BMW M marks 100 years of the Nürburgring with nine limited-edition models

The legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife officially opened on June 18, 1927. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, BMW has created a collection of nine “100 Jahre Nürburgring” edition vehicles, comprising six cars and three motorcycles.

The cars are the M2, M3 Sedan, M3 Touring, M4 Coupé, M5 Sedan and M5 Touring, while the motorcycle line-up consists of the M 1000 RR, M 1000 R and M 1000 XR.

A common feature of all nine models is Nürburgring Green paint, a historical colour developed exclusively for the model line-up. They also feature a “100 Years” logo, “Nürburgring since 1927″ wording and graphics depicting the circuit’s icon Nordschleife (Northern Loop).

On the cars, the anniversary graphics are applied to areas including the front doors, C-pillars and rear side sections, depending on the model. Edition-specific stripes run across the roofs, with the M2, M3 Sedan, M4 Coupé and M5 Sedan featuring carbon-fibre roofs, while the M3 Touring and M5 Touring retain their steel roofs.

The exterior colour scheme combines Nürburgring Green with light grey and black, with green detailing used on selected wheels and kidney frames.

Inside, the cars feature black upholstery with contrasting green and white stitching. The inline six-cylinder models receive an M Alcantara steering wheel with matching stitching and a 12 o’clock marker, while the M5 models use an M steering wheel with the same design treatment.

Under the bonnet, the M2, M3 and M4 also feature BMW’s new M Ignite pre-chamber ignition technology. BMW says it improves efficiency under high loads, including on a racetrack, while reducing consumption and helping the engines meet Euro 7 requirements without compromising performance.

The current M2 with M xDrive produces 353kW and 600Nm from its 3.0l six-cylinder engine. The M3 Competition Sedan with M xDrive and M3 Competition Touring produce 390kW and 650Nm, as does the M4 Competition with M xDrive.

The M5 Sedan and M5 Touring use BMW’s M Hybrid plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a 4.4l twin-turbocharged V8 with an electric motor. The system produces a combined 535kW and 1,000Nm.

The anniversary editions add model-specific equipment to the standard M cars. The M2, for example, gets M carbon bucket seats alongside its carbon-fibre roof, while the M3 Sedan and M4 Coupé feature green detailing on their wheels and kidney frames. The M5 models use Styling 951 M wheels with green accents and feature black Nordschleife embroidery.

BMW South Africa says three examples of each car will be made available to the local market.

The motorcycle line-up consists of the M 1000 RR, M 1000 R and M 1000 XR. Each model is limited to 100 units worldwide, with one example of each allocated to South Africa.

Standard equipment for the special editions includes the M Track Package, Nürburgring Green paint, anniversary decals, carbon-fibre wheels, a black rear swingarm and rear frame, and a seat finished in an Alcantara-style material with “100″ embroidery.

The fuel tanks feature a Nürburgring Nordschleife graphic, while the airbox covers carry the anniversary design and an individual “one of 100” marking.