The second half of the 1900s saw a massive demand for motorsport vehicles as the craze for on-road track-focused cars began to rise. Vehicle makers started introducing a separate arm for such vehicles to cater to this.
One such brand was the Munich-based luxury carmaker, BMW, which introduced the BMW Motorsport GmbH in 1972 with just 35 employees and a single aim - to create the world’s best sports cars.
The following year, the BMW 3.0 CSL debuted at the Touring Car Championship and dominated the European Championship for the next six years marking the start for the company’s motorsport division success.
By 1988, the company had grown to 400 employees and had quickly established itself as an important part of BMW's market presence.
The BMW M1 was the first car to be sold with an M badge, designed by Paul Bracq and finished by famed designer Giorgetto Giugaro.
The mid-engined coupé debuted at the 1978 Paris Motor Show, powered by a 277bhp six-cylinder engine from the 3.0 CSL and capable of 165mph.
There were only 456 production M1s built. Later, the M1 gave birth to a racer that competed in a one-make series called Procar. The series lasted two years despite attracting drivers such as Hans-Joachim Stuck, Niki Lauda, and Nelson Piquet.
Celebrating Milestone
As the motorsport division marks its 50th anniversary, BMW India plans to launch a series of ‘50 Jahre M Editions’, special M accessories reminiscing the iconic brand, thrilling events and emotional campaigns.
Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India, said, “M is the strongest letter in the world and in its 50th anniversary it is stronger than ever. Inspired by motorsport, BMW M philosophy is the perfect interplay of dynamics, agility and precision while being suitable for everyday use.”
Recently another German vehicle manufacturer also celebrated a milestone for its motorsport division. Click here to check.
Under the celebration plans, the company aims to launch ten distinct ‘50 Jahre M Editions’ starting with the locally produced M340i which was recently launched at INR 68.90 lakh, ex-showroom, India along with M4 and M5 super sedans.
Furthermore, customers will be given three ‘50 Jahre M Edition’ accessories packages, including Racer’s Pack, Motorsport Pack and the Carbon Pack.
The Racer’s Pack will include exterior accessories like Rear Spoiler in Matt black, Side Sill Transfers in Matt Black and Key Fob, while the Motorsport Pack will include accessories like M Performance Steering Wheel, Selector Gear knob in Alcantara, Rear Spoiler in Matt Black to name a few on top of the exterior accessories.
The Carbon Pack has been curated to give the car a fiery racing character inside out. The list consists of interior trims in Carbon Fibre, M Performance Steering Wheel, Selector Gear knob in Carbon Fibre, and Rear Spoiler in Carbon Fibre, among others. It must be noted that the pairing of packages/accessories will vary from one model to another.
Additionally, the company also plans to introduce dedicated M Certified dealerships. The aim of these dealerships is to provide the classic feel and ultimate high-performance experience associated with the brand to the customers.
Further, to celebrate the milestone, customers who opt for a BMW M automobile, special M Edition variants or a model equipped with an M Sport package will have their vehicle’s front, rear and wheel hubs decorated with M emblems inspired by the classic ‘BMW Motorsport’ logo.
The new BMW logo will feature the shifted semicircles in blue, violet and red, which was first used in 1973 on the racing car of BMW Motorsport GmbH.
In 1978, with the debut of the BMW M1, the three colour stripes slanted to the right and leaning on the letter M followed. Even beyond the motorsport scene, it became a trademark with particularly high recognition value and identification power.