BMW M: 50 years of passion for automobiles

Born for competition in 1972, BMW Motorsport did not take long to transfer all its technology and experience from racing to road cars. Thus, the racing department of the Munich-based firm was renamed BMW M GmbH. Once renamed, the brand that created BMW's special cars began to develop iconic models throughout its half-century of history.

These 50 years of existence have given a lot. So much so that, in this article, we are going to talk about the most desiredBMW M street cars. Undoubtedly, all of them are worthy of a place of honor in Soul Auto .

BMW M1 (1978), the homologation special car

If we start in chronological order, our first protagonist is the legendary BMW M1, a very special car that was designed under the supervision of Girgetto Giugiaro. The M1, which is a car inspired by the BMW Turbo Concept prototype and was the first road car to wear the M by name, was born to go directly to the competition. In order to homologate it, BMW had to manufacture a minimum number of units. Specifically, 456 units were assembled during its three years of production.

BMW M1

Image of the rear part of the BMW M1 (Wikimedia)

The BMW M1 made use of the M88/1 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine, which BMW M upgraded to deliver 277 hp at 6,500 rpm and 330 Nm at 5,000 rpm. Its Procar racing versions boosted this power to 490 hp, and the supercharged versions in the Group 5 category even reached 900 hp. The racing M1 was, logically, lighter. It weighed only 1,020 kg and required special aerodynamics. Even so, its performance was already enormous in 1978, with a 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5s and a top speed of 300 km/h.

BMW M1 Procar was a clear dominator in the American IMSA GTO championship, with a first and second place finish at the end of the season in 1981. Only one driver in the top 10 that year did not drive an M1. In addition, in 1979 and 1980, alongside F1, the Procar Series was held, where 19 renowned touring car drivers raced against the 5 fastest F1 drivers in Friday practice. The winners in both years were none other than Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet. The prize for winning the championship was a road-going M1. A total of 399 road-going M1s and 56 Procars were produced.

BMW M3 E30 (1985), the most desired together with the M1.

Apart from the M1, which was the first of the saga, there is no doubt that the M3 E30 is the 'eme' of the 'emes'. With a clear upward value and present on our Soul Auto catwalk, the M3 E30 is a real object of desire. The purest M of all those produced so far. The E30 generation of the 3 Series soon became a benchmark. The arrival of its M version marked a before and after in the brand thanks to its engineering. The first M3 was also born 37 years ago to be the basis of the competition car, specifically for the Group A. This led the firm to opt for a 4-cylinder 2.3-liter 16-valve engine derived directly from the competition. It produced 200 hp in its first version and 238 hp with 2.5 liters in its latest evolution. Its low weight, its widened bodywork and its improved chassis, make it still today a car of sensations that makes you enjoy the purest driving.

BMW M3 E30

BMW M3 E30 in red (Wikimedia)

The BMW M3 E30 can be considered the most successful racing car of all time. In 1987 Roberto Ravaglia won the WTCC and, in the European Championship, the first two places went to an M3. He conquered the DTM from 1987 to 1989. But the key year was 1988, a year in which the E30 came first and second in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, the same result as in the famous Macau race.

BMW Z3 M Coupé (1997), one of a kind

Only a few geniuses are misunderstood in their origins. The Z3 Coupé was a mould-breaker in the late 90s with its "Shooting Brake" body style, which, even today, is a timeless design that is gaining more and more followers. Its M version is the most coveted and no wonder, as it was very exclusive at the time and not too many were manufactured.

BMW Z3 M Coupe

The BMW Z3 M Coupé and its peculiar rear (Wikimedia)

Its coupe bodywork made it much stiffer than its counterpart RoadsterIts coupé body made it much stiffer than its roadster counterpart, so that today it is a cult model for enthusiasts who demand a light and compact car with high performance. In terms of performance, thanks to its 3.2-liter in-line 6-cylinder engine of 321 hp and 3.2 liters that reached 7,000 rpm, managed to reach 100 km / h from a standstill in just 5.4 seconds. In addition, it was equipped as standard with a rear self-locking differential that allowed to transmit with guarantees all the power to the asphalt. Undoubtedly, a very fun toy that we hope to see very soon in Soul Auto.

BMW M5 E39 (1998), V8 naturally aspirated and manual

What more could you ask for from a super sports sedan? In 1998, the BMW 5 Series continued on its way by including its first and last naturally aspirated V8 engine in the legendary E39. An M5 of simple appearance but with a huge mechanics. And is that BMW M greatly improved its 4.9-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine to get an exceptional sports sedan. With variable distribution for intake and exhaust, the power reached up to 400 hp. With all this horsepower, the M5 E39 managed to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and reached a top speed of 298 km/h without any electronic limitation. Thanks to this, the M5 E39 was considered at the time as the fastest production sedan, and of course manual and propulsion.

BMW M5 E39

BMW M5 E39 unit in blue (Wikimedia)

BMW M3 CSL E46 (2003), when BMW was at its best at the beginning of the new century.

