BMW M sales grew in 2024 for the 13th consecutive year and continued to rise in the first quarter of 2025. A major factor behind this success is the increasing popularity of M Performance vehicles, which are grouped together with full-fat M models in official sales reports. But the strategy goes beyond simply pumping out M Lite cars. Special editions also play a crucial role in the rise of what BMW proudly calls “the world’s most powerful letter.”
During our conversation with BMW M’s Head of Customer, Brand, and Sales at Auto Shanghai 2025, we learned that more limited-run models are coming. Sylvia Neubauer confirmed that additional special editions are in the pipeline following the M4 Nürburgring Edition, a China-exclusive version of the G82 Competition xDrive. When asked by BMWBLOG what the future holds for these limited Ms, she shared:
“We do it all the time [special editions], and honestly speaking, it’s really important for the brand to do small series editions for certain markets. We’re doing a lot with the Middle East region. We’re doing a lot with Korea and Japan, and Australia. A big special batch for Turkey as well. So yes, we’re constantly working on smaller batches for various markets in the world.”
While special-edition M cars are typically produced in small numbers, they add up over time. In markets like South Korea, mentioned explicitly by Sylvia, BMW releases limited-run vehicles every month. These can be ordered online and aren’t exclusive to M models, covering a wide swath of the brand’s lineup.
Sylvia also noted that the M2, M3, and M4 are the best-selling M products in China. That helps explain why the Nürburgring Edition is based on the G82 coupe rather than one of BMW’s many M-badged SUVs, despite the latter’s global popularity. The high-performance special is limited to just 53 units, one for each year since the founding of the M division.
