The blue, purple and red stripes of BMW’s M division are less of a rare sight than they used to be but on the company’s full-bore ‘M’ models, still represent something special.
Video: How BMW got its stripes
In existence for nearly half a century now, what was originally conceived as a motorsport department soon began to dabble in road cars and has perhaps, more than any other factor, created the ‘ultimate driving machine’ mythos for its parent company.
More than that in fact, it is really thanks to the creativity and engineering-led approach of the M division that today we have Audi’s RS models, the Mercedes AMG line-up and the Jaguar R cars. Even if you aren’t a fan of the Bavarian products, chances are one of them has directly inspired a car you either own or lust after. In this short film we look at the birth of the muscular brand.

Exclusive GRRC Videos
Join the GRRC Fellowship to access year-round exclusive videos, live streaming from events and more. Join now