15 Fastest BMW Sports Cars, Ranked

Updated June 25, 2023: Since this list of fastest BMW sports cars was published, a few 2023 models have outshone some of the older models. Instead of writing another list, we have decided to refresh and update this one by adding a few more cars.

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15 2022 BMW Z4 M40i

Top Speed: 155 MPH

Front and partial side view of a BMW Z4 M40i

The BMW Z4 is in its third generation since 2018, and although it doesn’t have a full-on M-version, it’s not without teeth. It is well-known that the Toyota GR Supra shares a chassis and drivetrain with the G29 Z4. In the Bavarian roadster, the B58, 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six is rated at 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet.

Performance

BMW has been known to underrate its vehicles, and the engine comes out of the factory with a conservative remap, so there’s plenty more performance to be unlocked. If you prefer to be a little more conservative, you can opt for the base model Z4 which offers a smaller, more efficient turbocharged four-cylinder. Either way, the engine is paired to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic tuned for sports car driving.

14 2017 BMW i8

Top Speed: 155 MPH

Static shot of the 2017 BMW i8 Coupe with sunset in the background

In 2013, BMW gave us its first modern-day, mid-engine sports car – the i8. Unlike most of its competitors who focused on big power and raw performance, BMW took a more environmentally-friendly approach by giving the M1-resembling coupe (and later, roadster) a Plug-in hybrid powertrain. It includes a 1.5-liter, turbo-three-cylinder paired with an electric motor that powers the front axle.

Performance

This gives the car all-wheel-drive capabilities and up to 374 horsepower in later versions. Peak torque is rated at 420 pound-feet. The i8 came with two transmissions – a six-speed automatic sending power to the rear and a two-speed automatic for the electric motor at the front. As with most Bavarian performance models, the speed limiter is set at 155 MPH.

13 2021 BMW M240i

Top Speed: 155 MPH

With the modern M3 generations gradually becoming larger, heavier, and more complex, the BMW 1M was deemed the spiritual successor to the E30 M3. Eventually, this led to the BMW M240i, which is currently the entry-level M-lite coupe that BMW will sell you. The G42 generation still retains a compact package, rear-wheel-drive layout, and a torquey inline-six.

Performance

All the trim levels come with a rear-wheel drive system standard, but if you opt for the iDrive addition, you can upgrade to an all-wheel drive layout. This eliminates the rear tire spin when launching (with a little practice), increasing your straight-line and road race track times. Plus, the BMW M240i can get a combined fuel economy rating of 24 miles per gallon, which is pretty good for a sports car.

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12 2023 BMW M2

Top Speed: 177 MPH

A front 3/4 actions shot of a 2023 BMW M2 

The G87 M2 is the first rear-wheel-drive BMW to drop into the three-second range. The entry-level M-coupe comes only as a rear-wheel-drive proposition but still manages to reach 60 MPH in under 4 seconds. For this, you must opt for the ZF eight-speed automatic, which is 0.2 seconds quicker than the manual M2.

Performance

The S58, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo inline-six, is a derivative of the B58 that can pump out almost 460 horses, with the upcoming model projected to produce even more power. With bulging fenders and chunky front and rear aprons featuring large air ducts, the M2 is a visual overload. If you opt for the M Driver’s package, the top speed limiter extends from 155 MPH to 177 MPH.

11 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL

Top Speed: 186 MPH

Front three-quarters view of the 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL posing on a track

Last year, BMW unveiled an M4 CSL-based homage to the BMW 3.0 CSL «Batmobile.» BMW announced only 50 examples will be built, each with a price tag of $750,000. While not exactly the performance bargain of the century, the S58 twin-turbo inline-six has been pumped up while the torque has been limited to its original amount.

Performance

That’s because, like the 1972 original, the 2023 3.0 CSL comes exclusively as rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual. The generous use of carbon fiber has resulted in a curb weight figure which is 165 pounds lighter than a standard M4 manual. While not confirmed, the predicted 0 to 60 mph time for the 2023 3.0 CSL is around 3.8 seconds since a standard M4 manual needs 4.0 seconds.

10 2016 BMW M4 GTS

Top Speed: 188 MPH

Front and side view of a BMW M4 GTS

The BMW M4 GTS uses technology that once graced the old turbocharged Oldsmobile engine in 1962 and 1963; water injection. How it works is actually simple and very effective, allowing better performance by lowering the operating temperature of the turbochargers by up to 70 degrees. This cooling is conducted by pumping liquid through the hot chambers of the turbo, cooling the excessive heat to allow the unit to pump out more horsepower than it would generally be able to.

Performance

Now you may be wondering why the engineers did not decide to go with a water/alcohol mixture that would boost the performance and horsepower even more, which is a very viable question. One that was answered by Poggel, who stated that they stuck with water because they did not want to mess with the emissions ratings that they had accomplished with the test cars that had passed the inspections.

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9 2024 BMW M3 CS

Top Speed: 188 MPH

Front and side view of a 2024 BMW M3

The BMW M3 G80/G81 is an overachiever in any version. In M3 CS guise, the Bavarian performance sedan is at its quickest. Unlike the M4 CSL, the weight-saving diet wasn’t as drastic. The M3 CS lost just 75 pounds to the standard car’s weight, which is not exactly lightweight. But thanks to clever tech like the ZF, eight-speed automatic, and all-wheel-drive system, the BMW M3 CS can manage launch times close to the three-second mark.

Performance

This is on par with the official time of the BMW M3 Competition xDrive, from which we have seen numbers as low as 2.9 seconds. Like the M4 CSL, the S58 engine in the M3 CS has received a bump in power to 550 horsepower.

