BMW M GmbH continues to grow: more than 200,000 vehicles delivered within one year for the first time.

Munich. BMW M GmbH can look back on an outstanding financial year 2023 and once again reports record results. For the first time in the company's history, more than 200,000 vehicles were delivered worldwide in a single year. With a new record of 202,530 high-performance and performance cars sold, the growth trend of recent years continued. The impressive increase in sales of 14,3 percent compared to the previous year proves that once again additional target groups have been attracted to extremely sporty vehicles with the M logo as a seal of quality.

The USA was once again the most important single market for BMW M GmbH automobiles in the 2023 financial year. The German home market again took second place in the ranking of sales regions, while the UK remained the third most important market, as in the previous year. "With the historic record of more than 200,000 vehicles delivered, we have reached a milestone in the 2023 financial year. The impressive demand is a great confirmation that we are hitting the nerve of the times with our diverse product portfolio," says Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President Customer, Brand, Sales at BMW M GmbH.

Electromobility offensive continues to gather pace.

As the brand's first all-electric performance model, the BMW i4 M50 continued its successful course in the second full year of sales after its debut and once again became BMW M GmbH's bestseller. The year 2023 also saw the launch of the BMW i5 M60 xDrive Sedan* and the BMW i7 M70 xDrive (not available in South Africa), signaling the start of two more new additions to BMW M's range of all-electric performance vehicles.

With a highly integrated drive unit on both the front and rear axles, which together develop a system output of up to 442 kW, the BMW i5 M60 xDrive sets standards in the premium segment of the business saloon class. As the most powerful model in the new BMW 5 Series, it has specific design features as standard that visually emphasise its outstanding sporting potential. Its standard Adaptive Chassis Professional with electronically controlled shock absorbers and Integral Active Steering, in combination with the BMW xDrive electric all-wheel drive system, guarantees locally emission-free driving pleasure and typical M performance.

"The financial year 2023 was characterised both by our highly successful portfolio of highly emotional combustion engine vehicles and by our ongoing electrification offensive with two further all-electric performance models and our first electrified high-performance car, the BMW XM," says Franciscus van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW M GmbH. "Not least the ongoing success of the BMW i4 M50 confirms that we are on the right track to further advance the electrification of our product portfolio and to combine sustainable drive technologies with an emotionally powerful driving experience."

New high-performance models diversify the product portfolio.

Three high-performance automobiles, which completed their first full year of sales in 2023 and symbolise the wide range of BMW M GmbH's product portfolio, also made a decisive contribution to the renewed increase in sales. The second generation of the BMW M2 with its six-cylinder in-line engine, rear-wheel drive and optional 6-speed manual transmission offers an even more attractive entry into the world of high-performance models from BMW M. Extroverted design, progressive luxury in the interior and the new M HYBRID system make the BMW XM an absolute exception in the competitive field of Sports Activity Vehicles and Sports Activity Coupés. The new BMW M3 CS special model, which brings the unmistakable BMW M feeling to the racetrack and the road in a particularly purist form, was also enthusiastically received by fans of the brand.

In addition, the continued popularity of the bestsellers in the high-performance car segment was the main reason for the unabated growth of BMW M GmbH. The world's best-selling high-performance sports car in 2023 was the BMW M3 Sedan, followed by the BMW M4 Coupé. With their powerful six-cylinder in-line engines and 8-speed M Steptronic transmission in the segment, as well as classic rear-wheel drive and the intelligent M xDrive all-wheel drive system, they offer racetrack-ready performance characteristics with unrestricted everyday and long-distance suitability. This combination, supplemented by an extra portion of luggage space and variability, made the first BMW M3 Competition Touring with M xDrive a particularly high-profile new addition to the BMW M GmbH range in 2023.

Fresh accents and further new high-performance models in 2024.

The diversification of the product portfolio will continue in 2024. In addition to the upcoming model revision for the three most successful high-performance series BMW M3, BMW M4 and BMW M2, the new edition of the BMW M5 is in the starting blocks for the current model year. The new generation of the high-performance model in the luxury class will not only be available as a sedan, but as the BMW M5 Touring (not for South Africa) it will also provide further impetus for the conquest of new target groups. Prior to this, the BMW i5 M60 xDrive Touring will complement the range of all-electric performance cars.

The core of the BMW M product range also sees the debut of an offering for particularly ambitious drivers: the huge success of the BMW M3 CS is followed by the new BMW M4 CS special model, which embodies pure racing passion in a further form with increased engine power and optimised weight.

Le Mans in sight: BMW M GmbH aims for historic racing comeback.

After the new BMW M Hybrid V8 successfully completed its first season in the North American endurance series IMSA last year, BMW M GmbH will also be competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2024. The highlight of the season is the return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans: exactly 25 years after the overall victory of the BMW V12 LMR in the legendary endurance classic, a prototype from BMW M Motorsport will once again be on the starting grid.

The comeback at the Circuit de 24 Heures will be accompanied by the race track premiere of the 20th BMW Art Car. One of the two BMW M Hybrid V8s competing at Le Mans will enter the race with a very special design, created by the world-renowned New York artist Julie Mehretu, which impressively expresses the traditional combination of motorsport and art in the BMW Art Car Collection.

*On sale in South Africa from the first quarter of 2024.