Skip to main content

Our tool for managing your permission to our use of cookies is temporarily offline. Therefore some functionality is missing.

BMW M: Home of High-Performance Cars

Explore the history of our legendary vehicles fully developed and engineered for performance-obsessed drivers.

Explore the M Range

M. The most powerful letter in the world.

Specialising in high-performance vehicles for over 50 years, our BMW M vehicles are designed with true motorsport enthusiasts in mind. Packed with power and made to manoeuvre, BMW M excels on the track and on the street, fulfilling the highest demands for agility, dynamics and power. BMW M will thrill you as you explore everything.

0:00 / 0:00

BMW M: The Art of Speed.

BMW M began in 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH, created to fuel the brand’s racing ambitions. It quickly became synonymous with precision, performance, and innovation on track and road. The debut of the M1 in 1978 marked its first purpose-built road car, setting the tone for generations of driver-focused machines. Icons like the M3 and M5 redefined performance in their classes, blending everyday usability with motorsport DNA. For over 50 years, BMW M has perfected the balance of power, agility, and design, transforming engineering into emotion and speed into an art form that continues to inspire enthusiasts worldwide. This year, BMW reimagined the 1989 Art Car, designed by Australian artist Ken Done, by using his design as livery on the track at the Bathurst 12 hour event in 2026.

Rolling sculptures.

They compete on the track, are bought and sold like artworks, and are virtually priceless: the BMW Art Cars. For over 40 years, they have been standout pieces in the BMW Art Car Collection, where the concept was created by French auctioneer and amateur racing driver Hervé Poulain. The collection now includes 20 ‘rolling sculptures’ that have played a big role in M racing and BMW’s commitment to Arts and Culture.

BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)

Alexander Calder – BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)

From the racetrack to the studio and back – the BMW 3.0 CSL set many milestones. In 1975 the sculptor Alexander Calder created an artistic landmark with the six-cylinder-coupé and laid the foundation for the BMW Art Car Collection.

BMW 3.0 CSL (1976)

Frank Stella – BMW 3.0 CSL (1976)

Painter Frank Stella created the fastest work of art in the world of its time. In his design, the artist abandoned his usual free work and allowed himself to be inspired by the racing coupé’s technological aura.

BMW 320i Group 5

Roy Lichtenstein – BMW 320i Group 5 (1977)

With bold, comic-style dots and sweeping lines, Lichtenstein’s Art Car captures the speed of the track as a visual storyline racing across the BMW 320i.

Andy Warhol – BMW M1 (1979)

Four years after the first BMW Art Car, pop art icon Andy Warhol took on the fourth BMW Art Car in 1979, equipped with buckets of paint. The work of art was completed in just 28 minutes.

Ernst Fuchs – BMW 635 CSi (1982)

This car represents two firsts: This was the first Art Car to be created using a serial production BMW and the first Art Car to be enhanced by a European artist, Ernst Fuchs. “When painting this car, I was able to express a wide range of experiences, fears, desires and invocations, as well as aesthetic, artistic freedom.”

Michael Jagamara Nelson – BMW M3 Group A (1989)

“The car is like a landscape as seen from the plane,” explained the artist with Aboriginal roots, and one of the leading contemporary representatives of Papunya art. He painted the black-finished high-performance sports car with abstract shapes that turn out to be emus and kangaroos on closer inspection.

BMW M3 Group A (1989)

Ken Done – BMW M3 Group A (1989)

The BMW M3 by Ken Done is also typically Australian. With its exotic colours and clear shapes, it is not only reminiscent of nature, sun and beaches, but also hints at next season’s beach fashion.

César Manrique – BMW 730i (1990)

It’s a shame this Art Car can’t be seen out on the streets. How different the world would look with colourful cars! A question the Spanish artist, César Manrique probably asked himself.

Esther Mahlangu – BMW 525i (1991)

The 12th Art Car was the first to have been signed by a woman. The South African artist Esther Mahlangu coated the bodywork of the car with the bright colours and clearly distinguishable ornamental shapes typical of her ethnic tribal Ndebele art.

BMW 3 Series Touring

Sandro Chia – BMW 3 Series Touring (1992)

Italian born painter Sandro Chia was contracted to paint a touring racing car prototype from the BMW 3 series. The silhouettes and portraits on the paintwork challenge the observer to consider looking at themselves in the mirror.

