Former BMW M boss Markus Flasch has all but confirmed that a thoroughbred exclusive BMW M product, much like the M1 of 1978, will return to the Bavarian brand. While he confirms this will happen, there is not much information surrounding this project.
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Flasch says “Well, there will definitely be an independent M model again.” when asked about his statements regarding this, three years ago when he stepped into the role. His thoughts then were that an independent M model does not necessarily have to be a sports car.
Flasch adds “Our brand core is still racing and high performance on the road. However, we also want to retain customers who are into expressive luxury. With the M8 and its derivatives, we have already succeeded in some cases, but there is a segment in which there is a lot going on and in which we are not yet represented. I cannot say more about that.”
Furthermore, Flasch confirms that the M3 CSL is well on its way and will be much more stripped out and sharper than what one would find from the current CS monikers. He confirms that for the new special model, we can expect a weight-savings figure in the three-digit range.
He further confirms that BMW M is not struggling with the pressure of adding downsized ICE units alongside electric batteries, like what we are seeing with Mercedes-AMG.
“I can’t go into detail about that. In any case, we have dealt intensively with the combustion process in order to be able to do without space and weight-consuming ancillary units. No matter how sharp EU7 gets, we know that our approach works. Incidentally, this also applies to our V8 engine.”
When asked about BMW M going all electric, Flasch states “It’s not about giving a categorical answer to such a question. We want and must remain capable of acting. Fully electric driving is the future for BMW M too. But when? That is currently not clear, also because the internal combustion engine will continue to play a major role in customer and top-class motorsport for a very long time. For this reason alone, an offer is needed in the series area. But I can promise: From the second half of the decade, we will have all types of drive on offer, i.e. combustion, high-performance hybrids and purely electric, which complement each other perfectly.”
