BMW this week named Frank van Meel as head of the BMW M division.
He replaces Markus Flasch who, after a three-year stint as head of the BMW performance skunkworks, is set to serve as head of production for the Rolls-Royce line and also upper BMW lines. It's van Meel's previous post.
This is the second time van Meel has been named head of BMW M. He first joined the team in 2014 after serving as head of the rival of Audi Sport division, and was replaced by Flasch in 2018.
Frank van Meel
In a statement, BMW said that van Meel was key in bringing the BMW iX electric crossover and several other fully electric models to production, and that this experience in electric vehicles will be beneficial for BMW M in the years ahead. In other words, it's only a matter of time until we see the first electric M car.
There are rumors of an electric M2 concept car being unveiled in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of BMW M. Don't expect an electric M2 to reach production anytime soon, though. Instead, the first electric M car is likely to be a version of the redesigned M5 due around 2024. It's expected to have performance to match cars like the Tesla Model S Plaid and new Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance. We're talking over 1,000 hp.
Note, BMW M has already unveiled an electric model for its tamer M Performance range. The 2022 i4 M50 on sale early next year is coming with 536 hp and an estimated 245 miles of range. An M Performance version of the iX is also in the works. It will be badged an iX M60.
