Celebrations of BMW M’s 50th year continue both in the U.S. and Germany, with museums in both countries hosting M-specific events and displays. On May 24, the BMW Museum in Munich launched the 50 Years of BMW M exhibition, marking the 50th anniversary of the day BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded. Earlier this month, the BMW CCA Foundation’s Ultimate Driving Museum launched the Power of M exhibition in Greer, S.C..
The new exhibition in Munich was designed to resemble a BMW M racetrack, taking visitors through a one-hour guided tour circuit of eight rooms with 26 special vehicles. “We have consciously integrated the eight BMW M stations into our permanent exhibition to highlight the BMW M anniversary everywhere, ” said Helmut Käs, Head of BMW Group Classic. The exhibition is part of BMW’s overall “We Are M” campaign celebrating the anniversary.
BMW reintroduced it’s iconic Motorsport roundel on anniversary M models. BMW CCA is celebrating the anniversary with a special 50 Years of M design to be featured as the Dream Car Raffle grille badge and on other special merchandise.
The exhibition traces BMW M from it’s beginnings in 1972 to future “Visions” for the iconic performance brand. Highlights include the BMW 3.0 CSL and 2002 turbo, M-specific manufacturing, BMW Art Cars and driver training, the BMW m1 and M3, design concepts, classics, racing, and more. “This motorsport gene from the early days still thrives in BMW M today,” stated Jochen Neerspach, co-founder and first Managing Director of BMW Motorsport GmbH. “The brand owes its dynamism, passion and performance to motorsport. Innovations such as lightweight construction, aerodynamics, optimized engine performance or a reinforced chassis still feature in M vehicles today.”
Even the BMW Junior Museum created workshops to engage 9-14 year olds with the M brand. “Join the M Team!” includes two-and-a-half-hour BMW M anniversary workshops, where the kids learn about BMW M and can even create their own airbrushed BMW M designs that can be exhibited and taken home.
For more information about the 50 Years of BMW M exhibit, visit the official BMW Guided Tours website.
For information about the BMW CCA Foundation Ultimate Driving Museum Power of M Exhibition, visit their website.
