Founded in 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH under the guidance of former racing driver Jochen Neerpasch, BMW's sportiest division was created to support the parent company in the development of high-performance engines for both its production models and racing vehicles, given the success the German brand was achieving on both fronts in the previous ten years.
However, as has happened to the other two major German vehicle manufacturers, the "demands" of the market in recent years have forced BMW to develop models signed by M GmbH aimed at market segments totally opposed to the idea. what we mean by high performance.
The beginnings of BMW M
As soon as BMW MotorSport GmbH was founded, it began working on the development of two new products framed within what would be the two lines of action of BMW's sports division: as its own development, the BMW E9 3.0 CSL was launched , and as a modification of a production model, the BMW E20 2002 Turbo.
BMW E9 3.0 CSL
Considered as the first in-house development , the BMW E9 3.0 CSL is a model derived from the BMW E9 3.0 CS that has a bizarre history that puts its status as an "in-house" model somewhat in doubt.
BMW's intention was to create a lightweight vehicle that was competitive on the track but also a sports car capable of being used on the road . Logically, the investment required for the development of a high-end sports car was beyond BMW's reach due to the ongoing renewal of much of its model range.
- El BMW 02 it had been released in 1966 and an update was being prepared for 1971.
- El BMW E12 was already in the final stages of development for release in 1972.
- El BMW E3 it had been released in 1968 and an update was being prepared for 1972.
In addition to all this renewal activity, the manufacturer had the BMW E9 2800 CS , a coupe launched in 1968 with a 170 hp engine and a total length of 4.66 meters, which placed it commercially as a high-end vehicle.
To develop a new high-performance coupe, BMW began a series of talks with the Italian manufacturer Lamborghini but they did not reach any agreement, so BMW began discussions with the German manufacturer Alpina, which had started its commercial activity in 1965.
At this point we must keep in mind that Alpina is a manufacturer and not a tuner because its vehicles have their own chassis number.
You should know that, contrary to popular belief, a car's chassis number is not the vehicle identification number (VIN):
- The vehicle identification number is a 17-character alphanumeric combination that does not include the letters I, Ñ, O or Q in any case.
- The VIN is the last eight characters of the vehicle identification number.
Having said that, let you know that the identification number of a modern BMW made in Germany begins with WB and that of an Alpina with WP.
Having clarified this point, I can tell you that the BMW E9 3.0 CSL, developed by Alpina and manufactured by BMW , was somewhat in limbo, especially considering that it was presented in 1971, a year before the founding of BMW Motorsport GmbH.
The first run of 169 units featured aluminum doors and hood, and rear windows made of polymethyl methacrylate (aka "Plexiglas"), among other modifications to reduce the overall weight. There were no changes whatsoever in the technical aspects, however, where the 2.986 cc, 132 kW M30 engine that powered the BMW E9 3.0 CS , which replaced the BMW E9 2800 in 1971, was still used. Despite having the same engine, the BMW E9 3.0 CSL reached 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds thanks to the weight reduction measures.
At the end of 1971, this engine block adopted Bosch's first electronic fuel injection system, the D-Jetronic . This new fuel system improved both power and torque, which increased to 200 hp and 272 Nm. However, there's a curious detail regarding the engine's displacement: while the BMW E9 3.0 CSi maintained its 2.986 cc capacity, the lightweight BMW E9 3.0 CSL had a 3.003 cc engine. This didn't affect either the power or torque figures, but it did serve to promote the newly created BMW Motorsport GmbH division.
This second series remained in force from August 1972 to July 1973 and 939 units were manufactured , of which 500 had the steering wheel on the right.
There was a third phase of the BMW E9 3.0 CSL that earned the nickname "Batmobile" due to its profusion of aerodynamic enhancements and its rather flamboyant livery. It was manufactured between July 1973 and November 1975 and featured a 3.153 cc engine capable of producing 205 horsepower and 286 Nm of torque. It did, however, retain the "3.0" designation.
Production of this vehicle ceased with the launch in January 1976 of the new BMW E24 6, which, however, did not have any "light" mass-produced version, and it was necessary to wait until 1983, with the launch of the M635i CSi version, for a sporty version to be included in the range.
It is interesting to link the BMW E24 6 with its predecessor, the BMW E9 , in the sense that there are also some anecdotes about its development and manufacture.
- Initially the BMW E24 6 was going to be manufactured on the frame of the BMW E9 although it was finally developed on the frame of the BMW E12 5.
- Exclusively for North America, Canada and Japan, there was a BMW E24 M6 equipped with the block S38B35 with "only" 260 hp and equipped with a catalytic converter.
- Although it is a development of BMW, its production in the early years was carried out by Karmann.
BMW E20 2002 Turbo
Despite the presentation in 1971 of the high-performance BMW 02 2002 tii model with 130 hp, the brand's new sports division began the development of a higher-performance model initially intended for competition... and for those who wanted a racing car to drive on the street, because the differences between the two versions were really marked by the exterior decoration because, among other things, the street versions did not carry sponsor advertising.
