BMW M-Series celebrates the 50th anniversary of these legendary German performance cars, detailing both its production and motorsport stories with expert commentary and fascinating photography.
BMW launched the Motorsport, or “M”, division in 1972 to formally support its growing and successful racing program. Wisely, BMW leveraged that racing credibility to create limited-edition, high-performance production cars, the first being the M1 supercar of 1978. Tested and tuned at a dedicated facility located at the legendary Nürburgring, BMW’s M cars are true “driver’s cars” focused first and foremost on handling and performance. Still, they are docile enough when not driven aggressively to serve as comfortable high-end daily drivers.
Since the late 1980s, the range of M models has broadened considerably and now includes coupes, convertibles, and sedans in M2, M3, M4, M5, and M8 flavors along with high-performance X-series M SUVs. Early M cars like the M1 and late 1980s M3 and M6 are now desirable collector cars welcomed at top collector auctions and commanding premium prices.
With decades of racing and production success and, literally, no signs of slowing down, BMW’s M cars hurtle full speed to their 50th anniversary in 2022. BMW M offers the history no Bimmer fan will want to be without.
From the Publisher
Foreword
By Jochen Neerpasch, founding CEO of BMW Motorsport GmbH
The Power to WinInside the performance culture of BMW’s M Division
Motorsport Is in BMW’s BloodA century of success on two wheels and four, in F1, Touring Cars, Le Mans—and in the air
From Racetrack to RoadThe heat of competition breeds brilliant cars for BMW customers
M1: The Elegant Inspiration
The BMW supercar that became an icon—and how it nearly didn’t make it into production
The 1980s: M3, M5, M6—the Gen-1 FavoritesFirst generation M-Division customer cars deliver dazzling performance
The 1990s: Hitting the Big TimeSix-cylinder M3 and V-8 M5 raise the dynamic benchmark ever higher
The 2000s: Peak Performance, Peak ComplexityMore cylinders, more revs, more power and speed—and arguably the best M3 of all
Excursion Off-Road: The M SUVs
Contentious at first, the hotshot X5M and X6M soon won the world over
The 2010s: First-Generation Turbos—M Takes a ChanceFrom the wild 1M Coupé via the svelte M5 to the fast and furious M4 GTS
The 2020s: M2, M3, M4, M5—Turbocharged to PerfectionBack in top form with spectacular speed and driver appeal
M6, M8: The High-End CoupésLavish lifestyle meets racetrack dynamics: a recipe for success?
M SUVs Spark Off a Race for Power
The need for speed pushes M’s heavyweight 4x4s into the 600-hp club
Turning Down the Heat: The Nearly-M CarsM-Performance models are a tempting halfway point to full-house M Cars
Shaping the M Story: Inside the Design StudioHow does an M Car stand out from the crowd? Secrets from chief designer Marcus Syring’s studio
Today, Tomorrow, and into an Electric FutureCEO Markus Flasch on why zero-emissions M Cars will deliver even more thrills
Publisher : Motorbooks (December 21, 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 224 pages
ISBN-10 : 0760368481
ISBN-13 : 978-0760368480
Item Weight : 3.17 pounds
Dimensions : 10 x 1 x 12.38 inches
