A major change at the top of the BMW M will take place on November 1st. According to BMW insiders, former BMW M CEO Franciscus (Frank) van Meel returns at the helm of the sportscar division. He will replace Markus Flasch who will transition to a new major role within the company leading a new and one of the largest car divisions at BMW. We understand that this is a positive change for both executives who are excited about their new roles.
Van Meel returns at BMW M after three years. He was previously at the helm of the M department from January, 2015 until late 2018. Van Meel was recently responsible for the BMW iX and the upcoming BMW 7 Series electric. Van Meel will bring his electric vehicles expertise and knowledge to the M Division which is undergoing a major transformation. A first electrified M car is rumored to be just around the corner with a lot more planed by the end of the decade.
Markus Flasch played an important role in the history of the M brand. The first-ever BMW M3 Touring will be launched next year, along with the second generation M2 Coupe, the first M4 CSL, the next M5 and a lot more other products. One of them is the first bespoke M car with a hybrid drivetrain rumored to deliver over 750 horsepower. We also understand that this car (XM) will be unveiled in the next few weeks. We also expect to learn more about Flasch’s new role in the upcoming days and weeks.
