A friendly conversation with Frank van Meel, BMW M CEO

A blinding blueness and whiteness gives a sense of depth and freshness… I am talking about the bright sun in the clear skies shining its powerful rays down on the Nurburgring racetrack, where you can find over 150 powerful cars differentiated by stickers and their monikers aggressively fighting to finish the 24-hour race.

The sounds from the thunderous exhaust notes and fanatical cheers from supporters are far too loud to have a chat with BMW M CEO Frank van Meel (FvM), who is a father of six. We move on inside to BMW M's hospitality suite to find a nice and cosy table by the corner to find out some of the answers from Frank himself pertaining to the carmaker's present as well as future.

SGCM: It's been almost three years since you've been the CEO of BMW M. During this period, have you ever had any direct influence on the cars that have been produced in M's lineup?

FvM: I think the two issues where I was strongly involved in are the new BMW M5 with the xDrive system and the M4 GTS with its water-injection system. I could decide on the technological directions.

SGCM: What are your views on electrification?

FvM: I think at the end of the day, every car will be electric so it's going to happen to M as well. It's a matter of when. We are always looking out for better and lighter battery packs, so we are looking for the right time to introduce electrification in our products. For us, it's about the philosophy of M - about the agility, dynamics and precision. An M car has to drive like an M and has to be better than its predecessors and of course better than the competition. That's what we're striving for.

SGCM: If BMW M is going to be electrified, will you begin with the BMW i8 or the regular M cars?

FvM: We look at the cars and segments individually and from a technological standpoint. We make a new model based on the best technology available for that segment and that particular model. There's no masterplan for the different models.

SGCM: Are we reaching a point where power output in M cars has reached its limits?

FvM: I reckon in order to be fast, you need to have a balanced package performance, which also includes weight and traction. Power is not the only important factor but we need to have a balance of the right amount of power in a particular car itself. It's like the water-injection system in the M4 GTS, where we bring in weight from the water-injection but have more power and better fuel economy instead.

SGCM: It's the first time the unveiling of the BMW M8 prototype is done so soon after the unveiling of the BMW 8 Series Concept itself. Why is this so?

FvM: The 8 Series is an important product for us and we were involved right from the beginning. There was a key message of presenting this car. Plus, everyone will be asking if there will be an M version of the 8 Series Concept. Rather than denying this for two years or so, we just decided to show the prototype once and for all to make a statement that there will be one.

SGCM: Will we ever see a car like the BMW M1 again?

FvM: I'll be lying if I said no because we're always dreaming of making a super sports car. Business case-wise, it would be hard because a super sports car will not be relevant to many of our customers. But I'll never give up on this idea.

SGCM: With that many cars in the lineup now, what's your favourite car?

FvM: It'll be the BMW M4 CS. I am really thinking of buying a personal one for myself because it's a nice combination of practicality and functionality. You can ferry four people and still go to the racetrack with it.