RE: M4 'Edition 50 Jahre BMW M' marks half century

RE: M4 'Edition 50 Jahre BMW M' marks half century

Tuesday 24th May 2022

M4 'Edition 50 Jahre BMW M' marks half century

BMW M was officially created on May 24th, 1972 - happy 50th anniversary, folks


‘Fünfzig Jahre M’ is back in the news, as BMW M continues to mark its 50-year anniversary. And it was exactly 50 years ago today that the partnership agreement for BMW Motorsport GmbH was signed. To mark this milestone, the company is having some limited-run fun. It’s producing a series of specials based on the current G80 M3 and G82 M4, called the Edition 50 Jahre BMW M.

Don’t get too excited, though. Firstly, these won’t be coming to the UK. And if you’re reading from outside these shores, then there’s not a huge amount to get salivating over. If power, power, power is your thing, then there’s nothing to see here. These M 50 Jahre models won’t be using the uprated 550hp version of the 3.0-litre turbocharged ‘six’ that was announced last week for the CSL. It’s the standard 510hp of the M3 and M4 Competition models only, we’re afraid, but still with a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive.

What you’re actually getting seems to amount to some new colours for the body and wheels, and some extra badging inside. Yet, according to BMW, this will ‘ensure each edition vehicle can become a unique car that reflects the personal style of its owner.’ In European markets, the M4 will be available in Carbon Black, Macao Blue, Brands Hatch Grey, Imola Red and San Marino Blue. China will also get two more colours: Stratus Grey and Fire Orange – the latter marking the year of the tiger.

The wheels are the same forged, double-spoke design – 19 inch at the front and 20 inch at the rear – as the Competition, but offered in either Orbit Grey or Gold Bronze matte finish. Inside, the M4 comes with ‘Edition 50 Jahre BMW M’ scribed onto its sill finishers, there’s a metal plaque on the centre console bearing the same, and it’s embossed onto the front headrests as well – you still have to pay extra if you want the M carbon bucket seats, by the way.

If you fancy an M3, you’ll have to be based in the USA or Canada, because those are the only markets that are taking it. Again, there are new colours – this time Vermilion Red, Techno Violet, Interlagos Blue, Fire Orange and Limerock Grey – and Orbit Grey wheels, along with the interior trimmings we mentioned for the M4. But you can also get some styling add-ons that ‘are inspired by racing in terms of design and technology’: a carbon BMW M Performance front splitter, rear spoiler and tailpipe trims in carbon and titanium.

Oddly, the press release seems to suggest these items will not be available on the M4. And while it states that the M3 will be limited to 500 examples, it doesn’t say how many M4s will be built – we’d assume the same number, but haven’t had that confirmed yet. Nor how much extra you’ll need to pay for this. To be honest, when we said limited-run fun at the start, it turns out the fun is really quite limited…


 

Author
Discussion

sidesauce

Original Poster:

2,456 posts

217 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
I actually like that...

Mark_Blanchard

745 posts

254 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Why do we have to see all these ugly BMW's all the time. There are plenty of other cars out there.

ajap1979

7,899 posts

186 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
sidesauce said:
I actually like that...
Yep, me too.

ajap1979

7,899 posts

186 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Mark_Blanchard said:
Why do we have to see all these ugly BMW's all the time. There are plenty of other cars out there.
Are there?

Sheets Tabuer

18,897 posts

214 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Gotta say I hated the front of the 4 series but it's grown on me a bit.

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
ajap1979 said:
sidesauce said:
I actually like that...
Yep, me too.
+1 The graduated exposure therapy has worked on me. hehe

robsprocket

109 posts

177 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Fixed.

Volare

401 posts

62 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
g3org3y said:
+1 The graduated exposure therapy has worked on me. hehe
add me to the list, colour combo is everything. Looks so much better than the CSL, that is a mess.

wpa1975

8,600 posts

113 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
sidesauce said:
I actually like that...
Yep, the red looks really nice

Darinz

126 posts

60 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
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I find it amusing that in 2016 they brought out the 30 Jahre edition models of M5 and M3 and now, 8 years later, the 50 Jahre editions. I appreciate different starting points (start of the model vs start of the M division). I wonder what they'll use on the next generation, maybe they can just alternate between the model vs division in alternate years.

toasty

7,441 posts

219 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
g3org3y said:
ajap1979 said:
sidesauce said:
I actually like that...
Yep, me too.
+1 The graduated exposure therapy has worked on me. hehe
Maybe it's the colour but I'm warming to the front end too.

TNH

559 posts

146 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
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Not even San Marino Blue can sort out the aesthetics of this car.

Deranged Rover

3,316 posts

73 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
I quite like that, too. It could certainly be a lot worse!

Slowlygettingit

635 posts

40 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Least awful looking yet. Almost acceptable and so much better than the new csl

Nice bit of sycophancy to the Chinese market and the year of the tiger. Never heard M division celebrating other Chinese years before or it being a part of their heritage
  1. sellout #knowyourownheritage

Quickmoose

4,482 posts

122 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
familiarity breeds acceptance..

Personally I still hate the grille, the profile proportions and the fake rear diffuser.
Don't care how common they get, poor design is always poor design imo.

gl20

1,121 posts

148 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Sheets Tabuer said:
Gotta say I hated the front of the 4 series but it's grown on me a bit.
Yes, same for me. I think the trick is to totally forget what you think a BMW ‘should’ like as that means it looks like it has stupidly over-sized kidney grills. But look at the shape on its own merits and it’s ok. The colour helps.

GT9

6,344 posts

171 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Mark_Blanchard said:
Why do we have to see all these ugly BMW's all the time. There are plenty of other cars out there.
I'd drop in at Specsavers, car looks fantastic.

Matt_T

370 posts

73 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
The plaque on the console saying 1/500 reminds me... I once went to test drive a Focus ST500 and saw the plaque saying 1/500. I thought it was the first one made and got all giddy with excitement! (they all say 1/500 - duh!).

Lovely seats, I procrastinated, and missed out.

Jon_S_Rally

3,385 posts

87 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
Looks ok. Grill is growing on me slightly, but I still think the proportions of the 4-Series are off. There's too much metal above the rear wheel.

Vee12V

1,329 posts

159 months

Tuesday 24th May 2022
quotequote all
50 years of Marketing. Who knew.