BMW M: A lineup of cars that can do everything from the roads to the track

Born in 1972, the BMW M division was originally created to work on BMW's racing programme. In fact, the M stood for Motorsport.

The first creation by the division was the BMW 3.0 CSL, which was built for racing, and it absolutely aced its task. The 3.0 CSL road cars, built to meet homologation rules, even came with uninstalled rear wings that weren't legal for use on German roads.

Today, BMW M continues to create truly exciting cars that conquer the racetracks. In addition to a stable of racing machines, it also produces a range of high performance cars that finely balances the thrill of track driving while spicing up your daily drive.

And it doesn't just stop there — BMW M keeps pushing the envelope to create an even better car than before.

Performance of a race car, with space for your whole family

Since the birth of BMW M, it has been blurring the lines between a potent race car and the perfect road car. Following the success of the BMW M1, the first official M-badged car, its engine eventually found its way into the 5 Series sedan, creating the M5 — the original 'super saloon'.

Today, BMW M's adeptness in creating 'super saloons' has led to the current BMW M3 and M5 . These high-performance cars have four doors and sufficient space to seat five adults comfortably, and you can even tuck the kids in the back seat. There's no need to make any compromise for the sake of driving joy.

And now, after 45 years, BMW M makes history with the cutting-edge BMW XM plug-in hybrid Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV).

Writing the latest chapter in the book of M

The latest M car to be introduced to the world is something that tears down all forms of limitations. It strays from the original recipe of fettering with a production BMW car and putting a larger engine in it.

In fact, the first-ever BMW XM is, till date, only the second car to be developed entirely by BMW M (after the BMW M1).

The XM is a full-size luxury SAV that's built from the ground up, balancing exciting dynamic handling with the modern demands for practicality and functionality.

In line with the world's demand for SUVs and growing electrification efforts, the XM delivers groundbreaking performance — its modern plug-in hybrid drivetrain with the traditional V8 engine puts out 644bhp of combined power, propelling it from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.1 seconds.

You can do highway blasts across the border with the music of the V8, yet drive in silence when entering and exiting your neighbourhood. What's not to like?

For those who want something different from the BMW XM, there are plenty of other exceptional choices from the BMW M lineup as well.

BMW M offers everything you need or want

From the compact X3 M to the larger X5 M, and the coupe-like X4 M and X6 M, these performance driving machines aren't built like other SUVs — BMW M caters to your wants for performance driving while retaining the excellent benefits of the SUV body style.

If your desires are closer to the motorsports roots of BMW M, you'll have nothing to worry about either.

Today, if you want a BMW M car with two doors, you can take your pick from the lithe BMW M2, the slightly larger yet still incredibly manoeuvrable M4, and the M8. If you are someone who loves to feel the wind in your hair, the M4 and M8 are also available in convertible guise.

Being fully road-legal, these are the perfect daily and weekend drives for those who don't often find themselves ferrying more than one passenger. However, these dynamically inclined M cars that put out track-ready performance can still seat four if you find the need to.

Modern amenities and high level of equipment means these BMW M cars are not only easy to live with, but likely better equipped than most others.

Now, if you are willing to trade the rear seats for an even more race-inclined and special drive, BMW M also offers the extremely limited and mind-blowing 3.0 CSL and M4 CSL if you manage to get your hands on them.

Over the years, BMW's M line up of cars have continued to evolve, matching its excellent race cars with road-legal counterparts that are equally exciting and fun to drive.

Today, BMW has a well-rounded list of M cars that suit the needs of every individual, with models ranging from stylish coupes, fun convertibles to super saloons, and not forgetting the incredible BMW XM that redefines the world of performance luxury SUVs. With BMW M, you'll never be torn between performance and practicality.

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.