M heritage
BMW M, originally BMW Motorsport GmbH, was founded in May 1972 to run BMW's motorsport program. It built race cars first, road cars second. The road car program began with the mid-engine M1 in 1978, then the first M5 in 1985 and the homologation E30 M3 in 1986. The division was renamed BMW M GmbH in 1993 and today builds the full M cars (M2, M3, M4, M5, and the rest of the M roster) plus the M Performance Automobiles line of M-adjacent variants like the M240i, M340i, M440i, M550i, and M850i.
BMW spins out a dedicated motorsport division in May 1972 to run the touring car program. The road cars come later.
Mid-engine E26 with the M88 inline-six, originally intended for Group 5 racing. Roughly 450 built, the foundation of M road car DNA.
Hand-built 24-valve six derived from the M1's M88 (the M88/3 in Europe, the S38 in the US). The original super sedan, the template for the segment.
Built to homologate the E30 for Group A touring car racing. S14 four-cylinder, two-door only.
BMW adds a sedan body to the M3 line and moves to the S50 / S52 inline-six. The grand tourer turn.
BMW Motorsport GmbH becomes BMW M GmbH, signaling that the road car program is now an equal partner to the racing program.
The S62 4.9 V8 puts the M5 on a different trajectory, the all-time enthusiast favorite.
The S85 5.0 V10 from F1-era engineering, with SMG or, in the US, a six-speed manual. The most extreme M5 of its time.
BMW formalizes the M-adjacent line with cars like the M135i and M550d (Europe). The tier expands later to include the M240i, M340i, M440i, M550i, and M850i.
The coupe is renamed M4 and the M3 becomes sedan only. Both share the S55 twin-turbo six.
BMW M brings back the compact RWD coupe formula. N55 at launch, S55 for the later Competition and CS.
Sixth-gen M5 introduces M xDrive with a pure RWD mode, the first AWD M5.
BMW revives the 8-series nearly two decades after the E31, this time as an M Performance grand tourer with the N63 V8.
S58 six, optional M xDrive Competition, the divisive vertical grille era begins.
Seventh M5: the S68 V8 and an electric motor make 717 hp. The G99 M5 Touring is the first M5 wagon sold in the US.
BMW M Performance Automobiles is the M-adjacent tier, launched in 2012 and expanded since. The cars get M-tuned engines, suspension, brakes and styling, often with BMW M involvement, but stop short of a full M car: most use BMW's regular engines rather than M engines, and all keep the regular model's body.
The M2 is BMW M's compact RWD coupe. It picks up where the one-year E82 1M Coupe left off, a halo from 2011 that proved enthusiasts wanted a small M car again.
The spiritual predecessor, 1-year only, N54 turbo six, a cult halo.
First M2 proper. N55 at launch, then S55 for Competition and the limited CS.
Second M2 on the CLAR platform, S58 detuned, offered with a manual; a one-year 2026 CS and M xDrive from 2027.
The M3 traces back to the E30 in 1986. From the E36 onward a sedan body was offered alongside the coupe, and from the F80 the M3 is sedan only, the coupe split off as the M4.
The homologation original, built to go racing. Two-door only.
First straight six M3, first M3 sedan. A grand tourer turn.
The high revving S54 six, an enthusiast icon. Coupe and convertible only in the US.
The S65 V8 sedan, the last NA M3 sedan, sibling to the E92 coupe.
First turbo M3, S55 twin-turbo six, sedan only.
S58 six, optional xDrive, new vertical grille.
The M4 coupe is the continuation of the M3 coupe line. BMW renamed the coupe to M4 with the F82 in 2014 when the M3 became sedan only.
The original homologation M3, two-door only.
First straight six M3 coupe, a grand tourer turn.
The high revving S54 six. An enthusiast benchmark.
The S65 V8 coupe, the last NA M3 coupe.
Coupe is renamed M4. S55 twin-turbo six, manual or DCT.
S58 six, optional xDrive, the vertical grille era.
The M5 began with the E28 in 1985, the first super sedan, hand-built with the M88 six. Every M5 since has been an executive sedan first, a missile second.
The original super sedan, hand-built M88/3 six, the template for the segment.
S38 six, also hand-built, as a sedan and, in Europe only, a wagon.
S62 4.9 V8, the first V8 M5 and the all-time enthusiast favorite.
S85 5.0 V10 from F1-era engineering, with SMG or, in North America, a six-speed manual. The most extreme M5.
First turbo M5, S63 4.4 V8. Last manual M5 (North America only, 577 built).
First M5 with M xDrive, 8-speed auto only, 627 hp CS as the halo.
Plug-in hybrid S68 V8 at 717 hp with M xDrive; the G99 M5 Touring is the first M5 wagon sold in the US.
