BMW Motorsport: Books - History and Models

BMW M - 50 Years of the Ultimate Driving Machines

BMW launched the Motorsport, or "M", division in 1972 to formally support its growing and successful racing program. Wisely, BMW leveraged that racing credibility to create limited-edition, high-performance production cars, the first being the M1 supercar of 1978.
Tested and tuned at a dedicated facility located at the legendary Nürburgring, BMW's M cars are true "driver's cars" focused first and foremost on handling and performance. Still, they are docile enough when not driven aggressively to serve as comfortable high-end daily drivers.

Since the late 1980s, the range of M models has broadened considerably and now includes coupes, convertibles, and sedans in M2, M3, M4, M5, and M8 flavors along with high-performance X-series M SUVs. Early M cars like the M1 and late 1980s M3 and M6 are now desirable collector cars welcomed at top collector auctions and commanding premium prices.

With decades of racing and production success and, literally, no signs of slowing down, BMW's M cars hurtle full speed to their 50th anniversary in 2022. "BMW M" offers the history no Bimmer fan will want to be without.

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BMW Motorsport

Founded by Jochen Neerpasch in 1972, BMW Motorsport has become a truly independent company, with no equivalent in the automotive industry. The BMW sports division, initially focused on motorsport, became a pioneer in the late 1970s when it expanded to include the development and production of a new range of high-performance vehicles, whose design was guided by lessons learned from racing.

Recognizable by the M label stripes, these models transcend the sporty character and technological image of certain products in the Bavarian range to become references in the eyes of enthusiasts. The BMW Motorsport sports division has also distinguished itself in all disciplines of motorsport.

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BMW Motorsport

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Founded by Jochen Neerpasch in 1972, BMW Motorsport has evolved into a stand-alone entity with no equivalent in the automotive industry. Initially focused on racing, the division pioneered the development and production of a new range of high-performance vehicles in the late 1970s, drawing on the lessons of racing.
The models bearing the famous M label, recognisable by their distinctive stripes, go beyond the sporty character, setting benchmarks appreciated by enthusiasts and transcending the technological image of the BMW range.

Sylvain Reisser, deputy editor-in-chief of the Automobile department at the Figaro group, gives us the captivating story of BMW Motorsport, enhanced by an iconography rich in archive images. His in-depth expertise as a specialist of the German brand provides a unique insight into the journey and successes of this emblematic division.

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BMW M - Seit 50 Jahren der stärkste Buchstabe der Welt

50 years of M GmbH is a real reason to celebrate! In 1972, the legendary Jochen Neerpasch was the first managing director to put BMW's power department on the road to success.
To this day, the passionate engineers from the Bavarian premium manufacturer's motorsport department have created numerous legendary sports cars such as the M1, M3 and M5.

With meticulous research and spectacular imagery, automotive journalists Roland Löwisch and Sylvain Reisser trace the extraordinary company history of the BMW Group subsidiary and present automobiles that guarantee maximum fascination from the first meter.

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