40 years of BMW's M cars\series

40 years of BMW's M cars\series

BMW M1 – 1978

 

The 1978 M1 was the first car ever to wear the famous boot badge. Mid-engined, with two seats and a 277hp 3.5-litre 6-cylinder engine giving a top speed of (160mph) 257.4 kph , it was arguably BMW's first and only supercar. The M in, er, M stands for motorsport, and turbocharged racing versions of the M1 were capable of pushing out around 850hp.

 

BMW M535i – 1979

A year later, the M535i followed, and with it a contentious point - is it a proper M car? The motor was a relation of that used in the M1, producing 218hp, while the Recaro seats, a close-ratio gearbox, limited-slip differential and larger brakes - all developed by M - set out its stall.

 

BMW M635 CSi – 1983

1983 saw the introduction of a cult BMW M machine - the M635 CSi, badged M6 in America. A big coupé with 286hp in its most powerful guise, it was stylish, comfortable, fast and agile - the consummate all-rounder that perhaps carved out the M brand's road car product niche...

 

BMW M5 – 1985

Which this car furthered still. We're all well aware of today's M5, but this is fast saloon genesis. The E28 generation vehicle used the same engine as the M635 CSi (itself an evolution of the M1's motor) and was based on the M535i chassis. It paved the way for the ballistically quick family four-door.

 

BMW M3 – 1986

Think of BMW's M Division and most people conjure the image of the original E30 M3. The car used a 200hp 2.3-litre four-cylinder unit - related to BMW's 1,500hp Formula One engine - later bored out to 2.5-litres. Available in left-hand drive only, the M3 was used to homologate one of the most successful touring car racers ever.

 

BMW M5 – 1988

The second-generation M5 was released in 1988, three years after the introduction of the original. Later models got a beefier 340hp 3.8-litre straight-six that meant (0-62mph) 0-99kph in 5.7 seconds. A more sophisticated chassis and the option of an M5 estate - the fastest wagon in the world at the time - improved its appeal still further.

 

BMW M Coupé/Roadster – 1998

The M Coupé - often affectionately known as 'the bread van' - used the E36 M3 Evo's 321hp engine, as did its Roadster cousin. It's based on the Z3 as BMW's brief was to keep the whole project cost-effective - the doors and everything forward of the windscreen are interchangeable with the Z3.

 

BMW M5 – 1998

The E39 was the first V8-engined M5. Producing 400hp from its 4.9-litre V8, it blew the Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG's 354hp and the Jaguar XJR's 370hp outputs out of the water. It was massively technologically advanced, too, featuring a computer-controlled throttle and rear head protection airbags.

 

BMW M3 – 2001

The E46 M3 arrived in 2000 sporting a 343hp version of the E36 Evo's 3.2-litre unit. This was a properly pretty car with performance to match. It'd trouble a (£20,000), Rs 17.5 lakhs more expensive Porsche 911 for pace hitting 62mph from rest in 5.1 seconds. It's widely regarded as one of the best M car chassis ever, too.

 

BMW M3 CSL – 2003

Which was a brilliant place to start with the M3 CSL. The car got a 360hp version of the M3's straight-six - complete with a huge carbon airbox and a lighter exhaust improving aural pleasure - 110kg of mass stripped away and some super grippy semi-slick tyres with which to go Porsche GT3 baiting. It cost (£60,000), Rs 52.7 lakhs though.