When Did M stop Being M?

History and opinion

Glucklich E28 posted in European Classics

1y ago

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The BMW M badge has been the envy of many enthusiasts young or old. The dreams of owning a high-performance luxury sedan started with a 1978 super car presented at the Paris Motor Show. The vehicle presented, adopted design cues only seen in Italian super cars as it was a joint project between BMW and Lamborghini, this car was known as the M1 (E26). The M1 design was sculpted by Giorgio Giugiaro who is known many works of art including the beautiful Alfa Romeo Berlina and Retro DeLorean.( drivetribe.com/p/the-most-attractive-italian-classic-dhe6wBxsTOGyBOTQMFspSw?iid=KpV41DVcQwSuTwToSMpA7w )

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Being BMWs first midengined car they went forward with installing the 3.5l 88/1 L6 engine that would later make its appearance in the E23, E24 and the well know E28 M5.

1980s Homologation

The M88 engine had multiple variants but the engine that started the M envy was the M88/3, that harnessed 282 HP and 251ft-lbs of Torque, impressive numbers for a sedan engine even for today’s standards. After the success of the M5 BMW sets its eyes on a compact sports car that had unintentional success. The 1986 Homologation E30 M3 was built as a response to the Mercedes 190E and proved to dominate the racetrack.( drivetribe.com/p/classic-nurburgring-rivalry-specs-aVb7l8wASy6gyaPnZqJLQA?iid=B_hkRb2ETdS4ekGi9H7IQw )

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With the M3, the introduction of the S14 engine which was basically a modified M10 engine that found itself in nearly every BMW model including the nimble 2002. With the M5 and M3 BMW had two amazing performance engines, that would be the foundation in which every M car was built upon until the early-2000s.

Millennial Bimmers, 90s

Now that the Foundation of the M family is built one must wonder what has happened to the brand and its fans since the initial introduction of those legendary street legal racecars? The 90s came with a positive succession of the brand with many the E36 and E34 getting the proper treatment of the M brand. The 90s M cars carried on the high compression ration, stiffer bodies and tighter steering but with the 90s came the first automatic gearbox which can be found in the E36 M3. The decision to offer an automatic gearbox was bittersweet, allowing more people to enjoy the power and handling of the beautiful M car but where it struck a nerve was among the purist car community.

Turn of the Centery

“The CSL is magnificent. Like the Isle of Man, it’s a thorn in the side of the nanny state. […] It’s BMW at its absolute best.”

Jeremy Clarkson

In 1998 BMW broke the mold offering a tuned up M62 engine with a displacement of 4.9l and 394 HP known as the S62. This was M’s first V8 and it proved to be innovative but still assertive on the roads. The E46 still had the standard inline 6 engine but was also available in a V8 GTR version that was a rocket. At this point the M line up had adopted unique paint options to make a statement as it smoked nearly any other car on the road. later we will see how the M badge evolved not only as a performance brand by also as a brand of style and status.

The Modern M Badge

The mid 2010s most notable M product wasn’t just one vehicle but the heart of many cars, the NA. V10 S85. The S85 was could be found in the M6 and M5 which could be considered the Last true M cars. Although the V10 was plagued from the start it keeps M to its roots, no turbos and extreme power over the stock variants. Unlike the M models to come that were awarded the badge for simple addons such as painted breaks or tuned exhaust, many of the newest M cars have barely any noticeable power upgrades as well. So, one must ask, is the M brand being used as a cheap marketing technique or are all BMWs worthy of the badge?

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