BMW M3 Competition Roars In as the Millionth M Car Ever Made

One million. On 2 October, a G80 BMW M3 Competition rolled off the line in Munich and became the millionth car ever built by BMW M. The milestone lands 54 years after the performance division was born. It also coincides with the M3’s 40th birthday, which makes the timing perfect. Few cars could have worn the crown better.

This was no ordinary M3. BMW Individual dressed it in a one-off Fire Orange III finish that blazes like a glowing brake disc. The ceremony carried extra weight, because Munich switches to building electric cars only from 2027. In many ways, the day doubled as a final victory lap for combustion power at the historic plant.

Plant director Peter Weber handed the keys to M boss Franciscus van Meel. He pointed out that the very first M3 was built in Munich more than 40 years ago, and that the team feels huge pride in the model. Weber also credited the workforce, saying their expertise, commitment and passion made the milestone possible. People, not just horsepower, built this legacy.

The numbers behind the million make fascinating reading. M3s and M4s account for more than half of every M car ever built. The single most successful model remains the F87 M2, produced from 2016 to 2021, with just over 62,000 units. The current G80 M3 is closing in fast and could overtake it at any moment. North America, meanwhile, buys more M cars than the entire left-hand-drive rest of the world combined.

Now the spotlight swings to electricity. BMW has already teased a Neue Klasse electric M3, which is expected to break cover in 2027. Combustion is not being abandoned, though, because a petrol-powered M3 should join its electric sibling in 2028. The first million took 54 years. The next one starts with a plug in one hand and a throttle pedal in the other.