BMW M Launches AREA M Driving Experience with New Location, Gamified Events, and Digital Platform
BMW M's new AREA M brand expands its driving experience portfolio with a second location in Memmingen, Germany, and introduces gamified competitions like Games of Drift.
- 3 February 2026
- 17 October 2026
- 9
What Happened
AREA M, launched on 3 February 2026, replaces and expands the BMW M Driving Experience with a new brand image, a second location in Memmingen, Germany, and a redesigned website featuring an Experience Finder. The program targets both existing BMW M owners and new audiences including gamers and performance-oriented women, offering gamified activities like Games of Drift.
AREA M launches
Games of Drift final
- Categories: Winter, Track, Thrill, Custom, Control
- Levels: Compact, Essential, Plus, Pro, Max
- New programs: M Ice Pro Experience (Arjeplog, Sweden), M Snow Active (Sölden, Austria), BMW M Starter, BMW M Drift Academy
The Memmingen site offers seven wet skid pads, three drift circles, four dynamic areas, plus handling and slalom zones, along with a lounge and conference rooms. The Games of Drift uses a specially modified BMW M2 Coupé with increased steering angle, lockable rear wheels, and special software to enable reproducible drifts. Participants compete in challenges such as drift spirals, Ring Drop, and Gymkhana, with live scores tracked online.
Why this matters
BMW M is modernizing its performance driving experiences to attract a broader audience, including gamers and women. The new digital tools and gamified events make the program more accessible and competitive, while the addition of a second venue increases capacity and variety.
Terms in This Story
- AREA M
- The new brand for BMW M's driving experience portfolio, positioned as a spiritual home for enthusiasts.
- Games of Drift
- A competitive event where participants perform drifting challenges with live scoring.
- Gymkhana
- A driving discipline involving complex courses completed quickly and precisely.
- Gen M
- A term for the community of BMW M brand enthusiasts.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.