It is one of the most sought-after M's. The BMW M3 CSL was an ode to the light coupés of the 40s and 50s. It reduced the weight of the normal M3 by 110 kg, to 1,382 kg, thanks to elements of glass fiber reinforced with carbon fiber, the elimination of some elements of comfort and simplification of the interior. In addition, the 3.2-liter engine gained 17 hp, 360 hp in total, posed changes in its electronics and intake. In turn, the suspension was specific, the DSC electronics was calibrated to be more permissive and only associated with the BMW Sequential M gearbox with Drivelogic and M Track Mode to ensure the greatest possible precision and speed. Its BBS wheels and ducktail integrated into the tailgate make it quickly identifiable. Simply spectacular.

BMW M3 CSL E46

BMW M3 CSL E46 unit (Wikimedia)

BMW M5 E60 (2005), F1 heart

In 2005 the most special M5 of all was launched, a sedan that housed an engine inherited directly from Formula 1. The V10 S85 block, which revved up to 8,250 revolutions, was a delight for all five senses. At the time, the BMW M5 E60 was the first BMW M to exceed 500 hp, 507 exactly. It was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Initially associated with the SMG 7-speed gearbox, it had different modes of power delivery and gearbox response (as a curiosity, in the United States, it was only marketed with a manual version). And undoubtedly, among the brand's fans, its most beloved version is the M5 E61 Touring, of which about 1,000 units were manufactured.

BMW M5 E60

BMW M5 E60 (Wikimedia)

BMW M3 GTS (2010), narrowing the gap between the track and the street

The only generation of the M3 with a V8 under the hood was also the one that said goodbye to that name for its coupe body. It did it in style with this M3 GTS. It was a true racing-customer-registered version for the street of which there were only 150 units in Fire Orange. It equipped the well-known BMW V8 of those years, but conveniently oversized for the occasion. To do this, it grew from 4.0 to 4.4 liters to reach a power of 450 hp and a maximum torque of 440 Nm. Thanks to this engine, the most extreme M3 of that generation accelerated from 0 to 100 km / h in 4.4 s and reached 305 km / h top speed. It had a brake system of greater power and dimensions, manually adjustable suspension to adapt to any circuit and lowered the weight to 1,530 kg for a weight/power ratio of 3.4 kg / hp. In addition, to make it more racing than street, the interior had a safety cage and racing buckets.

BMW M3 GTS

 

French unit of the M3 GTS in fiery orange (Wikimedia)

BMW 1M Coupé (2010), looking for the perfect balance

It may not have been the best looking M ever built, but the 1M was a very fast machine that demanded great driving skills to make it go fast. This very special 1 Series was powered by a 3.0 twin-turbo six-cylinder engine with 340 hp and 450 Nm ( 500 Nm with the overboost function activated), and had a power-to-weight ratio of just 4.4 kg/hp. Thanks to this, a superb balance was achieved in sporty driving. But in addition to having a great engine, the 1M had a specific running gear, components inherited from the M3 and a stability control with a setting chosen for the occasion. With all this menu, the 1M was the king of sports coupes at the time. Even today, it's still a great car for maximum performance and driving enjoyment. Hopefully we will see it very soon at Soul Auto.

BMW 1M Coupe

BMW 1M Coupé (Wikimedia)

BMW M2 CS (2019), a very special M of the modern era.

The saga of the M2 saw its culmination with the CS version, a model that was a significant improvement over its more modern predecessors. It was a turn of the screw for those who demanded a more radical, powerful and precise sports car. Under the hood, the M2 CS had a twin-turbo 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine, which gained 40 hp to reach 450 hp at 6,250 rpm. As standard, it had a manual gearbox and the optional 7-speed DKG. In addition, it was the first M2 that could have adaptive suspension and carboceramic brakes as an option. It also received chassis improvements, weight reduction through the use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and included exclusive details such as the design of the hood or wheels. It had, and still has, a spectacular plant.

BMW M2 CS

Blue BMW M2 CS unit (Wikimedia)

BMW M4 CSL (2022), the fastest M at the Nürburgring

And we come to the end, to the present. And is that, almost 20 years later, the acronym CSL return to offer the best of BMW M. The mythical acronym of the German brand return to be seen in a 4 Series, specifically in the M4 CSL. The new M sports car sets the bar so high. So much so that it will be very difficult to surpass. Proof of this is that the M4 CSL has become the fastest production BMW at the Nürburgring with its time of 7 min 15,677 s.

Following the recipe of the CSL, this M4 increases its power to 550 hp. It also reduces its weight by 100 kg thanks to the carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) hoods, the elimination of the rear seats, carbon fiber bucket seats, lightweight wheels and carboceramic brakes. The lowered suspension and traction control settings ensure maximum control at the limit on the racetrack.

BMW M4 CSL

BMW M4 CSL (Wikimedia)

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