Introduced to the public in the fall of 1973, the BMW E20 2002 Turbo became the first mass-produced German vehicle to feature a turbocharger and attracted attention both for its 170 horsepower and its exaggerated exterior styling, which some media outlets described as "war paint." Furthermore, this vehicle proved to be excessively thirsty under any circumstances, earning it considerable criticism.
If we recall, the commercial distribution of this car coincided with the outbreak of the first oil crisis, which began when the member countries of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries decided not to sell crude oil to those countries that had supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War, which included the United States and most of Western Europe.
Due to this and the high price of the vehicle, only 1672 units of the BMW E20 2002 Turbo were manufactured between September 1973 and November 1974, available only in white or silver.
The first BMW Motorsport: the BMW M1
To coincide with the 1972 Munich Olympics, BMW unveiled the Turbo Concept . Designed by Paul Braq, this concept car aimed to publicly demonstrate the strength of the German automotive industry after the difficulties of the 1960s. It featured the engine of the BMW 02 Turbo, boosted to 200 hp, and, as a groundbreaking innovation, introduced a proximity radar system capable of warning the driver when they were getting too close to the vehicle in front.
This project was abandoned and revived a few years later to challenge the supremacy that Porsche was demonstrating in competition, which led to the presentation in 1978 of the BMW M1, the only mass-produced BMW with the engine in a mid-rear position.
The BMW M1's body, made of fiberglass, was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and the engine was developed by BMW Motorsport GmbH. It featured certain advancements such as a steel-reinforced tubular chassis, independent swing arm suspension on both axles, and disc brakes on all four wheels.
The BMW M1 used the 3.453 cc S32B35 engine with dry-sump lubrication, capable of producing up to 277 hp, which was transmitted to the rear axle via a five-speed manual gearbox. To avoid any surprises, it featured a 40 percent limited-slip rear differential . With all this technology, the BMW M1 reached a top speed of 262 km/h and accelerated from zero to 5 km/h in 6 seconds.
Logically, all cars have a negative side, and this BMW M1's was its great Achilles' heel: its handling was nowhere near that of Porsche, Ferrari, or Maserati, and the specialized press pigeonholed it as an alternative to the more bourgeois Ferrari 308, Maserati Merak, or even the Lotus Esprit.
Although on paper the BMW M1 may seem like a complete success, its story, like that of the BMW E9 3.0 CSL and the BMW E24 6, has another bizarre twist: having once again requested help from Lamborghini for its manufacture, the latter's economic situation made Italian manufacturing of the BMW M1 completely inadvisable, so BMW decided to create what we now know as a temporary joint venture (UTE) and involve all the suppliers.
- The bodywork was manufactured by a fiberglass specialist in northern Italy.
- The interior the simplest mechanical parts were manufactured by the German Baur.
- The engine, suspension and main mechanical parts were manufactured by BMW through its subsidiary BMW Motorsport GmbH.
- Assembly was carried out at the Italdesign Giugiaro factory, also in Italy.
Thanks to this complex industrial assembly, 400 units of the BMW M1 were assembled for commercial distribution and another 56 for competition.
Regarding the competition, units of up to 950 CV and with aluminum and Kevlar bodies were made, but their participation turned out to be rather discreet with only two victories in group 5, Nürburgring and Salzburgring, in their debut year and none in the 1978/1979 Gran Turismo championship, running in group 4.
Logically, the brand needed to recoup some of the large investment made in developing the BMW M1, so it decided to create a ProCar single-seater championship with cars whose engines offered "only" 470 hp. Furthermore, to generate more publicity, they enlisted drivers with some renown, such as Nelson Piquet, Elio de Angelis, Didier Pironi, and even Niki Lauda, who was at odds with Ferrari and the Gran Turismo championship organizers after his accident at the Nürburgring in 1976.
The first BMW Motorsport that did not compete: the E12 M535i
The BMW E12 5 arrived on the market in 1972 as the first BMW 5 series. It was a luxurious, comfortable car with a very high ride quality, but behind the wheel it was rather bland due to the car's heavy weight and modest maximum power figures, a detail it shared with the Mercedes-Benz W123.
The more powerful 530i versions launched in 1975 were reserved for the North American market , and in 1976, the 530 and 530 MLE were launched exclusively for the South African market. The latter was equipped with a 200 hp engine and sported the BMW Motorsport GmbH livery. Furthermore, in 1979, the 530i was replaced by the 533i, which was also not sold in Europe. However, the demand for power in Europe was met with the launch of the BMW E12 M535i, equipped with the 3.454 cc M90 engine producing 218 hp.
This new model boasted a sporty aesthetic that was not at all strident and did not detract in the slightest from the elegance of the basic lines of the BMW E12 5. However, having been launched in the final years of this model's commercial life, its production ceased in 1981 when the BMW E12 5 was replaced by the BMW E28 5 , which, in addition to not being a completely new model but a thorough update of the BMW E12 5, also had its M535i version.
