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BMW M IN THE GAME.

BMW M IN THE GAME.

4 min reading time

The best racing games featuring cars from BMW M.

If you want to experience the thrill of racing a BMW M on your PC, console or smartphone, check out these video games.

25 November 2023

The engines rev, the start lights begin to illuminate... then out they go and the race is underway! A driver’s concentration is instantly tested as every car on the grid comes together in a thrilling bid to lead at the first corner. Fans of motorsport will be familiar with the feeling of pure adrenaline that comes at this moment, as will players of numerous racing games now available for console, computer or smartphone. Many are so realistic and feature such incredible detail that they are even used by professional racing drivers to enhance their training. Others, on the other hand, go lighter on the realism in order to deliver more action-packed excitement than some movies. If you want to experience the thrill of racing in a high-performance BMW M from the comfort of your own home, these are our favourites.

RACING GAMES FOR PC, PS4 AND XBOX ONE.

BMW M2 in Forza Horizon 5

BMW M2 in Forza Horizon 5.

FORZA HORIZON 5.

BMW 850CSi in Forza Horizon 5

BMW 850CSi in Forza Horizon 5.

The open world adventure.

The Forza Horizon series from developer studio Playground Games has been a guarantee for racing action on a grand scale since 2012. Huge open worlds - the scenery in Forza Horizon 5 is based on the landscape of Mexico - and a variety of playable vehicles are what fans of the game love, especially in the fifth part of the series (since 2021). With the new update "Eventlab 2.0", the range of playable BMW and BMW M models is once again significantly increased.

Available for

  • Microsoft Xbox One
  • Microsoft Xbox Series X/S
  • Microsoft Windows

BMW M cars featured

  • 1973 BMW 2002 Turbo
  • 1981 BMW M1
  • 1988 BMW M5
  • 1991 BMW M3
  • 1995 BMW 850CSi
  • 1995 BMW M5
  • 1997 BMW M3
  • 2002 BMW M3-GTR
  • 2002 BMW Z3 M Coupé
  • 2003 BMW M5
  • 2005 BMW M3
  • 2008 BMW M3
  • 2008 BMW Z4 M Coupé
  • 2009 BMW M5
  • 2010 BMW M3 GTS (E92)
  • 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupé
  • 2011 BMW X5 M
  • 2012 BMW M5
  • 2013 BMW M6 Coupé
  • 2014 BMW M4 Coupé
  • 2015 BMW X6 M
  • 2016 BMW M2 Coupé
  • 2016 BMW M4 GTS
  • 2018 BMW M5
  • 2019 BMW Z4 Roadster
  • 2020 BMW M8 Competition Coupé
  • 2021 BMW M3 Competition Sedan
  • 2021 BMW M4 Competition Coupé
  • 2023 BMW M2

NEED FOR SPEED HEAT.

Racing day and night.

If you love fast races, enjoy duels and revel in wild tuning options, you’ll definitely have fun with Need for Speed Heat. Eleven BMW M cars can be driven in the 24th edition of this now legendary series, which is an open-world racing game. It’s set in Palm City, a fictional and highly stylised version of Miami, Florida, where virtual money can be earned by competing in official racing events during the day and less legal street races at night. But be careful: the police won’t tolerate any racing on the city's streets, whatever the time of day.

Available for

  • Sony PlayStation 4
  • Microsoft Xbox One
  • Microsoft Windows

BMW M cars featured

  • BMW M2 Competition (F87)
  • BMW M3 Evolution II (E30)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E46)
  • BMW M3 GTR (E46)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E92)
  • BMW M4 Coupé (F82)
  • BMW M4 Cabrio (F83)
  • BMW M4 GTS (F82)
  • BMW M5 Limousine (F90)
  • BMW Z4 M40i (G29)
  • BMW X6 M (F16)
BMW M5 in Need for Speed Payback.

BMW M5 in Need for Speed Payback

NEED FOR SPEED PAYBACK.

Pure action.

Did you like the action scenes from the Mission Impossible film series, but thought they still needed a little more? Then Need for Speed Payback might be right up your street, what with its surplus of fiery explosions, high-speed pursuits and determined cops in helicopters. You should also be prepared for some of the world’s best sports cars rolling out the back of a cargo truck into the middle of the motorway. Otherwise, this open-world game features a classic career mode and a host of racing events, from street racing and drifting competitions to off-road challenges. Special features include the playable characters and the 24-hour day-night cycle, as well as the seven BMW M models that are available to drive.

Available for

  • Sony PlayStation 4
  • Microsoft Xbox One
  • Microsoft Windows

BMW M cars featured

  • BMW M2 Coupé (F87)
  • BMW M3 Evolution II (E30)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E46)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E92)
  • BMW M4 GTS (F82)
  • BMW M5 Limousine (F90)
  • BMW X6 M (F16)

GRAN TURISMO SPORT.

Powerful graphics and multiplayer motorsport.

Gran Turismo Sport is a racing simulation created exclusively for the PlayStation 4 by Japanese game development studio Polyphony Digital. It’s the seventh instalment of the popular Gran Turismo series, but dispenses with the huge repertoire of cars that predecessor Gran Turismo 6 was known for. However, you should still find what you’re looking for among the list of over 330 production cars, racing cars and concept cars. The game doesn’t offer a classic career mode, with its developers instead putting the focus on achieving adrenaline-loaded online multiplayer races. Of particular note are the eight licensed BMW M automobiles that can be driven on Gran Turismo Sport’s remarkably real racetracks. The level of detail seen on the tracks and vehicles, as well as the game’s realistic driving physics, were praised by reviewers when it was released.

