|
A History of BMW M Cars
Founded in 1972, the BMW M division
was initially conceived with the intention of it complimenting
and helping BMW’s motorsports programme, but it soon changed and
became part of the mainstream line-up, influencing the top specification
models. It is now one of the most famous sports lines in the world.
BMW’s M cars are known for being
superior in terms of driving ability compared to the rest of their
stable mates, featuring high powered, tuned engines, modified
body shapes, and a whole host of additional performance enhancements.
They are also known for being expensive, though well-priced when
their performance is compared to supercars.
All of these racing-oriented vehicles
are designed and tested at the legendary Nürburgring in Germany.
This intense track is where the world’s greatest cars are put
to the test.
Nearly all of BMW’s recent models
have had an M version, with the notable exception of their luxury
flagship, the 7 series. This car is deemed to be too heavy for
proper performance, and a high-revving engine is seen to be at
odds with the car’s quiet demeanour. The smaller SUV crossovers
are also not considered suitable.
Perhaps the most famous cars bearing
the M badge are the M3
and M5.
These cars are based on the 3 and 5 series respectively, and are
widely considered to be the best sports saloons to be found anywhere
on the market, at any price. Both cars began life in the 80s and
have since seen power increases that match some of the world’s
fastest sports cars. They are the benchmark by which Audi and
Mercedez-Benz now strive to, though British marque Jaguar has
recently began to compete in the super saloon segment with its
XFR and XFR-S.
It is very important to note that
M badges on BMWs can be very misleading. Aside from people attaching
the badge to vehicles that simply aren’t M cars, there are also
official factory BMWs that have an M badge on them. These are
generally cars which have some form of enhancement, but are not
fully fledged M cars. Recently, there has also been an M Sport
package available on BMWs cars, which is almost entirely cosmetic.
You can find used BMW
models at www.exchangeandmart.co.uk. The older M cars
are available for very low prices, while still offering exceptionally
good performance. Many would also argue that they are future classics.
|
