BMW will bring an extremely limited collection of Nürburgring-inspired M cars and motorcycles to South Africa in 2027 as the German manufacturer celebrates 100 years of one of the world’s most famous racetracks.
The Nürburgring officially opened on June 18, 1927, and BMW M and BMW Motorrad will mark its centenary with nine “100 Jahre Nürburgring” models comprising six cars and three motorcycles. South African allocations will be particularly scarce. BMW says just three examples each of the M2, M3 Sedan, M3 Touring, M4 Coupé, M5 Sedan and M5 Touring will be offered locally.
BMW Motorrad will meanwhile allocate South Africa one example each of the M 1000 RR, M 1000 R and M 1000 XR. Each motorcycle is limited to 100 examples globally.
Local pricing and arrival dates have not yet been announced. All nine models are finished in historical Nürburgring Green, developed specifically for the anniversary range, while additional design elements incorporate the circuit’s silhouette, “100 Years” logo and “Nürburgring since 1927” lettering.
The cars receive model-specific graphics and anniversary stripes across their roofs, with selected models also featuring green detailing on their wheels and kidney grilles. Inside, black upholstery is contrasted by green and white stitching. The six-cylinder M2, M3 and M4 derivatives receive Alcantara steering wheels with matching stitching and a 12 o’clock marker.
Those three model ranges also feature BMW’s M Ignite pre-chamber ignition technology. BMW says the system improves efficiency during sustained high-load operation, including track driving, while helping the engines meet Euro 7 emissions requirements without reducing performance.
The M5 Sedan and Touring retain their M Hybrid powertrains. The three motorcycles receive carbon wheels with Nürburgring Green accents, anniversary graphics, black chassis components and Alcantara-look seats embroidered with “100”. Their fuel tanks also carry a silhouette of the Nürburgring.
The anniversary is particularly significant for BMW because of its long association with the German circuit. BMW Motorrad traces its Nürburgring competition history back to 1927, while the circuit’s demanding Nordschleife continues to serve as a development and testing venue for BMW’s high-performance road vehicles.
Stretching 20.8km and incorporating 73 corners, elevation changes and varying surfaces, the Nordschleife has earned the nickname “Green Hell” and remains an important testing ground for vehicle manufacturers. BMW uses the circuit to develop and evaluate areas including chassis behaviour, powertrains, aerodynamics, braking and thermal management.
The centenary editions consequently serve both as collector-focused models and a reminder of the relationship between motorsport development and BMW’s road-going M products.
For South African enthusiasts, however, the biggest challenge could simply be securing one.
- BMW will release nine “100 Jahre Nürburgring” models in 2027, including six cars and three motorcycles, to celebrate 100 years of the Nürburgring racetrack.
- South Africa will receive very limited allocations: three units each of the M2, M3 Sedan, M3 Touring, M4 Coupé, M5 Sedan, and M5 Touring, and one unit each of the M 1000 RR, M 1000 R, and M 1000 XR motorcycles.
- All models feature historical Nürburgring Green paint, Nürburgring circuit silhouettes, “100 Years” logos, and specific anniversary design elements including green detailing and special stitching inside.
- The M2, M3, and M4 models use BMW’s M Ignite pre-chamber ignition technology to improve efficiency under high load and meet Euro 7 emissions without performance loss, while M5 models retain M Hybrid powertrains.
- BMW Motorrad motorcycles come with carbon wheels, Nürburgring Green accents, anniversary graphics, Alcantara-look seats embroidered with “100”, and fuel tanks adorned with the Nürburgring silhouette.