Available for

  • Sony PlayStation 4

BMW M cars featured

  • BMW M3 Sport Evolution (E30)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E46)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E92)
  • BMW M4 Coupé (F82)
  • BMW M3 GTR Racing 
  • BMW M4 GT4
  • BMW M6 GT3
  • BMW Z4 GT3
BMW Z4 GT3 in Gran Turismo Sport

BMW Z4 GT3 in Gran Turismo Sport.

FORZA MOTORSPORT 7.

Unrivalled choice.

Like Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport 7 – or Forza 7 for short – offers plenty of realism, as well as over 700 vehicles and 32 finely-detailed racetracks, making it one of the flagships of its genre. For our editors, it's especially gratifying that Forza 7 lets you drive over 20 BMW M cars, from the legendary BMW M1 to the modern classic BMW M4 GTS. In career mode, you have to face six major championships from 15 events. An online multiplayer is also available, but it doesn't offer quite as many options as something like Gran Turismo Sport, for example.

Available for

  • Microsoft Xbox One
  • Microsoft Windows

BMW M cars featured

  • BMW M1
  • BMW 1er M Coupé (E82)
  • BMW M2 Coupé (F87)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E36)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E46)
  • BMW M3 Coupé (E92)
  • BMW M3 GT2
  • BMW M4 Coupé (F82)
  • BMW M4 GTS (F82)
  • BMW M5 (E28)
  • BMW M5 (E34)
  • BMW M5 (E39)
  • BMW M5 (E60)
  • BMW M5 (F10)
  • BMW M635CSi (E24)
  • BMW M6 Coupé (E63)
  • BMW M6 Coupé (F13)
  • BMW X5 M (F15)
  • BMW X6 M (F16)
  • BMW Z3 M Coupé
  • BMW Z4 GTE
  • BMW V12 LMR
BMW M8 GTE in iRacing

BMW M8 GTE in iRacing.

iRACING.

Drive like a pro.

Focusing entirely on realism, iRacing isn’t a game for casual players. To achieve almost pinpoint accuracy, its developers laser-scanned racetracks in order to recreate every corner and undulation. They also took telemetry data from real world motorsport and transplanted it into iRacing’s gameplay. As a result, the game stands in a league of its own when it comes to driving physics and track detail, even if the graphics can't quite keep up with the likes of Gran Turismo Sport or Forza 7. So much so, in fact, that even BMW factory drivers use iRacing as a training aid.

 

iRacing’s events all take place online against real players and are divided into different categories according to class, speed, fairness and region. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there will even be official competitions featuring actual professional drivers. In the IMSA Sebring SuperSaturday race, Bruno Spengler, Nick Catsburg and Jesse Krohn celebrated a triple victory in the virtual MOTUL BMW M8 GTE.

Available for

  • Microsoft Windows
  • Apple macOS
 

BMW M cars featured

  • BMW M8 GTE
  • BMW Z4 GT3

MOBILE RACING GAMES.

BMW M2 G87 in CSR Racing 2

BMW M2 Competition in CSR Racing 2.

CSR RACING 2.

BMW M2 Competition F87 in CSR Racing 2

BMW M2 Competition (F87) in CSR Racing 2.

Drag racing with attention to detail.

Those who like drag racing will absolutely love CSR Racing 2. This graphically appealing smartphone and tablet game is one of the most popular in its genre, thanks to over 200 officially licensed vehicles – including eight from BMW M – detailed tuning options and online races against players from all over the world. In addition, it also supports augmented reality, allowing you to cars from the game into the real world and even take selfies with them.

Available for

BMW M cars featured

  • BMW M235i Coupé
  • BMW Z4 M40i
  • BMW M2 Competition (F87)
  • BMW M2 Coupé (G87)
  • BMW M4 Coupé
  • BMW M4 GTS
  • BMW M3 GTS (E92)
  • BMW M5 Competition (F90)
  • BMW M8 Competition Coupé

REAL RACING 3.

The race simulator in your pocket.

Like your racing games with real world racetracks and licensed cars to drive on them? Then Real Racing 3 from Australian game developer Firemonkeys Studios might be the one for you. It only features genuine racetracks – 19 in total – and over 250 real vehicles, of which 18 bear the BMW M logo. In addition to the classic racing series, there is also a NASCAR series and even Formula E to compete in via your smartphone screen.

Available for

BMW M cars featured

  • BMW M1
  • BMW 1er M Coupé
  • BMW M2 Competition
  • BMW M3 (E30)
  • BMW M3 (E36)
  • BMW M3 (E46)
  • BMW M3 (E92)
  • BMW M3 GTS (E92)
  • BMW M3 GT2 ALMS 
  • BMW M4 Coupé (F82)
  • BMW M4 GT4
  • BMW M5 (E60)
  • BMW M5 (F90)
  • BMW M6 Coupé (F13)
  • BMW M6 GT3
  • BMW M8 GTE
  • BMW Z4 M Coupé
  • BMW Z4 GT3
M POWER.

M POWER.

Sim Racing with BMW M.

Experience more

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