8 2023 BMW M8

Top Speed: 189 MPH

Side and partial front view of a 2023 BMW M8

The 2023 BMW M8 comes in two versions, the coupe or convertible. If you like to drive a car like you own it, so to say, the coupe is your best option because it is better suited for high-speed traveling. If you only get into the gas on random occasions and love to have the summer wind blowing in your hair, the convertible will still give you the power and torque when you want it, along with the added style of a roofless BMW.

Performance

The powerplant that gives the 2023 BMW M8 all of its git-up-and-go is the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 that can shoot you from 0 to over 120 MPH within a quarter-mile. That is obtained through the all-wheel drive system fed from the 553 pound-feet of torque through the eight-speed automatic transmission. If you prefer to smoke the tires through the strip at a slower rate of speed, the M8 can accommodate that as well by simply switching the main power to the rear tires.

7 2018 BMW M5 Competition

Top Speed: 189 MPH

a side view of a white 2018 BMW F90 M5 Competition on a run way

If rear steering and active roll bars were something you enjoyed in previous years, you might want to step back in time because the 2018 BMW M5 has returned to its roots. Back when the driver had to drive, the better you are on the track, the better the outcome. That is not entirely the truth, though, because the 2018 BMW kept some of its positive technological improvements, such as launch control, to help you to perfection.

Performance

6 2015 BMW M5 ’30 Jahre Edition’

Top Speed: 189 MPH

The 2015 Jahre Edition of the BMW M5 is a limited edition production run celebrating the 30th anniversary. It would not be a celebration if the car was not upgraded, so the company gave it standard equipment that would typically come with upgraded options, such as the competition suspension and performance packages.

Performance

The competition engine package boosts the 4.4-liter turbocharged V-8 horsepower up to an insane amount (for 2015, anyway). The competition suspension stiffened things up a bit for better performance on all types of tracks, but unfortunately, when you do that, you will lose some of the comforts of the ride. But you are in a BMW, so there are internal seat adjustments that can help even things back out.

5 2023 BMW M8 Competition

Top Speed: 189 MPH

Front shot of a 2023 BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe

The current flagship of BMW’s internal-combustion lineup is the M8 Competition. Unlike its E31 predecessor, the modern-day 8 Series doesn’t bring V-12 engines to the table, instead opting for a «downsized,» 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8s.

Performance

We won’t delve into how accurate those figures are, but we will say that combined with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed ZF automatic, 0 to 60 mph takes 3.0 seconds. Publications like Car and Driver report times as low as 2.5 seconds, but we don’t know whether this includes a 5 mph rollout or not. The BMW M8 Competition is the automotive equivalent of a cruise missile that combines supercar performance with luxury car comfort.

4 2015 BMW M6 Competition

Top Speed: 190 MPH

Front and side view of a 2015 BMW M6 Competition

BMW ticked many boxes right with the E63 6 Series, and the M6 was one of them. The F13 generation that followed may not have offered an F1-derived V-10 engine, but it also didn’t have its issues. The F13 M6 is one of the more reliable BMW M-cars you can find (if properly maintained), and its 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V-8 packs up to 600 horsepower in Competition trim. Torque is rated at 516 pound-feet.

Performance

With xDrive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic complementing the V-8, you can blast to 60 mph in under 4.0 seconds while sitting comfortably and in luxury. Even if you go for the more practical F06 M6 Gran Coupe, which was four doors instead of two, performance remains the same.

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3 2022 BMW M5 CS

Top Speed: 190 MPH

Front and side view of a 2022 BMW M5 CS

In 2021, BMW decided to bestow the Competition Sport treatment to its M5, a high-performance sedan. Previously, this treatment was exclusive to the M3 model and the M2 and M4 names in more recent times. The F90 BMW M5 CS is the most powerful M5 ever with its revised, 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8. However, we suspect BMW is playing its usual games regarding horsepower ratings.

Performance

More generous use of carbon fiber, 7.0 mm lower suspension with shock absorbers initially developed for the M8 Gran Coupe, and other chassis enhancements make this the most track-focused M5. It also makes it the first BWM to officially drop into the two-second club with a 0 to 60 mph time of under three seconds. More importantly, the speedometer doesn’t stop climbing to an Autobahn-friendly 190 mph.

2 2023 BMW M5

Top Speed: 190 MPH

A front 3/4 shot of a 2023 BMW M5 Competition

The BMW M5 and M5 Competition have long been separate cars on and off the track, so much so that they were two separate models. That changed in 2023 when the executives at BMW combined the two and offered them as different trim levels rather than separate models. What does that mean for you? Not much, except for when you order one over the other. Otherwise, the same differences have followed the two cars into the new year, including the horsepower increase for the M5 Competition.

Performance

You may have noticed one common aspect of many of the fastest BMWs on this list; the engine. Once again, for 2023, you will find the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 that pushes out over 600 horses and can accelerate to speeds just under 200 MPH depending on the track conditions and driver. The same eight-speed automatic transmission is also found on many of the top speedsters for the company, so they must be doing something right.

1 2023 BMW M4 CSL

Top Speed: 191 MPH

Front 3/4 view of grey BMW M4 CSL parked at racetrack.

Remember the BMW 3.0 CSL from earlier? This is what it’s based on. The 2022 BMW M4 CSL is a more hardcore variant of the M4 Competition that focuses on track usability. It features body panels from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP), and the 3.0-liter, S58, twin-turbo inline-six that has had a bump up in horsepower.

Performance

However, dyno tests revealed that the M4 CSL’s horsepower figure has been downplayed by a significant margin. Like the 3.0 CSL Homage, the M4 CSL is rear-wheel-drive only, but unlike the 3.0 CSL, it manages power exclusively through the eight-speed ZF automatic. This combination is good for a top speed of 191 mph, which makes the autobahn your best friend.