94,687 – that’s how many cars BMW M sold between January and June this year. It represents a healthy increase of 16.6% compared to the first half of 2022. Sadly, the German premium brand doesn’t provide a sales breakdown per model, but we do know from Frank van Meel the i4 M50 once again won the popularity contest after being the best-selling car from BMW M in 2022. In an interview with Bimmer Today, the M CEO said the M Performance version of the electric 4 Series Gran Coupe was the best-selling product in the first six months of this year.
Yes, BMW M GmbH bundles sales of full-fat M models with those of M Lite cars. Actually, it’s been doing that for quite some time. Separately, the mayor of M Town told BMWBLOG that approximately two-thirds of the M division’s sales are represented by M Performance cars, with the remaining third being the real-deal M models.
With the launch of the i7 M70, i5 M60, and the recently unveiled X1 M35i, the second half of the year should be quite strong for BMW M. We’re also expecting to see the next-generation X2 M35i and M135i in 2024 when the hotly anticipated M5 will be joined by the already confirmed M5 Touring. Add into the mix special editions such as an M4 CS and others, and 2024 should be another great year for the “world’s most powerful letter.”
As to when we’ll see the first fully fledged electric M car, Frank van Meel hinted it’ll arrive in the second half of the decade on the Neue Klasse platform. Meanwhile, the M division is testing a quad-motor prototype with well over 1,000 horsepower. Why hasn’t BMW launched a true M car with an electric setup yet? According to the M boss, it’s because going fast a few times isn’t enough to earn the badge. In other words, a fully-fledged M EV must deliver the promised performance consistently, just like an M ICE model.
Source: Bimmer Today
