BMW’s M Division has busy times ahead with a staggering 30 new models planned over the next two and a half years. The swathe of upcoming vehicles is set to include new ICE, Hybrid, and BEV models, so no one is really missing out.
This is good news for gasoline enthusiasts, who may be worried about how aggressively BMW has targeted electrification in recent years. This includes a commitment to make 50% of its output fully electric by 2030, and the entire upcoming “Neue Klasse” of vehicles being EVs. We’ve also seen the M5 go hybrid and cause controversy in the process. The first fully electric M car, the iM3, is also on the horizon, with a 2027 launch planned.
But if you’re worried about the internal combustion engine going the way of the dinosaurs that fueled it, M-Division CEO Frank van Meel’s recent comments to the Australian press should soothe those fears. Carsales.com.au reports van Meel as saying: “[BMW has] a long tradition in six-cylinder inline engines, which makes them more or less iconic for us, and also with the V8 engines. We are planning to continue this because we have a big community worldwide, and also a lot of people who are maybe not ready yet or live in environments where it’s really difficult to charge electric cars.
“As long as there is demand from the markets, which currently there is a lot, we will keep it up.”
This is particularly appealing news in the United States, which certainly still sees demand for gas-powered performance cars. The current administration also seems particularly ICE-friendly, recently ditching swathes of EPA regulations and causing controversy in the process. BMW’s Spartanburg South Carolina-based plant could also be a way around the worst of the tariffs that have hit rival manufacturers like Mercedes hard recently.
However, the news isn’t as good for fans of the manual transmission. Technological limitations may lead to the death of the stick shift if what van Meel is saying proves true. The M-Division boss says: “From an engineering standpoint, the manual doesn’t really make sense because it limits you in torque and also in fuel consumption.
“But from an emotional standpoint and customer standpoint, a lot of people still love manuals, so that’s why we kept them, and we intend to keep them as long as possible. It’s going to be quite difficult in the future to develop completely new gearboxes because the segment in the market is quite small, and the suppliers are not so keen on doing something like that.”
Around half of BMW M2s are currently sold with a stick shift, but the Bavarian manufacturer has been steadily killing off the manual option for a while. Customers lost the option of ordering a manual M5 almost a decade ago. Even the Mini Cooper, which always paired well with a manual shifter, ditched the option with its latest generation.
A G-Wagen rival could be next from BMW M
While the M-Division has dabbled in SUVs before, with each member of BMW’s X-line getting its own package, and both the XM and iXM being their own respective things, the company’s performance branch has yet to produce a true off-roader.
This could change in the near future as the German company eyes up a rival to the popular Mercedes G-Wagen. While it would be a departure from its previous output, the M-Division expanding into performance off-road vehicles isn’t too far-fetched. This type of vehicle has existed for years, with the category including the aforementioned Mercedes G-Wagen and the L663 Land Rover Defender. Other high-performance off-road vehicle manufacturers need not worry; the odds of BMW producing a rock crawler that will rival something like a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon are slim. Though it would be very interesting to see Blimmer pop out a rival to the Ford F-150 Raptor R.
For context, I see the F-150 Raptor R as the most exciting off-roader on the market right now. It’s perfectly stable doing over 100 miles per hour on a loose surface. Last time I was in one, my nerves went before the vehicle even hinted it was going to struggle. It’s probably the closest thing to a trophy truck currently available off the line.
That style of performance also seems to be right up BMW’s alley. High-speed and exquisite stability. The thought of the Germans flipping Baja racing on its head is an interesting one, and it may be wishful thinking on my part. But stranger things have happened. And van Meel did specifically reference an iconic off-road race telling CarExpert.com.au: “I could imagine M on off-road products, because if you come from racing there’s not only the WEC [World Endurance Championship] and IMSA [International Motor Sports Association] [sports car categories], but the Paris-Dakar [off-road rally].”
If we’re allowing our imagination to run wild, an “M2 Dakar” could also be a wacky possibility. Whatever happens, it’s certainly going to be an interesting few years in Munich.