Jeff Koons – BMW M3 GT2 (2010)

Bright colours, wild stripes and depictions of explosions decorated the BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons. His dynamic, comic book-inspired streaks give the car a sense of explosive acceleration.

BMW M Hybrid V8

Julie Mehretu – BMW M Hybrid V8 (2023)

Mehretu had been unanimously chosen by an international jury of museum directors and curators and was given total creative freedom to design the next instalment in BMW’s legendary collection of” Rolling Sculptures”.

The BMW M3: 6 Generations. 1 Soul.

The BMW M3 debuted in 1986 as a homologation model for Group A touring car racing, based on the E30 3 Series but heavily re-engineered for performance. With a high-revving engine, lightweight design, and distinctive aerodynamics, it quickly dominated motorsport. Beyond racing, the M3 reshaped the industry, defining the modern high-performance sedan by blending everyday usability with precision handling, and set the blueprint for performance sedans and remains the gold-standard for enthusiasts.

E30 M3

1986 – 1991

^{MAX POWER} ^ENGINE

147-175 kW I4

The original motorsport legend. Born for the track and evolved for the road. The E30 dominated the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1987.

E36 M3

1992 – 1999

^{MAX POWER ENGINE}

210-236 kW I6

The introduction of the high-revving straight-six. A shift towards refinement without losing the raw M edge.

E46 M3

2000 – 2006

^{MAX POWER ENGINE}

252 kW I6

Widely considered the definitive M3. Perfectly balanced with the award-winning S54 engine and iconic flared arches.

E90 M3

2007 – 2013

^{MAX POWER ENGINE}

309 kW V8

The only generation to feature a high-revving V8. A symphonic masterpiece that brought supercar performance to the 3 Series.

F80 M3

2014 – 2018

^{MAX POWER ENGINE}

317kW I6

The return of the straight-six, now with TwinPower Turbo technology. Torque-rich and incredibly agile.

G80 M3

2020 – Present

^{MAX POWER ENGINE}

353kW - 405kW I6

Pushing the boundaries with M xDrive and the most aggressive design yet. The current benchmark for high-performance sedans.

BMW M Snow and Ice Experience.

Master the Art of Precision. Conquer the Frozen Frontier.

This August, the legendary BMW M Snow & Ice Experience returns to the breathtaking alpine landscapes of New Zealand.

Across a series of expertly crafted driving sessions, you’ll push BMW’s most dynamic machines to their limits on pure ice and snow. Guided by world‑class instructors, you’ll learn to drift, slide and command the vehicle with absolute precision in conditions that few ever get to experience.

Book now to experience the ultimate fusion of M engineering and world-class luxury.

Watch the 2024 Highlights

The BMW M Range.

Legendary vehicles fully developed and engineered for performance-obsessed drivers.

- BMW M135 xDrive
- Build Your Own
- Sports Hatch.
  
  M TwinPower turbo 4-cylinder petrol engine.
  
  233 kW of Power.
- Learn More
- M5 Sedan
- Build Your Own
- Mid-Size SUV.
  
  M TwinPower Turbo 6-cylinder inline petrol engine.
  
  293 kW of Power.
- Learn More
- M5 Touring
- Build Your Own
- Wagon.
  
  High performance M TwinPower Turbo V8-cylinder petrol engine with a Plug-In Hybrid electric drive.
  
  Up to 535 kW of Power.
- Learn More
- X5 M
- Build Your Own
- Large SUV.
  
  High performance M TwinPower Turbo V8-cylinder petrol engine.
  
  Up to 460 kW of Power.
- Learn More

Racetrack roots.

In 1972, BMW M made a name for itself in motorsports. Designed with high-performance components, it quickly racked up wins on the track — and became a passion project for BMW engineers around the world.

M makes its mark.

BMW M spread rapidly from its racing roots, instilling motorsport DNA in all types of vehicles – from the award-winning engines to the head-turning designs.

A powerful future.

The M lineup knows no limits and neither do our engineers. By embracing the latest advances in engineering and technology – including all-electric vehicles – BMW M ensures even more thrills.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE.

BMW 3 Series Sedan M Models BMW Individual

BMW Individual Visualiser.

Let your creativity run wild: with BMW Individual you can choose from a total of around 150 fascinating paint finishes.

BMW 3 Series Sedan M Models BMW ConnectedDrive

BMW ConnectedDrive.

BMW ConnectedDrive digital products and services connect you to your vehicle. Enjoy even more intuitive communication with your BMW, and also intelligent and innovative features to give you more safety, comfort and entertainment.