In May of 1972, Bayerische Motoren Werke, more commonly known as BMW, gave birth to a very special division that would not only shape the company's future products, both on the road and on the track, but also inspire its main rivals to follow its example. That subdivision was BMW Motorsport GmbH. During the presentation of the M brand in 1972, BMW AG Board Member Robert A. Lutz (yes, the same man the younger generation came to know from his work at GM) said:
"A company is like a human being. As long as it goes in for sports, it is fit, well-trained, full of enthusiasm and performance. With sports always being a driving force at BMW, also while the Company was developing dynamically in the business world, it was only obvious at this point that we should concentrate and consolidate our activities in motor sport.”
Over the past forty years, the M division, which is now officially called BMW M GmbH, has left its mark on motorsports and created a raft of production sports cars of all shapes and sizes.
As a first of many tributes to the brand's 40th anniversary, BMW has dropped a selection of photos, which you can check out in detail in our gallery right past the break. And while you are at it, feel free to tell us which is your most and least favorite M car of all times.
