The BMW M Driving Experience extends with AREA M – Your Ultimate BMW M Experience: International focus with new name, new location and new events.

Munich. The launch of AREA M on 3 February 2026 marks the beginning of a new era of performance experiences. Memmingen joins Maisach as a new location; at the same time, AREA M restructures the portfolio and creates a more international focus. This includes a redesigned website with an Experience Finder that makes it easy for both existing fans and new visitors to find what they are looking for with just a few clicks. Gamified activities expand the portfolio. The “Games of Drift”, for example, exclusively available in Memmingen, use a specially modified M2 Drift vehicle to enable exhilarating customer experiences. Participants compete against each other and can track their standing via a live scoreboard on the website. The nine top-ranked drivers will enter the final on 17 October where they can compete for prizes. Specially designed events like “M Starter”, the “Ice Pro Experience” in Arjeplog, Sweden, and the “M Snow Active” aimed at performance-oriented women attract new target groups.

AREA M for contemporary performance experiences.

AREA M marks the transition to a multidimensional approach that goes beyond the classic driver training format. AREA M becomes the ultimate experience space, a place where brand enthusiasts come together, where performance can be experienced and where the M mindset is visible, audible and tangible. It reflects the shift from a mere driving experience to a BMW M Experience brand. Accordingly, the new name functions as a bridge between BMW M as a high-performance brand and a space for experimentation and exploring limits – both physical and emotional. At the heart of the reorientation are the people who make up BMW M: owners of BMW M models, people interested in driving an iconic high-performance car and thrill seekers on the lookout for the next adrenaline rush. Everyone will find offers perfectly tailored to their needs. This makes AREA M a place and environment where people can engage in the pursuit of excellence, honing their skills and testing them in competition with others. In short, a spiritual home that offers far more than in-vehicle experiences. It attracts members of Gen M along with new target groups – gamers as well as petrolheads, newbies as well as pros, of any age or gender.

Memmingen – the new venue for the community.

With Memmingen, AREA M is adding a new physical location to its portfolio. Like Maisach, Memmingen offers ideal conditions for exhilarating experiences of dynamic performance. Seven wet skid pads, three drift circles, four dynamic areas and additional handling and slalom zones open up a wide range of possibilities for creating new experiences. Memmingen also provides a physical home for the community with a lounge, conference rooms and excellent catering. This makes the location a real-world expression of the new brand claim, centred on an experience where everything feels like M. Every touch, every sound, every detail conveys high performance, energy and fascination.  

Redefined range with a clear structure and reduced complexity.

BMW M is known for taking its customers’ wishes on board. In the case of AREA M, the new location and brand launch have been complemented by an updated portfolio, now tailored even more precisely to customer requirements. In the past, categories, subcategories and variations offered a wide range of booking options. The new digital platform now structures all experiences into the following categories: Winter, Track, Thrill, Custom and Control. In addition, there are five clearly defined levels: Compact, Essential, Plus, Pro and Max. Using the new Experience Finder, even new visitors can find what they are looking for with just a few clicks.

New and enhanced formats for additional target groups.

AREA M also stands for specially developed and new programmes such as the “M Ice Pro Experience” in Arjeplog, Sweden, or the “M Snow Active” in Sölden, Austria, which is tailored specifically to performance-oriented women. The entry-level “BMW M Starter” training will remain on offer, as will the 2025 best-seller, the “BMW M Drift Academy”, which moved to the Memmingen site in November.

Games of Drift – the new key experience in Memmingen.

AREA M also stands for an innovative mindset. New gamified offerings attract new people to the community. Take the Games of Drift, for example, which are offered exclusively at the new Memmingen site. It’s an experience that is gamified, competitive and emotionally involving, and it can be booked by any fan – even multiple times. The focus here is on driving skills such as precision, dexterity and endurance, and on competition against other members of the community. Games of Drift challenges include following a defined drift spiral; the aim of the Ring Drop is to throw rings into a target area while drifting, and in Gymkhana, a complex course must be completed as quickly and flawlessly as possible while drifting. What is special about the event is that all results are entered into a live scoreboard on the public website. This shows each participant’s score and ranking and puts a playful focus on competition.