Thursday 24th February 2022

BMW M wants us all in a big huddle...

...to remind us it's definitely, officially turning 50 in a few months

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May 24th this year is a significant day. It marks 50 years since the beginning of BMW M GmbH, and get ready because there will be a lot of building up to the day. We've already covered the seventies-spec classic roundels that have returned to the current M cars and now there's a video. Be warned, though, it's very American in its over-the-topness. Imagine combining X-Men and Fast & Furious and you'll be halfway there.

The tagline is "We are M" and it's full of 'powerful' statements, such as "We transform energy into a statement; we are thrilled about every inch of the race; we are one team, we are one passion." That sort of thing. But behind the bluster there are some great shots of some truly great cars, opening with the current M3, which is undeniably superb, an E36 M3, the Andy Warhol Group 4 M1, a 1973 3.0 CSL touring car, an E92 M4 DTM car dropping off the jacks with a screech of wheel spin. There's even something for the bikers among you, with the M1000RR.

It's the first of four films called the "Huddle Speech." It champions the basic theme of BMW M from the past 50 years. The next one will focus on M's motorsport history, the third will look at electrification, and the fourth will be about the M lifestyle. Of course there will also be new M products throughout the year and a big presence at major events, including Goodwood.

Timo Resch, Head of Customer, Brand, Sales at BMW M GmbH, said: "We want to celebrate with all the fans, with our international community, therefore we have surprises in store for all communication channels, all year round. We are really looking forward to it." The good news is that despite all the pizzaz, the brand still recognises its core requirement. The press bumf ends with "BMW M is oriented towards new performance, electrification and the typical BMW M lifestyle. Because BMW M is and will remain the Ultimate Driving Machine. After half a century and in the future." Which is all we needed to hear.

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[aestivator]

You are also the BMW XM, unfortunately.

[swisstoni]

I suppose mission-creep is inevitable over 50 years and it became a real hit with the marketeers but …

I remember when M meant very subtle but extensive reworking of cars to deliver massive performance in something that looked fairly standard to the majority.

[cerb4.5lee]

swisstoni said:

I suppose mission-creep is inevitable over 50 years and it became a real hit with the marketeers but …

I remember when M meant very subtle but extensive reworking of cars to deliver massive performance in something that looked fairly standard to the majority.

Is something like the E36 M3 more up your street then? The M5 has always been very subtle too, and whenever I see a F10 M5 I love how it could genuinely pass as a 520d to those that don't know. You'd never know that there was a V8 4.4 twin turbo engine under its bonnet if you weren't into cars I reckon.

[nickfrog]

swisstoni said:

I suppose mission-creep is inevitable over 50 years and it became a real hit with the marketeers but …

I remember when M meant very subtle but extensive reworking of cars to deliver massive performance in something that looked fairly standard to the majority.

I know what you mean but I can't help thinking that current M cars look fairly standard to the majority (I don't see a massive change in that respect between a E30 M3 and a current M2 or M3), not that I am overly bothered about what other people think

[Dave Hedgehog]

M died along time ago when the accounts took over

[jimmytheone]

:cringe:
Not brave enough to show the "XM" then?

[cerb4.5lee]

Dave Hedgehog said:

M died along time ago when the accounts took over

I love BMW M...so I'm massively biased, but the more recent M cars still drive well for me though. I must be a marketeers dream!

[nickfrog]

Dave Hedgehog said:

M died along time ago when the accounts took over

What year did they die would you say?

You probably mean accountants. Do they have more clouts than the product people or the engineers do you think?

They must be st accountants as M seem to waste a lot of money on fancy stuff that you can't see but could save a lot of money.

Edited by nickfrog on Thursday 24th February 12:09

[Pughmacher]

Jesus! Someone needs to have a word!

[3795mpower]

Lucky/old enough to have been cruising around in the
Late 90’s in an E34 M5.
This was off the scale cool, 90% of the public didn’t know it
Existed, 5% thought it some kind of fake, the final 5% couldn’t
Keep up with it.

I know brands have to evolve to survive but nothing quite
Beats those days.

The lack of speed cameras helped…..

[frenchie TVR]

Bad, really, really bad video!

[bobski1]

Dave Hedgehog said:

M died along time ago when the accounts took over

This is applies to all the performance arms. Audi RS were also quite subtle now very shiny and loud

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

swisstoni said:

I suppose mission-creep is inevitable over 50 years and it became a real hit with the marketeers but …

I remember when M meant very subtle but extensive reworking of cars to deliver massive performance in something that looked fairly standard to the majority.

Does an M5 look significantly different to an "M sport" 520d? I don't think so, the vast majority of people wouldn't know. I think it's that cars in general are more aggressive, not that the M cars alone are more so.

[Dave Hedgehog]

nickfrog said:

What year did they die would you say?

when they started fake engine noise via the speakers even thou it was not required under the then regs, and splashing M branding on everything especially SUVs

then m world ...

cant blame them, they exist to make money not serve a fringe group of drivers

[nickfrog]

Dave Hedgehog said:

when they started fake engine noise via the speakers even thou it was not required under the then regs, and splashing M branding on everything especially SUVs

then m world ...

cant blame them, they exist to make money not serve a fringe group of drivers

Personally I don't find that badges on other cars affect the way a M car drives in any way. Same for fake noise.

M world, again not too bothered as it has no impact on the driving experience. I didn't even know it was a thing.

What fringe group of drivers do you mean?

[SWoll]

I'd say the introduction of the F10 M5 and F80 M3 was when I started to lose a certain amount of interest in what the M division are putting out. The previous generation with the V10 and V8 had a genuine sense of exotic/bespoke about them that for me was lost.

The only M car from the past 10 years I would really like to own at some point would be a manual M2 Competition, preferably in black as below. I just think the proportions are perfect and expect it would be great fun.

[Mouse Rat]

M cars for me lost credibility when they created M version of SUV's, introduced slush boxes, fake noises etc.
They just turned in to harder riding and louder Alpina's.

However, credit where its due, they have created a very marketable and profitable brand with OK products.

[cerb4.5lee]

Mouse Rat said:

M cars for me lost credibility when they created M version of SUV's,

I felt a bit like that at the time to be honest, but then I've heard a few of them over the years, and to my ears I love the noise they make. So if I had the money I'd love to cart my family around quickly in a X5M!

I enjoyed the E53 X5 4.8iS that I had too, but the X5M will be on a completely different level though I'd imagine.

[samjlevy]

I'm unsure why people seem to dislike new M cars so much?

I've had multiple M5's including an E39, E60, F10 and an F90 which I own at the moment. The F90 is fantastic, it is what an M car should be, very fast, reasonably discreet, luxurious, comfortable and it goes round corners very well. Done a couple of track days in it and it's been flawless, kept up with some very fast cars. I love it, nothing I would swap it for that does everything so well, and turn all the electronics off and it's a lot of fun in such a big car, the only thing missing on it is that it could have a bit more feel to the steering. I still preferred the E60, but mainly because of that V10, and it felt more raw, but the F90 is a brilliant car.

[fido]

Watch the Hagerty video about the US-spec E36 M3. The first successful M3 was a watered down M-lite with a tuned 3.0 engine. Alot of rose-tented spectacles on here!