BMW M started out as BMW Motorsport with a few dozen employees, including specialists and drivers. Before we knew it, BMW M is already 50 years old. To take part in the global celebration of the 50th anniversary of BMW Motorsport, the BMW Car Club of America Foundation will open “The Power of M” exhibit at The Ultimate Driving Museum in Greer, South Carolina on May, 16.

The Power Of M Showcases BMW Motorsport’s History

BMW 3.0 CSL No. 2211352 is first CSL entered in race
Via BMW Car Club of America Foundation / Klaus Schnitzer

The exhibit is a special showcase of BMW Motorsport’s history. The Power of M will include 25 cars and one motorcycle from BMW Motorsport. Among the displays will be the BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” No. 2211352. It’s the first car that BMW Motorsport had as a homologation special for racing in the European Touring Car Championship. The Dutch National Racing Team campaigned this 3.0 CSL with great success from 1972 to 1975.

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The Power of M will also display a road going M1, which was the first M-badged car that BMW Motorsport has built. The exhibit will also include an original 1979 M1 Procar, a rare Johnny Cecotto special edition of the road-going E30 M3, an ex-Steve Soper M3, an E36 M3 Lightweight, and an E36 M3 that Team PTG raced to victory in the American Le Mans Series.

The Power Of M Opens From May 16 To January 2023

 BMW E46 M3 CSL one of handful of CSL in US
Via BMW Car Club of America Foundation / Klaus Schnitzer

In addition, The Power of M will display five generations of M5s (from the E28 M5 to the F10), a pre-production 1 Series M Coupe, a rare Lime Rock Edition E92 M3, and a not-for-U.S. E90 M3 CRT. It will also display an ex-Team RLL Daytona 24-Hour-winning M8 GTE, a Motorsport-developed 2002 turbo, and a Euro-spec M635CSi. A BMW M 1000 RR Superbike will represent BMW’s race-winning sport motorcycles.

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To allow the visiting public to capture the story and history of these cars and BMW M, the exhibit will have informative displays providing the descriptions in words and photos. The Power of M will open its doors to the public from May 16 through January 2023. It’s the fifth exhibit that BMW CCA Foundation has organized since 2017.

A Special Gala Honoring Notable Individuals

Members of the BMW Junior Team in 1977
Via BMW Car Club of America Foundation

Prior to the exhibit’s official opening, organizers will hold a gala dubbed “An Evening with Jochen Neerpasch & Eddie Cheever” on May 13, at the BMW Zentrum in Greer, South Carolina. The gala will honor BMW Motorsport notables, including Jochen Neerpasch (managing director of BMW Motorsport GmbH from 1973 to 1979) and Eddie Cheever (a member of the original BMW Junior Team).

Source: BMW Car Club of America Foundation