The history of BMW M: from Motorsport GmbH to today
From a small racing department founded in 1972 to one of the most famous performance brands in the world: the history of BMW M, its legendary cars and the meaning of the three colours.
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The history of BMW M begins in 1972, when BMW founded a small company to run its racing program. Fifty years later, the letter M stands for some of the most admired performance cars in the world, from the M3 and M5 to the newest high-performance models.
In this article we follow the story of BMW M: the founding of BMW Motorsport GmbH, the first racing successes, the M1 supercar, the birth of the M5 and M3, the meaning of the famous colours and what BMW M is today.
1972: the founding of BMW Motorsport GmbH
In May 1972 BMW founded BMW Motorsport GmbH, a separate company dedicated to racing. It started with a small team of around 35 people, led by Jochen Neerpasch, a former racing driver who had worked for Ford's racing department.
The goal was clear: to bring BMW's motorsport activities together and to win. At that time, touring car racing was very popular in Europe, and success on the track was an important way to sell cars on the road.
The new company had its own engineers, mechanics and drivers. It developed racing cars, engines and parts, and it also supported private teams that raced BMWs.
From the beginning, BMW Motorsport combined a racing mentality with close links to the road car engineers. This combination would later become the foundation of the M road cars.
The 3.0 CSL and the first victories
The first major car of BMW Motorsport was the 3.0 CSL, a lightweight version of the elegant E9 coupé. For racing, it received large aerodynamic parts, including a big rear wing, which gave it the nickname "Batmobile".
The 3.0 CSL was extremely successful. It won the European Touring Car Championship several times in the 1970s and raced in famous events such as the Le Mans 24 Hours, sometimes in colourful art car versions painted by well-known artists.
These successes made BMW a respected name in motorsport and gave the young company the confidence and the reputation it needed.
At the same time, BMW Motorsport started to build its first engines and cars for customers, and the idea of road cars with racing technology began to take shape.
The M1: BMW's first supercar
In 1978 BMW presented the M1, a mid-engined sports car developed for racing and for the road. It used a 3.5-litre straight-six engine with four valves per cylinder, the M88, producing 277 hp in road form.
The M1 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and the project involved several partners in Italy and Germany. Production was complex, and only about 450 cars were built, including the racing versions.
The M1 is also famous for the Procar series, a one-make championship in which Formula 1 drivers raced identical M1s before Grand Prix races in 1979 and 1980.
Commercially, the M1 was not a big success, but it became a legend. Its engine lived on in the first M5 and the M635CSi, and it remains one of the most iconic BMWs ever made.
The first M road cars: M535i, M635CSi and M5
In 1980 BMW Motorsport presented the M535i, based on the E12 5 Series. It was one of the first road cars to carry the M badge and showed the idea of a fast and discreet saloon.
In 1983 came the M635CSi, an elegant coupé with the M88 engine from the M1. A year later, in 1984, BMW presented the first M5, based on the E28 5 Series. With its 3.5-litre straight-six and 286 hp in European form, it was one of the fastest saloons in the world.
These cars established a new category: everyday cars with the performance of sports cars. They were built in small numbers, largely by hand, and they looked almost like normal BMWs.
This understatement became a key part of the M identity. People who knew could recognise an M car by small details; everyone else saw a normal BMW.
The M3 and the touring car era
In 1986 BMW Motorsport launched the M3, based on the E30 3 Series. It was created to compete in Group A touring car racing, which required road versions of the racing car.
The E30 M3 became one of the most successful touring cars of all time, winning championships in many countries and famous races around the world. The road car, with its four-cylinder S14 engine and wide wheel arches, became an icon.
From then on, the M3 and the M5 were the core of the M range. Each new generation brought more power and more technology, from the six-cylinder E36 M3 to the V8 of the E39 M5 and the V10 of the E60 M5.
In 1993 the company was renamed BMW M GmbH, reflecting that road cars had become just as important as racing.
The M stripes: what the three colours mean
The three colours of BMW M, light blue, dark blue (often seen as violet) and red, are among the most recognisable symbols in the car world.
The light blue stands for BMW and Bavaria. The red is often linked to Texaco, an oil company that was a partner of BMW Motorsport in the early 1970s. The dark blue or violet in the middle was created as a combination of the two, connecting the brand and motorsport.
The colours first appeared on the racing cars of the 1970s, and later on the M badge of the road cars. Today they are used on everything from badges and seat belts to special paint designs.
The stripes are a reminder that BMW M started in racing, and that every M car has a link to motorsport.
The history of BMW M continues today
Today BMW M is much larger than the small racing team of 1972. It develops the high-performance M models, such as the M2, M3, M4, M5 and M8, and the M Performance models, which offer a sporty driving experience with less extreme technology.
BMW M also produces special editions, offers individual equipment and runs driving experiences and racing programs. In motorsport, BMW M continues to compete in GT racing and endurance events.
The technology has changed a lot: from naturally aspirated engines that revved to more than 8,000 rpm, to turbocharged engines, all-wheel drive and now electrified drives like the hybrid M5.
But the basic idea remains the same as in 1972: cars that are developed with racing know-how, that are fast and precise, and that can still be used every day. That is what the letter M has stood for over fifty years.
BMW M timeline
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 1972 | BMW Motorsport GmbH founded |
| 1973 | 3.0 CSL wins the European Touring Car Championship |
| 1978 | BMW M1 presented |
| 1980 | M535i (E12), one of the first M road cars |
| 1984 | First BMW M5 (E28) presented |
| 1986 | First BMW M3 (E30) |
| 1993 | Company renamed BMW M GmbH |
| 2022 | 50 years of BMW M |
Frequently asked questions
What does the M in BMW M stand for?
The M stands for Motorsport. BMW M started in 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH, the racing department of BMW.
What was the first BMW M car?
The first car developed completely by BMW Motorsport was the M1 of 1978. Among the first road cars with an M badge were the M535i of 1980 and the M635CSi of 1983.
What do the BMW M colours mean?
The light blue stands for BMW and Bavaria, the red is linked to Texaco, an early motorsport partner, and the dark blue or violet in the middle combines the two.
When was BMW M founded?
BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded in May 1972. It was renamed BMW M GmbH in 1993.
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