May 24, 1972, the day the contract for the BMW M was signed, marks the 50th anniversary of the BMW in-house tuner and motorsports division.
BMW is celebrating the occasion extensively, has already released a modern CSL based on the M4 coupe and is preparing to release both the XM SUV as well as a standalone M3 car in the form of the first M3 Turing wagon. A number of surprises are planned above, the first of which is the new M3 version 50 Jahre BMW M released today.
The hardcore sedan is based on the 2023 M3 Competition xDrive and has no mechanical mode, a stock under the hood is good for a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-6 503 hp. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic and rear-biased all-wheel-drive system.
Instead of mechanical mode, special touches include exclusive color choices, including E30 M3’s Techno Violet, E46 M3’s Interlagos Blue, E92 M3 Lime Rock Park version Fire Orange III, and F80 M3 CS’s Lime Rock Gray. The colors Techno Violet and Interlagos Blue were revived only for this special edition and there are currently no plans to offer them in any other model.
2023 BMW M3 version 50 years of BMW M
2023 BMW M3 version 50 years of BMW M
2023 BMW M3 version 50 years of BMW M
The M3 version 50 Jahre BMW M starts at 96,695, including the destination. The car is almost fully loaded with carbon-ceramic brakes and carbon bucket seat options. That means top-end features like LED headlights with laser lights, carbon-fiber interior accents and a complete suite of electronic driver aids.
The car has an M-brake package (limited gold options on carbon-ceramic brakes), a carbon-fiber front splitter, a trunk-lid spoiler and pronounced exhaust tips with carbon and titanium. . This anniversary also features a special badge with a classic-style BMW Motorsport logo available on BMW M cars. Also includes a matching suitcase with car.
With only 500 special sedans planned for North America, production in the United States will begin in July.
The 2023 model year saw a full 3-series range, including the M3, a mid-cycle update. The key to the update is a new dash that replaces the traditional instrument cluster cowl, leaving a 12.3-inch floating screen for the instrument cluster attached to a second 14.9-inch floating screen for the infotainment hub.