BMW’s ‘M’ division is one of the most popular and coveted when it comes to performance cars.
Last year saw BMW mark the 50th anniversary of its M division, and the brand is continuing to ramp up its product offering from compact sports cars to hybrid SUVs.
Let’s take a look at what the BMW M range has to offer in 2023.
M2
If you want a fun sports car, BMW’s M2 has been one of the most highly regarded for some time. For 2023, it’s now back for a new generation, bringing a significant uplift in power to 454bhp, and means 0-60mph can be cracked in just 3.9 seconds.
It’s also the only BMW M model available with a manual gearbox in the UK these days.
M3
One of the most respected performance cars of all time is the BMW M3. Coming in practical saloon form, it’s a car that can be very easily used on a daily basis.
It’s a riot to drive, while BMW has introduced the option of a more sure-footed ‘xDrive’ model that can send power to all four wheels. That said, regular rear-wheel-drive versions remain available.
M3 Touring
BMW has been remarkably resistant to introducing a more practical estate car version of its M3, especially when rivals from Audi and Mercedes are both offered in this bodystyle. But this German marker has recently launched its first-ever M3 Touring.
Coming exclusively with the xDrive system, the M3 Touring is brilliant to drive yet also has a big boot and roomy enough interior to use it as a family car.
M4
Now one of BMW’s more popular M models, the M4 is the more menacing version of BMW’s 4 Series. Available as both a coupe and a convertible, the M4 brings plenty of thrills with its 503bhp 3.0-litre engine.
Able to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 3.3 seconds, the M4 also brings bold styling and a stunning interior.
M5
Another long-standing performance model to come from BMW is the M5, which has been around for decades but continues to prove its worth. It’s another car that could easily be used on a daily basis, with its roomy interior offering plenty of space for passengers in the back.
Powering the M5 is a mighty 616bhp 4.4-litre V8, which is one of the most powerful ever to be fitted to a BMW.
M8
BMW’s 8 Series makes for a stunning grand tourer, but if you fancy something a little hotter, you should take a look at the M8. Using the same engine as the M5, it can get to 60mph in as little as three seconds.
You can choose the M8 as a Coupe, Convertible and roomier Gran Coupe (with some rear doors), depending on which is your preference.
X3 M Competition
The smallest of BMW’s ‘M’ SUVs is the X3 M Competition. Based on the brand’s well-regarded mid-size SUV, this X3 uses the same 503bhp engine as the M3, and brings monstrous performance as a result.
Yet the X3 M Competition is able to retain all of the standard car’s practicality and everyday usability.
X4 M Competition
If you fancy something a little more eye-catching, our vote goes towards the X4 M Competition – a more coupe-styled version of the X3.
Bringing superb performance, the X4 M also boasts a menacing exterior design and high-end interior that makes it a great choice if you want a performance SUV.
X5 M Competition
The X5 was BMW’s first-ever SUV to get the ‘M’ treatment and several generations later continues to be as impressive as ever. It’s also recently been updated, gaining styling changes, as well as the integration of mild-hybrid technology for the first time in an M car.
It retains the 4.4-litre V8 engine, though, putting out a mighty 616bhp, and allowing this large SUV to hit 60mph in just 3.7 seconds.
X6 M Competition
The sleeker stablemate to the X5 is BMW’s X6, which is also available in a sporty M Competition guise. Bringing a more coupe-like profile and even bolder styling, it’s certainly not a car for those that want to blend in.
Recent styling changes have only helped it to stand out further, while BMW has also introduced its new Curved Display interior layout to the X6 too.
XM
BMW M is now beginning its electrified future, with its first car to feature a plug-in hybrid setup being the XM. It’s the first bespoke BMW M model in a long time, and arrives with brash, bold and divisive styling.
Its powertrain comprises a 4.4-litre V8 engine paired to an electric motor, which is able to develop up to 739bhp in the case of the flagship Red Label model – by far the most of any BMW to date.
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