The Goodwood Festival of Speed will be celebrating 50 years of M cars.
Goodwood recently announced that BMW’s Motorsport division would be the Central Feature at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The famous sculpture will pay tribute to five decades of BMW Motorsport and will showcase some of the most iconic vehicles it made along the way.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed first introduced the Central Feature in 1997. Each year it celebrates a new manufacturer and its achievements. Porsche was the Central Feature in 2018, which coincided with the brand’s 70th anniversary. Last year, Lotus was the Central Feature, and it featured both the Emira and Evija.
So, what can we expect from BMW M?
Joseph Harding
Joseph Harding
Joseph Harding
Joseph Harding
Attendees can look forward to BMW M’s most iconic cars on display and being thrashed up the Hill by various famous drivers.
These iconic cars have yet to be announced, but the M1 will definitely be there as it kick-started the whole division. Other famous icons will include the Clown Shoe, E30 M3, E46 M3, E34 M5, E39 M5, the V10 M5, 1M, and probably an X5M. The XM will likely also be there to ensure the new-age big grille modern models are represented.
BMW was first honored at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed when the brand celebrated its centenary. This year is different, as the focus is entirely on the skunkworks department that turned into a giant marketing tool.
BMW Motorsport started in 1972, and it employed just 35 people. The cars it built soon became racing stars, and it didn’t take long before the engineers started implementing everything they learned on the track in the road cars.
Joseph Harding
Joseph Harding
“As BMW M, we feel honored to play a very special role at this year’s Festival of Speed. For our 50th anniversary, we couldn’t imagine a better place to celebrate our products with fans of the brand. I am particularly looking forward to unveiling a certain vehicle to the world’s public for the first time – a vehicle we have been waiting a long time for,” said Frank van Meel, CEO of BMW M.
“We are delighted to be celebrating 50 years of BMW’s hugely successful Motorsport division at this year’s Festival of Speed, and it is especially fitting as we prepare to honor ‘The Innovators – Masterminds of Motorsport’. BMW M’s success can of course be attributed to half a century of innovation and we look forward to honoring the marque’s past, present and future achievements at Goodwood in June,” said the Duke of Richmond.
The 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place from 23 to 26 June and tickets are on sale now.
Joseph Harding
Joseph Harding
BMW
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