The first BMW “M”: the E28 M5
In October 1984, the BMW E28 M5 was unveiled as the first member of a generation of models that, within BMW, would represent the sportiest in each series: the BMW "M" models. Derived from the BMW E28 M535i and powered by the engine of the BMW M1 , the BMW E28 M5 became the fastest sedan of its time thanks to the 290 hp offered by the European and South African versions.
The modifications necessary to "transform" an E12 M535i into an E12 M5 were done by hand at the BMW Motorsport GmbH facilities until the summer of 1986 when production was moved to the nearby town of Graching bei München, located 15 kilometers from the BMW Motorsport GmbH facilities.
Since then, every BMW 5 Series generation has had its corresponding M5 version as the flagship of sportiness . In fact, the current BMW F90 M5, derived from the BMW G30 5 Series, boasts no less than 600 horsepower and 750 Nm of maximum torque.
In 1986, the BMW E30 M3 appeared with a 2.302 cc engine producing 195 hp. Its unusual feature was that its Getrag 265/5 Sport transmission had first gear in reverse, where the driver expected second. Well, despite not being the first and having much more modest performance than the BMW E28 M5, in terms of market value, this BMW E30 M3 (and its successor, the BMW E36 M3) have become true cult classics.
Around this time, BMW Motorsport accessories for almost all BMW models also took off. While it's true that various decorative elements, mainly steering wheels, wheels, and spoilers, had been offered for years, the brand capitalized on the media attention surrounding its motorsport division to launch all kinds of car accessories and even clothing and accessories for owners and enthusiasts.
BMW M Performance for the most economical
In 1993, the motorsport division was renamed BMW M GmbH, though this did not signify a change in its activities, which remained focused on producing high-performance engines for almost all BMW models, marketing sporty accessories, and organizing various sporting events to somewhat compensate for BMW's limited participation in major championships. However, this did not mean the brand was not competing indirectly: the McLaren F1 was equipped with an engine developed by BMW.
Despite the obvious differences between the various BMW models, those signed by BMW M GmbH had one common characteristic: their engines were always gasoline-powered.
In 2012, the BMW M Performance range was introduced, available for the BMW F10 5 , BMW F11 5 , BMW E70 X5 , and BMW E71 X6 models . These four models were equipped with the M57S six-cylinder diesel engine, a 2.993 cc unit turbocharged by three turbochargers , capable of producing 380 hp at 4.000 rpm and 740 Nm of torque between 2.000 and 3.000 rpm.
The commercial designation for these vehicles was M550d for the F10 and F11 and M50d for the E70 and E71. Interestingly, this engine block was also used in the BMW F01 7 and BMW F02 7 without the letter "M" appearing in their commercial designation , leading more than one person to wonder if BMW M Performance's activity is technical or more related to marketing.
Logically, BMW M Performance did not focus on diesel engines , and in 2012 the BMW F20 M135i and F21 M135i with a 235 kilowatt engine were presented in a move that left many hoping to see a supposed BMW F21 M1, something that BMW quickly denied, also emphasizing that it would never use that name so as not to confuse a new product with the BMW M1 of 1978.
This does not mean that the brand has abandoned high-performance versions in the lower segment of its range, so for those who find the 320 hp of the B58B30 block "not enough" for the compact segment, the BMW F87 M2 has been on the market since October 2015 with no less than 370 hp and available only with rear-wheel drive.
New M Sport trim
Sometimes manufacturers have to adhere to the capricious script imposed by the trends of a market that is increasingly demanding of the product , but also less aware of the spirit that each manufacturer wants to imprint on their products.
Vehicles from BMW M GmbH have always been characterized by high power and a sportier presentation than the models they were based on. However, years ago, BMW began offering a sport package as a special edition on the E87 and E81, bringing their appearance closer to that of BMW M GmbH products . Over time, this option became available across the entire range of internal combustion engine models, even those series that already included the Sport trim level.
At a technical level, the M Sport versions only provide a suspension with a firmer setting than the rest of the finishes, so again I slightly question the need, beyond their commercial penetration, of certain combinations.
Does a BMW F46 216d Gran Tourer with seven seats, 115 hp, M Sport package, and 46-centimeter diameter 486 model wheels make any sense ? Remember that a BMW G11 730d with 265 hp and a curb weight of 1.830 kilograms "settles" for 43-centimeter wheels.
BMW Individual: when everything is little
This newly created division of BMW M GmbH is responsible for satisfying those customers who wish to personalize their car to the fullest extent, based on two lines of action:
- Individual Collection: offers a range of body colors, upholstery, trim, steering wheel or even rims that complement the basic offer of these elements.
- Individual Manufaktur: offers the possibility of modifying all aspects of the car's equipment with the sole limit of not modifying the safety levels offered by BMW vehicles.
As can be seen, the BMW Individual program not only does not modify any mechanical aspects of the car, as is the case with the M Sport package, but also does not give the vehicle a sportier touch, since it makes it more exclusive but always within the luxury. So why within BMW M GmbH? I don't know, but I like it.