BMW Is Quietly Killing M Competition Models
BMW’s M division will drop the “Competition” trim level because most buyers were already choosing the higher-output option.
Key Points
- BMW M CEO Frank van Meel confirmed the Competition trim is being phased out, as over 80 percent of customers were already choosing it over the base model.
- Future M cars will follow a three-tier lineup: standard M, CS, and CSL, simplifying the range and incorporating Competition-level performance as standard.
- Models like the M2 and upcoming M5 will no longer offer Competition variants for 2026, signaling a full transition across BMW’s M portfolio in the near future.
BMW's Competition badge was used to separate standard M cars from their more powerful, track-tuned counterparts. Speaking with BMW Blog, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel explained that the Competition trim had effectively become redundant.
“More than 80 percent of our customers went straight for the Competition,” the exec revealed. “So we said, let’s just make that the standard one. You could say that every M model today is a Competition.” Instead of offering base and Competition versions of each M car, the automaker will focus on three tiers: the standard M, the CS, and the CSL.
The base M models will now be offered with more kit, including many of the performance upgrades that once defined the Competition package—the CS and CSL trims will continue to offer more hardcore tuning, lightweight materials, and track-oriented engineering.
The change is already well on its way to implementation. For 2026, the M2 and M5 will arrive without a Competition version. However, some of the existing models—M3, M4, and X5 —will carry over their Competition options for at least one more model year.
The M3 and M4 Competition currently deliver 503 horsepower in rear-wheel-drive form and 523 hp with all-wheel-drive xDrive—the standard M3/M4 only offers 473 horsies. The X5 M Competition produces 617 hp from its twin-turbocharged V8, while the standard X5 M just makes 600 hp.
A BMW spokesperson confirmed the details, but the automaker isn’t issuing a formal statement.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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