What Does ///m Mean? - BMW Forum

BYOCOM · 04-13-2005, 07:19 PM

I used to think that was the logo for the top model cars that have the M in their name (M3, M5, M Roadster...). The first time I saw it on a 318 I just passed it off as the BMW version of kids putting "Type R" on their Honda Civic DX, but it's on way too many for that to be the case. It's even on my 320 near the door jamb and on the glove box.

What's the deal? Is it some sort of suspension package or something?

97alpineM3 · 04-13-2005, 07:23 PM

oh my.... ummm M means Motorsport. Its a division of BMW... racing division... builds track ready steet sold cars... do a search of google... many sites relay this information.

Les

Deloriant · 04-13-2005, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 97alpineM3@Apr 13 2005, 06:23 PM
oh my.... ummm M means Motorsport. Its a division of BMW... racing division... builds track ready steet sold cars... do a search of google... many sites relay this information.

Les

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It's true, you should listen to Alpine, he's put fake M badges all over his car.

TMac325is · 04-13-2005, 08:09 PM

*gasp*
ALPINE?! HOW COULD YOU?!!!

Cruzin 323is · 04-13-2005, 10:19 PM

i have no idea what your talking about ::cough cough::

tomctx · 04-14-2005, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BYOCOM@Apr 13 2005, 08:19 PM
I used to think that was the logo for the top model cars that have the M in their name (M3, M5, M Roadster...). The first time I saw it on a 318 I just passed it off as the BMW version of kids putting "Type R" on their Honda Civic DX, but it's on way too many for that to be the case. It's even on my 320 near the door jamb and on the glove box.

What's the deal? Is it some sort of suspension package or something?

[snapback]331832[/snapback]

Probably the "MTechnik" package. Not sure what it consists of, was an option on some cars.

Autotechnica · 04-14-2005, 12:28 AM

When I was in Germany, I was told by BMW owners that some E36's 318, 320, 323, 325 had ///M badges on them which indicated that they had the m-technik suspension package which isn't available on North American models. The last known existance of the m-tech suspension packages on non-M3 models in NA were on the E30's. They had the M steering wheels, seats, suspension, etc. SACHS developed the suspension, and it consisted of M-tech turbo Gas shocks (not the automatic ones). I know how hard these were to get, because I used to own a set on my old '92 318.

///M does mean motorsport. It was a devision started by BMW in the late 70's / early 80's. It was basically a racing devision which started with the racing cars M635CSL (batmobile CSL), Pro Car M1's and the M10 formula 1 cars. They later developed the road car M635CSI, E30 M3 and the M1. Those were the start of the ///M road car line ups.

Bry

LongHairedHippy · 04-14-2005, 12:43 AM

:minor correction: the batmobile CSL did basically start Motorsport, but it was a 3.0CSL rather than a 6er.

Furious · 04-14-2005, 07:47 AM

but the first M was the batmobile, the 3.0csl was the first race car but wasnt called M if i remember correctly

Autotechnica · 04-14-2005, 09:04 AM

The 3.0CSL wasn't the racing version I mentioned. It was a road car but not an "M" car. The first M car in production was still the M635CSI and the first race "M" car was the batmobile CSL. It was the first car ever to sport the famous multicoloured racing stripes. Later M1's and E30 M3's followed. CSL's are stripped down hardcore versions of normal road cars, but NOT "M" cars. You may have had that confused because of the recent E46 M3 CSL.

The 3.0CSL was a road car, the 3.0CSL Racer AKA batmobile CSL was a race car. The road car version didn't have those crazy buldgy fenders and air intake scoopes. The road car versions came in retardedly ugly colours like lime yellow and orange, ewww.

Either way, the first car ever to sport the M badge was the M635CSI and the first real "M" in my opinion is the M1.

Bry

97alpineM3 · 04-14-2005, 09:41 AM

OH god... not deloriant... good explaination guys...

Les

ILiveToRide · 04-14-2005, 09:44 AM

Just filling in, repeating some and clearing some.

The 3.0CSL (E3) came in 72 and was the first project by BMW Motorsport GmbH.

M1 came in 76 and was the first to have an M in the name, and it was a road car.
The E28 M5 and M635CSi both came in 85 with the M88 engine.

In the early 90s BMW Motorsport went over to just being BMW M-division

The E28 M535i is not a real "M" car and there are a few more examples.

The standalone ///M badge is used on various models, usually (as said) on cars with sport packages. But they really have nothing to do with the M division.

EDIT: The M-division is the mother of the M3, M5, M6. The E34 M5 was the last car to be handmade by the BMW Motorsport/M-division. The M models are not made in the normal production lines.

Autotechnica · 04-14-2005, 10:14 AM

Nice eurospec. Which number is it?

Errr, sorry, I just realized you're in Europe.

Here in N/A, we only have 45 European M3's. The rest of them are just modified 325 motors.

nukeduster · 04-14-2005, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ILiveToRide@Apr 14 2005, 06:44 AM
Just filling in, repeating some and clearing some.

The 3.0CSL (E3) came in 72 and was the first project by BMW Motorsport GmbH.

M1 came in 76 and was the first to have an M in the name, and it was a road car.
The E28 M5 and M635CSi both came in 85 with the M88 engine.

In the early 90s BMW Motorsport went over to just being BMW M-division

The E28 M535i is not a real "M" car and there are a few more examples.

The standalone ///M badge is used on various models, usually (as said) on cars with sport packages. But they really have nothing to do with the M division.

EDIT: The M-division is the mother of the M3, M5, M6. The E34 M5 was the last car to be handmade by the BMW Motorsport/M-division. The M models are not made in the normal production lines.

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Actually, in 1994 there was the 325is M-technik imported to the US. That was the last non-m model car imported to the US, not the e30.

Autotechnica · 04-14-2005, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nukeduster+Apr 14 2005, 09:15 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nukeduster @ Apr 14 2005, 09:15 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-ILiveToRide@Apr 14 2005, 06:44 AM
Just filling in, repeating some and clearing some.

The 3.0CSL (E3) came in 72 and was the first project by BMW Motorsport GmbH.

M1 came in 76 and was the first to have an M in the name, and it was a road car.
The E28 M5 and M635CSi both came in 85 with the M88 engine.

In the early 90s BMW Motorsport went over to just being BMW M-division

The E28 M535i is not a real "M" car and there are a few more examples.

The standalone ///M badge is used on various models, usually (as said) on cars with sport packages. But they really have nothing to do with the M division.

EDIT: The M-division is the mother of the M3, M5, M6. The E34 M5 was the last car to be handmade by the BMW Motorsport/M-division. The M models are not made in the normal production lines.

[snapback]332221[/snapback]

Actually, in 1994 there was the 325is M-technik imported to the US. That was the last non-m model car imported to the US, not the e30.

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[/b][/quote]

What was different about the car? And no, M3 bumpers don't make the car m-technik. There was a lot of confusion about that a while ago as people thought BMW selling their cars with the M3 package bumpers and sport suspension made the car m-technik. The M-technik suspension uses high quality SACHS gas shocks and lower springs which are not Sport suspension springs.

At any rate, I wasn't aware any M-tech cars were ever imported to the US. Got any specs on the thing?

Bry