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BMW Builds One-Millionth M Car, an M3 in Fire Orange III
BMW has produced its one-millionth M vehicle, an M3 in Fire Orange III, at its historic Munich plant, marking a milestone more than five decades after BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded and 40 years after the original E30 M3 went on sale.
By Edward Beaumont · 3 min read
BMW has built its one-millionth M car, an M3 finished in Fire Orange III from the Individual catalogue, at its historic Munich plant. The milestone vehicle, a G80-generation model, was handed over during an official ceremony at the factory by Peter Weber, head of the Munich plant, to Frank van Meel, the mayor of M Town.
The achievement comes more than five decades after BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded and 40 years after the original E30 M3 went on sale. Production of the current G80 M3 began at BMW's oldest factory in 2020, but the plant's relationship with the model is set to change. BMW is converting Munich into an electric-only factory, and the electric M3, known internally as ZA0 and teased earlier today, will be built there from 2027.
That shift means the one-millionth M car represents something of a farewell to combustion-powered M3 production in Munich. The next-generation 3 Series with a combustion engine will be built at Plant Dingolfing, where production of the G50's petrol variants, including the M350 xDrive, is scheduled to begin next month. Dingolfing is therefore the obvious candidate for the next petrol-powered M3, although BMW has not officially confirmed where the combustion-engined successor will be assembled. The upcoming inline-six-powered G84 would make sense following its lesser siblings to Dingolfing.
The G80's story is not over yet, with production expected to continue until later in 2027. Its more practical long-roof sibling, the G81, will stick around for a while longer. The next electric M3 will keep the name alive at the historic Munich plant, while the petrol version is likely to continue production elsewhere in Bavaria.
The petrol-powered M3 is rumoured to take a more restrictive approach to its drivetrain. According to reports, the G84 could be xDrive- and automatic-only, meaning BMW may finally retire the rear-wheel-drive manual combination that has long been a hallmark of the M3. BMW has not confirmed those details, but current reports point to an evolution of the twin-turbo 3.0-litre S58 engine with mild-hybrid assistance, paired with an automatic transmission.
The one-millionth milestone refers strictly to actual M cars. Last year, the best-selling true M car was not the M3 but the M2. When M Performance cars are included, the X3 M50 was the absolute leader, ending the three-year streak set by the i4 M50 and M60. Counting both sides of the M range, 2025 was the best year ever, with combined deliveries of M Performance and M cars climbing by 3.3 per cent to 213,457 units, breaking the sales record for the 14th consecutive year.
2026 might not be another record year, as demand for M and M Performance cars through June fell by 6 per cent. However, the M2, M3 and M4 were on hiatus in Europe to make their engines Euro 7 compliant by adopting new M Ignite pre-chamber ignition technology. Sales are ideally now rebounding as the cars head back to customers.
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