Until recently, BMW offered two distinct versions of each of its M cars: the standard M and the more powerful Competition model.
Lately, however, the brand has quietly begun discontinuing its Competition variants. But BMW has a very good reason for doing so.
In a recent interview with BMW Blog, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel confirmed that the Competition trim is almost gone from future M models. The reasoning is simple: customers overwhelmingly preferred the higher-performance version.
Van Meel stated, “More than 80 percent of our customers went straight for the Competition. So we said, let’s make that the standard. You can basically say every M model today is a Competition.”
According to Van Meel, this move will help simplify BMW’s M lineup moving forward. Buyers will soon have only three choices: the base M, CS, and CSL versions.
Standard M models will now include many of the features and performance upgrades that were previously exclusive to the Competition versions, while the CS and CSL trims will focus on lighter weight and improved track performance.
For now, BMW still offers the Competition option on select 2026 models, including the M3 and M4. Choosing the Competition package adds the standard xDrive all-wheel-drive system and increases output by 20 horsepower, bringing the M3 and M4 from 503 hp to 523 hp. The X5 M also retains its Competition variant for 2026, with 617 horsepower.
However, newer models such as the M2 and the upcoming M5 will no longer have a Competition version for 2026. This change is expected to extend across the entire M lineup in the near future.
