have been modified by BMW Motorsport but are not full M-Cars may feature plain 'M' badges with no number, whilst full M-Cars have 'M' badges with the model number. E.g. 'M3' or 'M5'. It should be noted however that the Z3/Z4-based M Roadster and M Coupe bore numberless 'M' badges as standard fitment.

For example, the E28 M535i featured suspension, styling, and transmission improvements over the standard 535i. These changes were carried out by BMW Motorsport, thus the car carried 'M' stripe badges on the front grille and boot, but not the full 'M5' badging. The E28 M5 was sold along side the M535i. Motorsport modifications have been made to almost every BMW model, hence it is not unusual to see 'standard' BMW's with 'M' badges.

The opposite occurred with the 850CSi where it was an M car in all but its name (it had BMW M sourced engine and it's VIN indicated that it was developed by BMW Motorsport, like all other M cars), this was possibly because a true M8 was in development. This M8 however was cancelled for reasons known only to BMW.

Current and future products

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Previous models

See Also

image (between 170-190 pixels)
BMW

The BMW Group


BMW | Rolls-Royce | Mini


Current: 1 Series · 3 Series · 5 Series · 6 Series · 7 Series · Hydrogen 7 · Z4 · X1 · X3 · X5 · X6 · 5 Series GT · Megacity EV

M Cars: M1 · M3 · M5 · M6 · M Coupe · M Roadster · M535i · X5M · X6M

Historic: 507 ·Z8 · Z3 · Z1 · 503 · 328 · Isetta · 8 Series · E3 · · · · · · · · · ·

Racing: M3 GTR · V12 LMR · V12 LM98 · 320 Turbo · 3.0 CSL · 700 RS · F1.09 · Z4 GT3 · M3 GT2

Concept: Nazca M12 · Nazca C2 · Nazca C2 Spyder · Z11 · Z13 · Z18 · Z07 Concept · Z9 Gran Turismo Concept · Z9 Convertible Concept · X Coupe · CS1 Concept · xActivity Concept · H2R · Mille Miglia · M3 Concept · CS Concept · Just 4/2 Concept · Concept Z4 Coupe · Turbo Concept · X6 Sports Activity Coupe Concept · Concept X6 Active Hybrid · Concept 1-Series tii · M1 Homage Concept · GINA Light Visionary Concept · M8 Prototype · 750i ActiveHybrid Concept · X1 Concept · Hydrogen Powered Salt Flat Racer Concept · 5 Series Gran Turismo Concept · Z Vision Concept · E1 Concept · Vision EfficientDynamics Concept · SIMPLE Concept · Concept ActiveE · ActiveHybrid5 Concept · Concept Gran Coupé · Concept 6 Series Coupé


iDrive · DesignworksUSA · ConnectedDrive · BMW Welt · Franz Josef Popp · Max Friz


Karl Friedrich Rapp and Camillo Castiglioni Corporate website Independent



BMW
BMW M
MINI
Rolls-Royce
engines
Road car timeline, 1960s to present (edit)
Type Series 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
compact 1 Series LS/700 E87
3 Series 1602,2002 E21 E30 E36 E46 E90/91/92
mid-size 5 Series 1500,1800,2000 E12 E28 E34 E39 E60/E61 F10
full-size 7 Series E3 E23 E32 E38 E65/E66 F01
coupés 6 Series 2000CS E9 E24 E63
8 Series E31
roadsters Z Series Z1 Z3 Z4
supercars   M1 Z8 Z10
SUVs X3 E83
X5 E53 E70

External links