What is the essence of motorsport, the spirit of BMW M?

BMW M

Balancing motorsports activities and sports model manufacturing

BMW M, which has the initials “Motorsports” in its name, is one of the world’s leading brands that loves motorsports and has been walking the path of motorsports ever since, as the saying goes, “the name speaks for itself.”

BMW Motorsport GmbH, the predecessor of BMW M GmbH, was founded on May 1, 1972, integrating the works activities that had been carried out since before the war and the business of supplying engines and parts to privateers. Up until then, there had been cases of manufacturers’ motorsport divisions becoming independent, but what was unique about BMW Motorsport GmbH was that it announced the mid-engine supercar “M1,” which became its core image, and managed to balance motorsport activities with the production of sports models.

“BMW M models are currently selling well worldwide, with approximately 200,000 units sold annually. In Japan, approximately 16% of sales are M models (M2, M3, M4) or M performance models (M340i xDrive, X3 M50 xDrive, etc.), which is naturally among the best in Asia. The M2 is particularly popular, and we have even increased production this year.”

So says Hiroyuki Makinami, Senior Manager of BMW Sales Division/Business Development/BMW M. The rapid growth in Japan is the result of steady efforts such as the elaborate BMW booth set up at the Tokyo Auto Salon held at the beginning of the year and the caravan that tours the country, and it is also proof that the image of BMW M, which has a close connection with motorsports, has permeated the hearts of many people.

A fun race that makes the most of BMW technology

One of the most iconic activities is the BMW M2 CS Racing Series, specifically the BMW M3 CS Racing Series. Currently, BMW M GmbH not only develops and manufactures M models and M performance parts, but also develops and races pure racing cars such as the M4 GT3. The M3 CS Racing is a machine developed by BMW M GmbH for one-make racing that can be purchased by general customers at dealerships.

The M2 CS Racing Series was launched in Japan in 2022, following on from Europe, with the aim of “expanding the base of customer racing in Japan to get more people interested, and highlighting the connection between racing and production cars.” The races are double-headers with two races held per day, with Race 1 having a standing start, and Race 2 having a reverse grid for the top 60% of Race 1, followed by a rolling start. In addition, drivers who have won the previous race will have their maximum power reduced from 450 PS by BoP (Balance of Performance).

“We want everyone to enjoy the race, making the most of BMW technology. To that end, we’ve made efforts to ensure that no one car wins. So it’s not only fun to take part, but it’s also fun to watch. Today’s race was pretty exciting, wasn’t it?”

New M2 Racing to launch in 2026

BMR is facing a major transformation in the 2026 season. “We will be introducing the new M2 Racing car. It’s a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo with a maximum output of 313 PS. We hope to unveil the new car at Round 6 at Motegi in November. Currently, seven dealers are participating, but with the new cars we hope to increase that number from next year onwards. We also want dealers who are not yet participating to use the opportunity to convey the appeal of the M, such as by inviting their customers to the circuit.”

So what does BMW envision beyond BMR’s activities?

“BMW’s motorsport activities are structured like a pyramid, with its activities as a manufacturer with the M Hybrid V8 in the WEC (World Endurance Championship) Hypercar class and the M4 GT3 EVO in the LMGT3 class at the top, followed by customer team races in Super GT and Super Taikyu, and then BMR. Below that are programs such as the BMW Driving Experience, and we are considering allowing M model purchasers to participate in the European program in the future. In addition to that, we would like to broaden the base by establishing a detailed program in Japan as well. We also believe there is potential for further development, such as supporting people who want to move up from BMR to Super Taikyu or GT Asia.”

Makinami says that they will be putting even more effort into PR activities to achieve this.

“In 2025, new M models such as the M3 CS Touring, XM by Kith, M4 CS VR46 and M2 CS were released, and we would like to have our race ambassadors play an active role in promoting BMW M and BMR. This is very important. At next year’s Auto Salon, we plan to announce details of BMR’s races and a new leading car.”

The merits of commercial vehicles shine in motorsports

Makinami emphasizes that such enthusiasm is due to the overwhelming quality and performance of the BMW M Series.

“The engine of the M4 GT3 is basically the same as that of a production car. Even the transmission of the M4 GT4 is the same. In other words, the quality of the production car is important. I personally drive the leading car, the M4, on the circuit, and it can reach 260 km/h on the straight at Fuji, and the brakes have no problems no matter how many laps I drive. The M is capable of doing things that ordinary production cars just can’t do. I want to spread the word about that appeal.”

PHOTO/Kunihisa KOBAYASHI