The recent headlines (like this and this) have excited about enthusiasts, which indicates that a BMW M -Super sports car is officially in the works. The spark for this speculation took place after an interview with Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President of BMW M customer, brand and sales, which gave an insight into the future plans of the department. However, allow us to clarify the record: While BMW M has big plans, a super sports car is not one of them – at least not yet.
Here is what Neubauer actually said: “[BMW’s] Strategy is to have a number of additions to the small series that we offer the markets. This year there will be something in Villa d’Este, and probably some future small series editions with the name “M”. She continued and emphasized: “Halo models have this positive spillover effect on the brand and the product portfolio. They make a certain customer group very, very satisfied with these dream cars. Even those who cannot afford the car admire the brand. This will also be part of our future road map.”
When Neubauer asked about the idea of a dream car, she added: “This question that you asked you to a dream car? You can trust ourselves, we are working internally to enable this one day. We dream of dream cars and is BMW M a very entrepreneurial company where you can really happen? Yes, let’s wait for the right time.”
However, some publications jumped out of the weapon and hurried to “confirm” that a BMW M super sports car was imminent. But according to our sources – and in the spirit of clarity, especially if BMW itself can publicly correct any rumor – the reality is different.
The hypercar that almost happened (but not)
First, there is currently no BMW Supercar from BMW AG or the M division. It is true that BMW has examined the idea of a hypercars that produces around 1,300 hp, this is not the BMW I16 project that everyone has written about. We were informed that the Hypercar project was 99% ready from a business perspective. Since the market conditions shift -especially in the EV hypercar segment, in which vehicles are not easy to sell over a million euros, the board finally decided to pull the connector.
Second, within BMW M itself is not an active Supercar project, at least based on our reliable sources. The enthusiasm for such a Halo car certainly exists among the engineers and the leadership, but none of the previously proposed business cases has made enough sense to do a project too greenish.
What’s next for BMW M? Think of special models, no super sports cars
The Neubauer was most likely the inner desire for a dream car in BMW M, a passion that has appeared repeatedly over the years. But more realistic, it referred to future M models in a limited task, such as the usual CS and CSL installation and/or beyond. Thanks to the flexibility of the Clar platform, which supports vehicles with the size of M2 to M3/M4 and even up to the M5 and M8 – BMW M could generate exclusive variants with familiar basics.
If at all, we expect the next steps to include smaller, highly exclusive editions of their most popular performance cars such as M2, M3 or M4. But to explain that a full-grown BMW M super sports car takes place? This is a big leap – and not one who is supported by current facts.
As always, we monitor the developments in the BMW M. for the moment every speech by a new BMW M -Supercars. [Top Photo provided by Steve Saxty “BMW by Design” books and BMW]
