The Top 10 Fastest BMWs Ever Made

---

For over a century, BMW has manufactured premium-quality, high-performance cars built to last. With the brand’s focus on driver engagement, BMWs balance performance, comfort, and driving dynamics when you’re behind the wheel. A BMW responds with agility and precision whether you’re driving on the highway, a winding mountain road, through city streets, or on a racing circuit. BMW offers all these benefits to drivers, but how do its cars perform in terms of pure speed? These are the fastest BMWs ever made.

10. 2024 BMW M3 CS — 188mph

The 2024 BMW M3 CS is mighty, offering immense grip and power. Its all-wheel drive system pulls you out of slow corners and allows you to accelerate quickly on straights. The car truly responds, with its silky eight-speed automatic gearbox aiding you in reaching a maximum speed of 188 mph. Reaching 60 mph from a standing start in just 3.2 seconds, the M3 CS’s 543-horsepower S58 front engine offers you power and speed in practically any driving situation — a reason BMW rates highly among luxury car brands worldwide. 

9. 2018 BMW M5 Competition — 189mph

For road driving, the 2018 BMW M5 Competition needs space. It’s not lightweight, with a curb weight of almost 4,000 pounds, so tight bends aren’t really its forte. Having said that, the M5 Competition sings from a standing start, surging its way through the eight-speed auto gearbox to reach 60 mph in just over three seconds, redlining at an impressive 7,200 rpm. While its V8 engine might not be as thunderous as an AMG, it makes for an engaging and superfast track drive.

8. 2015 BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition — 189 mph

This limited edition production run celebrated the 30th anniversary of the model’s manufacture. For such an occasion, the Bavarian giant offered several upgrade performance package options, including a competition suspension and a boost to 600 horsepower in its 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine. You’ll take longer than some to get going in the M5 30 Jahre — it reaches 60 mph in around four seconds. However, when you’re up to speed, the competition suspension assists in excellent performance on the track. Be warned — it will be costly to secure one.  

7. 2023 BMW M8 Competition — 189 mph

The 2023 BMW M8 Competition coupé is a sexy, luxurious and comfortable upgrade from the M5, with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine producing an impressive 617 horsepower. Yes, its acceleration is almost otherworldly to experience as you hit 60 mph in only 2.5 seconds. When you’re on the track, the M8 Competition handles cornering surprisingly well for its weight and size, but its chassis is stiff, so your ride may be harsher on rougher roads. The M8 Competition is fast, though — very fast.

6. 2010 BMW M3 GTS — 190 mph 

If you want a car that’ll beat your rivals at any cost, the 2010 BMW M3 GTS may be your go-to. It’s lightweight, weighing only 3,370 pounds, and you certainly won’t lose focus with internal clutter when competition is near. The M3 GTS reaches 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, so you may have to catch up initially, but its straight-line speed compares favorably. It is a staple in BMW performance cars, with the naturally-aspirated 444-horsepower V8 engine powering the rear-wheel drive through a seven-speed DCT.

5. 2015 BMW M6 Competition — 190 mph

If you correctly maintain your 2015 BMW M6 Competition model, you’ll enjoy one of the German company’s most reliable M-cars. Other brands are often underrated more than BMWs when it comes to performance. You’ll relish the seven-speed automatic dual clutch to complement the 600-horsepower twin-turbo V8 in this one, assisting you to 60 mph from standing in 3.8 seconds. With the M6 Competition’s comfortable and luxurious interior, reaching top speed on the straight will be everything you could wish for. 

4. 2016 BMW M4 GTS — 190 mph

The two-door RWD four-seater 2016 M4 GTS offers water injection technology that lowers twin-turbo’s temperatures by as much as 70 degrees. As a result, you’ll benefit from its 495 horsepower to help you reach 60 mph in under four seconds. Described as a future classic, the M4 GTS is at home on the track. A stiffened and lowered suspension makes it perform like an actual race car — so much so that you might consider adding racing stripes for effect.

3. 2016 BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition — 190 mph

Marco Wittman won the 2016 DTM championship in the BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition. This rare M4 took the well-tested M4 GTS’s twin-turbo straight-six cylinders and combined them with an increased 500 horsepower. While this increase is minimal, you’ll notice the subtle difference in the M4 DTM Champion’s power. Although there’s no difference in acceleration and top speed from the M4 GTS, this limited edition model enjoys superior racing tech for suspension and drive.

2. 2021 BMW M5 CS  — 190mph 

In 2021, BMW applied its M3 Competition Sport standard to the M5 model for the first time in the 2021 BMW M5 CS, making it the most powerful M5 ever produced. With a revised 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine capable of a massive 626 horsepower, the 4WD car benefited from more carbon fiber, and shocks from the M8 Gran Coupe. The M5 CS 4-door saloon was the first BMW to reach 60 mph from standing in under three seconds. So what is the fastest BMW of all time?

1. 2022 BMW M4 CSL — 191 mph 

Reaching a top speed of 191 mph, the 2022 BMW M4 CSL has the honor of being BMW’s fastest car in history. This two-seater two-door RWD coupé is also close to being one of the most powerful straight-six-engined cars per liter ever made. You’ll find the M4 CSL track-friendly with a CFRP body and a three-liter, twin-turbo capable of 500 horsepower. Reaching 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds, the lightweight M4 CSL will help you reach speeds like never before in a BMW when you take the wheel. 

BMW Offers You Performance, Reliability — and Speed

For over 100 years, the BMW brand has been synonymous with high-performance, upmarket, and reliable cars. Speed was a word seldom used in context with the Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH company — its target market primarily excluded speed merchants. However, with several BMW models in the new millennium reaching top speeds of 185 mph and above, you should not discount the brand’s ability to satisfy your needs in this department either.