When the first BMW M3 arrived on these shores, it was a direct offspring of the Motorsport division’s effort to win races on the FIA touring car circuit—bulging, razor-edged bodywork constrained a high-revving engine and dialed-in chassis. The street version was the epitome of the company’s “Ultimate Driving Machine” mantra, even though it only sported a 193-horsepower four-cylinder engine and 205-series tires. How times have changed—that’s all I can think as I buckle in behind the wheel of the latest M-tuned derivative from BMW, the 550-horsepower, twin-turbo V8-powered, all-wheel-drive 2010 X5M.
Today’s M vehicles are a less direct byproduct of racing, but are still very much inspired by the company’s motorsports efforts. As explained by Dr. Kay Segler, president of M GmbH, the current M philosophy is built on four cornerstones — agility, response, feedback and innovation. Modern M vehicles are also burdened with the task of being highly profitable for the parent, as well as casting their glow upon the company’s more pedestrian models in order to remind even the commonest of commoners that every BMW is still the Ultimate Driving Machine...FULL STORY AND GALLERY
