Article Summary
- The M side of BMW fell by 6% in the first half of the year, delivering 99,595 M Performance and M cars.
- M CEO Frank van Meel explains the sales dip was caused by the discontinuation of several products; M850i, M8, X3 M, and X4 M.
- BMW had to stop production of the M2, M3, and M4 for three months to upgrade the S58 engine to pass the Euro 7 emissions standard.
2025 was the 14th consecutive record year for BMW M, but it looks as though the winning streak is coming to an end. Through the first six months of 2026, deliveries are down 6% to 99,595 M Performance and M cars. As for what’s driving the sales decline, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel believes several factors are at play, creating a perfect storm behind the year-over-year drop.
In an interview with our German colleagues at Bimmer Today, Frank van Meel said BMW has streamlined its portfolio. Models like the M850i, M8, X3 M, and X4 M are all now resting in car heaven, but there’s another reason sales are slipping this year. Aside from axing four M-branded vehicles, BMW had to pause production of the M2, M3, and M4 for three months to update the S58 engine for the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standard.
In Europe and other markets that follow the Euro 7 regulations, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine adopts new pre-chamber technology that cuts emissions by allowing the inline-six to run cleaner. Frank van Meel said there’s another positive side effect beyond lower fuel consumption. The updated M2, M3, and M4 now produce a more aggressive engine note thanks to the revised S58. While the cars aren’t louder than before, the “sound quality has become more robust again.” We can therefore deduce that BMW has narrowed the gap between how these M cars sound in Europe and in the United States, where emissions regulations are less stringent.
Why BMW Approved The M2 xDrive For Production
It’s too soon to say whether the M2 xDrive will turn things around in the second half of the year. Its market launch won’t take place until the end of summer, so the full impact of its arrival likely won’t be felt until 2027. During the same interview, Frank van Meel explained that the all-paw G87 is happening because customers across the Snowbelt in the United States have been asking for it. Likewise, buyers in European countries with harsh winters, such as Switzerland, convinced BMW to build an all-wheel-drive M2.
It’s worth noting that while the M2 was the best-selling full M car last year, the X3 M50 topped BMW M’s overall sales charts, ending the i4 M50’s three-year streak. Unsurprisingly, the M Performance X3 still leads in the first half of the year, while the i4 M60’s popularity is gradually tapering off as the model ages, according to the M boss. However, Frank van Meel notes that demand for BMW M’s original electric model remains “extremely strong.”
Speaking of M Performance models, the Mayor of M Town confirmed that the next-generation 3 Series Sedan (G50) will receive the M Lite treatment. Even if it debuts this year alongside the regular versions, it won’t go on sale globally until next year, so it won’t move the needle for BMW M’s 2026 results. And don’t hold your breath for another M340d, as BMW is moving away from sporty diesel-powered cars.
Source: Bimmer Today
