- BMW‘s M division has a long history of producing high-performance cars since 1972
- From the M1 to the XM, the performance subbrand has offered a diverse range of models.
- Deciding the best BMW M car is subjective and depends entirely on what thrills you most.
For over half a century, the M Division within BMW has crafted performance-focused cars. Simple names like M3, M5, and M1 have influenced the automotive world in a huge way. Today, we give you the nearly impossible task of picking which single BMW M car is the best ever made.
No doubt, M cars span far and wide today. In fact, the modern BMW fleet includes sub-M cars that aren’t the full-fat latte that proper M cars are. Interestingly, there is one big differentiator that typically indicates a “real” modern M car and it’s the engine designation. Normal BMWs get the letter N, M, or B to indicate their engine family. All true modern M cars get an S engine code so that’s how we’ll sort things out here.
Poll: Which BMW M5 Generation Is The Best?
For example, the car in our lead image is the E30 BMW M3. It was originally supposed to be little more than a homologation special for DTM racing. As such, it needed a special engine and it got it in the form of the S14. For the time, the M3 was a real revelation for BMW. Now, nearly 40 years since its introduction, the M3 still has a giant brand presence in the automotive industry.
Of course, with the sort of history that BMW M has, there are several other options to potentially choose from. There are also exceptions to the S engine code rule. Take the the M1, for instance. The BMW M1 probably deserves a little recognition here considering what it meant to BMW and how it was the very first true M car. Sure, the Division built the racing-only 3.0 CSL first but the M1 was street legal and remains as the only true BMW supercar.
These are just a few somewhat obvious favorites in a list that includes the E90 M3 with a big V8 up front, the F87 generation M2 with its small but mighty platform, and cars like the Z3 M Coupe. We also haven’t dipped into the M5 conversation. The E39 is unquestionably beautiful, but if it’s my vote here, I’m picking the E60. Driving is about the experience and rowing gears in a naturally aspirated V10 might make it the best of the bunch.
So, what’s your take? Which BMW M car reigns supreme in the pantheon of performance? Drop your hot takes in the comments.
