BMW to build halo M car
All the info on the first dedicated M Division car for 40 years
BMW bosses have ended years of speculation by confirming that a standalone model from the firm’s M Division is in the product plan. And it could be here within the next few years, Auto Express can reveal.
BMW M’s strategy of developing highperformance versions of standard BMWs, such as the M3 and M5, has been successful for decades. But it’s not since the BMW M1 from the seventies that the M Division has had its own vehicle.
Speaking to Auto Express, BMW M boss Markus Flasch told us that’s about to change: “I can think of doing standalone M cars – I like the idea and I think we’re going to do something in this direction.”
The plug-in hybrid Vision M Next concept revealed earlier this year (below) gave us a hint of what was to come, but Flasch said there was no reason that the new standalone model had to commit to the concept’s layout. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a mid-engined supercar, but definitely it has to stand out from the crowd,” Flasch added.
Previewed in our exclusive image (above), the new M car will compete directly with rivals such as the MercedesAMG GT and Aston Martin Vantage, and could adopt a front-engined layout for that reason. High-ranking officials within BMW have suggested that the new car could be seen by 2021; it’s also likely to feature some form of electrification. Flasch confirmed to Auto Express that we’ll see an M Division car featuring electrification very soon. “I can’t disclose when, but it’s not too far away,” he said.
“M has never been dogmatic about any particular technology – electrification is not rocket science and it’s not the game changer that people think; it’s an easy answer to every question.
“There won’t be a point of time when we turn all vehicles to this or that technology. We will live for a very long time with a variety of powertrains depending on the market and the segment.”
As far as the M Division is concerned, that means an electrified powertrain has to offer more than the internal combustion engine model it replaces. “We will bring electrified propulsion systems as soon as they’re better than the predecessor – that’s the first rule – we don’t have to be the first, we have to be the best,” said Flasch.
“New M car will compete with the Aston Vantage and Mercedes-AMG GT”
OVER at Audi, the firm has revealed updated versions of it RS 5 Coupé and RS 5 Sportback for 2020.
Changes to the Mercedes-AMG C 63 rivals are relatively minor and comprise a mix of cosmetic upgrades, improved interior tech and the introduction of more customisable driving modes.
Visually, the front is dominated by a wider grille, with a trio of vents above it, inspired by those of the original Sport Quattro. The bumper also gets reshaped air intakes, while the front and rear wheelarches are 40mm wider than on the regular A5, and new 19-inch alloy wheels are now standard, with 20-inch rims as an option.
Inside, the RS 5 gets the same tech upgrades as the rest of the A5 range. That means a new 10-inch infotainment screen – now including touchscreen functionality – sits on the top of the dash. New Drive Mode Select buttons – RS1 and RS2 – allow the driver to program their preferred suspension, engine, steering and exhaust settings, and access them easily from a steering wheel-mounted button.
The cars’ 444bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine remains unchanged.