The M6 began as the US name for the E24 M635CSi. It returned with the E63's V10 and the F13's twin-turbo V8, and the M8 took its place from 2020.
The US version of the M635CSi, with the M1-derived six at 256 hp; the first M car sold here, for 1987 and 1988.
The S85 5.0 V10 at 500 hp, as a coupe with a carbon roof and, from 2007, a convertible; SMG, or a six-speed manual in North America from 2007.
The S63TU twin-turbo V8 at 560 hp (600 with the Competition Package from 2016), as a convertible, a coupe and a Gran Coupe; a dual-clutch, or a six-speed manual from 2014.
The M8 replaced the M6 as BMW's big M coupe, convertible and Gran Coupe, with a twin-turbo V8 and M xDrive.
BMW M's two-seaters began with the Z3-based M Roadster and M Coupe and continued with the Z4 M. No full M version of a later Z car has been sold.
The M3's six in the Z3, built in Spartanburg: the roadster from 1998 and the hatchback coupe from 1999 in the US, five-speed manual only, with the E46 M3's S54 for 2001 and 2002.
The S54 at 330 hp in the Z4, as a roadster and a coupe with a six-speed manual, sold here from 2006 to 2008.
No full M version followed; the current Z4's top model is the M Performance M40i, with a manual from 2025.
The M240i picks up where the M235i F22 left off in 2017 with the B58 engine swap. Before that, the E82 1M Coupe (a one-year halo built before the M Performance tier formally existed) is the spiritual ancestor.
Spiritual ancestor, pre-M Performance tier. N54 turbo six, one model year, a cult halo.
First M Performance 2-series, N55 turbo six. Available as a coupe (F22) and convertible (F23).
Engine swap to the B58 brings more power and torque, the badge changes to M240i. Coupe (F22) and convertible (F23).
Second-gen M240i on a new platform, B58 at 382 hp. xDrive only at US launch, rear-drive from 2023. No convertible variant. The 2027 car adds a 48-volt mild hybrid.
BMW's M Performance 3-series did not exist before the G20 in 2019. The F30 340i was the top non-M 3-series of its day and is the spiritual predecessor.
Before the 3 Series had an M Performance model. Top non-M 3-series of the F30 generation, B58 inline six, no M340i badge yet.
First M340i. B58, 8-speed automatic, RWD or xDrive. The default cross-shop against the C43 and S4.
Mid-cycle facelift: iDrive 8 on the Curved Display, slimmer LED headlights, a toggle gear selector. The 48V mild hybrid carries over from 2021, and the 2025 update raised output to 386 hp.
The new 3 Series drops the M340i name: its six-cylinder flagship is the M350 xDrive, a 437 hp mild hybrid, on sale here early in 2027 at $65,900 plus destination (BMW). Not yet scored.
The 4-series itself only launched in 2014 when BMW split the coupe off from the 3-series. The M Performance variant did not exist until the M440i G22 in 2021.
Before the 4 Series had an M Performance model. Top non-M F32 coupe (with F33 convertible and F36 Gran Coupe siblings), B58 six.
First M Performance 4 Series. B58 with a 48V mild hybrid from launch, RWD or xDrive (the 2021 coupe was xDrive only). Coupe G22 and Gran Coupe G26 share this entry; Convertible G23 is its own car.
Facelift with the revised six at 386 hp and 398 lb-ft (a revised 48V mild hybrid, port injection added), redesigned LED headlights, laser taillights, a black grille surround with horizontal bars on the M440i, iDrive OS 8.5.
The V8 5-series has a long history, but the M550i badge specifically dates to the G30 generation in 2018. Earlier 550i cars were the top non-M variants of their era, not M Performance branded.
Pre-M Performance era. The 550i badge arrives for 2006 with the N62 4.8 V8.
Pre-M Performance era. Top non-M F10 5-series, N63 V8.
First M-branded 5-series V8. N63, 456 hp at launch, bumped to 523 hp for the 2020 model year. xDrive standard.
Facelift: slimmer headlights, a larger kidney grille, new taillights, iDrive 7 on 12.3 inch screens. The V8 got no mild hybrid.
Eighth-gen 5 Series drops the M550i; the only V8 left is the plug-in hybrid M5 (G90).
BMW retired the original E31 8-series in 1999 and brought the nameplate back two decades later, this time as M Performance. The original 850i and the M Motorsport tuned 850CSi predate the M Performance tier.
Original 8-series, M70 V12 (later M73). Not M-badged.
BMW Motorsport developed S70B56 V12, the closest the original 8-series got to an M car. Never officially badged M.
8-series nameplate revived as M Performance. N63 V8, xDrive standard. Coupe G15 and Gran Coupe G16 share this entry, Convertible G14 is its own car.
Light facelift for 2023: an illuminated kidney grille and a 12.3 inch central screen (iDrive 7). Production ended in April 2026 with no successor announced.