BMW M will not chase four-figure horsepower figures or build special vehicles purely to set Nurburgring lap records, the performance brand's CEO told Sina Auto in an exclusive interview during the 2026 BMW M Festival in Shanghai.
Franciscus van Meel said that while many automakers now use 1,000hp (about 745kW) as a marketing talking point for electric performance cars, BMW M sees horsepower as a paper figure. What matters, he said, is whether a car's performance is repeatable, controllable and precise on track, and whether it can still serve as a daily driver afterwards.
Four motors, not just power
Van Meel revealed that future pure-electric M models will use four independently controlled electric motors, with combined output that could exceed 1,000hp. But he stressed the four motors will not all need to deliver maximum output at the same moment. He compared the approach to martial arts: a skilled fighter has strength in every limb but does not throw all punches and kicks simultaneously. The reserve capacity of each motor, he said, serves finer torque distribution between the four wheels rather than simply adding up to a headline number.
The CEO acknowledged that weight is an unavoidable physical challenge for electric performance cars, with battery packs pushing many models past two tonnes. BMW M's approach combines low battery placement to lower the centre of gravity, lightweight construction, and central control of the four motors to improve vehicle dynamics. But van Meel said the connection between driver and machine matters more than weight control. 'If there is no connection between human and car, if the feedback is vague and you cannot become one with the vehicle, then driving loses its fun,' he said.
No record-chasing cars
Van Meel drew a clear line between BMW M's use of the Nurburgring and that of some rivals. He noted BMW M was the first automaker to establish a research and development test centre at the German track. For M, he said, lap times are an internal reference to judge whether a new model beats its predecessor, not a marketing target. BMW M will not modify suspension, aerodynamics or powertrain tuning purely to set a lap record, and will not use heavily modified prototype vehicles that customers cannot buy.
'We do not chase nice lap numbers,' van Meel said. 'Lap times are only an internal reference, not a goal we strive to push to the limit.' He also welcomed the growing interest of Chinese automakers in track performance and driving fun, saying it reflects the progress of China's auto industry. 'I am very happy to see this phenomenon, and I return my respect to Chinese car companies,' he said.
Van Meel said BMW M plans to expand its driving experience programmes in China, including ice and snow track control courses, drift training and circuit training. He cited the Shanghai 8 Hours endurance race, held about two and a half weeks before the M Festival, where the Chinese KRC team won the GT3 class in a BMW M4 GT3. He described this as a sign of China's growing racing culture.
Van Meel said pure-electric M models will be a completely different category from mainstream electric cars. 'There is no such product on the market yet,' he said. 'For us, this is a brand-new narrative, a new level, and it opens a new era. We can look forward to its market performance next year.'
