40 years of the BMW M3

Six generations of high-performance sports cars
for the premium midsize class. (Introduction)

It was not the first model in the history of BMW M GmbH; that honour goes to the BMW M1 small-series, mid-engined sports car. But for the past 40 years now, the BMW M3 and its inimitable skillset have served as the archetype of a BMW M car for fans around the world. Agility, dynamism and driving pleasure of the highest order are as much a part of a BMW M3 as striking looks. And it is all backed up by a regular supply of standout victories in race competition. Below we look at some of the key chapters in this story of success:

Starting out in style – on the road and the race track.
The original BMW M3 made its first official appearance at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt am Main in 1985. The vital statistics of the new car: its 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine with four-valve technology, output of 147 kW/200 hp and a vehicle weight of 1,200 kilograms. The distinctively styled two-door accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph). A soft-top version was added to the line-up later. The first generation of the BMW M3 attained legendary status on the track, racking up a scarcely believable collection of race wins all over the world, including victories in the German DTM touring car series (then known as the “Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft”), the World Touring Car Championship and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

New additions to the model family.
Where the first BMW M3 exuded the excitement of youthful sportiness, the second generation launched in 1992 was a much more grown-up proposition. The two-door coupé cut an elegant figure from the outside and was powered for the first time by a six-cylinder engine. The model range was growing, and a four-door sedan soon made its debut alongside the coupé and convertible. From 1996, the BMW M3 could also be specified as an option with the Sequential M Gearbox (SMG).

Special edition with a legendary name.
The third generation of the BMW M3 made a powerful impression. Arriving in the year 2000, it captured the imagination with its power dome, flared wheel arches and dual-branch exhaust system. And a 3.2-litre six-cylinder in-line engine developing 252 kW/343 hp delivered onthe car’s visual promise. The special-edition BMW M3 CSL then raised the bar further still with increased power and additional weight savings. Producing 265 kW/360 hp, it could sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds. On the track, the BMW M3 GTR celebrated numerous victories in the ALMS series in the US, and also won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring on two occasions.  

The BMW M3 DTM makes motor sport history.
A naturally aspirated V8 engine went to work in the fourth-generation BMW M3 launched in 2007. The high-revving 4-litre engine delivered 309 kW/420 hp and accelerated the BMW M3 Coupé from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a rapid 4.8 seconds. In 2012, BMW returned to the DTM (now standing for “Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters”) race series after an absence of 20 years with the new BMW M3 DTM. The comeback was a triumph: Bruno Spengler was crowned the drivers’ champion, BMW Team Schnitzer topped the teams’ standings and BMW won the manufacturers’ title.

Higher output and torque, lower fuel consumption.
When the fifth model generation was introduced in 2014, only the four-door sedan variant carried the BMW M3 badge. And change was also afoot under the bonnet, a completely newly developed, high-revving straight six with M TwinPower Turbo technology taking the place of the previous V8. The result was more power and torque than the predecessor model, yet also 25 per cent lower fuel consumption and emissions. The BMW M3 Sedan with Competition Package – producing 331 kW/450 hp – set a new fastest time for the BMW M3 over the 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint: 4.0 seconds.

Long anticipated by fans: the BMW M3 Touring.
The sixth-generation car has built on the fabled lineage of the BMW M3 with great success since it joined the fray in 2020. The six-cylinder in-line engine is still present and correct, in 2021 the intelligent all-wheel-drive system M xDrive made its BMW M3 debut, and in 2022 the new BMW M3 Touring added another new body variant to the line-up. The limited-run BMW M3 CS is the fastest series-produced BMW M3 yet, the sedan sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.4 seconds and posting an electronically limited top speed of 302 km/h (188 mph).

You can find the full press release in the attached PDF.

This press kit is a revised version of the existing press kit marking ‘25 Years of the BMW M3’.
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0082243EN/the-story-of-an-exception:-the-bmw-m3-is-25?language=en

Complete photo sets documenting the history of the BMW M3 are available there or in the BMW M3 press releases on the BMW PressClub.
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/topic/4266/m3/