BMW is relaunching its M Driving Experience under a new name, AREA M, from 3 February 2026. The move brings a second German location in Memmingen alongside the existing Maisach site, a restructured booking system and new gamified formats, including a competitive drift contest with a live public scoreboard. BMW frames the change as a shift from pure driver training toward a broader BMW M experience brand.

BMW is giving its long-running M Driving Experience a fresh identity. From 3 February 2026 the programme becomes AREA M, a rebrand the company says marks a move away from the classic driver-training format toward what it calls a wider “experience space” for BMW M owners, prospective buyers and enthusiasts.

Alongside the new name comes a second physical location. Memmingen in southern Germany joins the established Maisach site, and BMW has overhauled its website with an “Experience Finder” intended to make booking simpler for both existing fans and newcomers.

A restructured, simpler portfolio

According to BMW, the previous mix of categories, subcategories and variations had grown complex. The new digital platform groups every experience into five categories — Winter, Track, Thrill, Custom and Control — and five levels: Compact, Essential, Plus, Pro and Max.

Entry-level offerings remain, including the “BMW M Starter” training and the BMW M Drift Academy, which BMW describes as its 2025 best-seller and which moved to Memmingen in November. New and returning formats aimed at specific groups include the “M Ice Pro Experience” in Arjeplog, Sweden, and “M Snow Active” in Sölden, Austria, the latter tailored specifically to performance-oriented women.

What Memmingen offers

BMW says the Memmingen site provides seven wet skid pads, three drift circles, four dynamic areas and additional handling and slalom zones. It also houses a community space with a lounge, conference rooms and catering, positioning it as a social hub as well as a driving venue.

Games of Drift

The headline new format is “Games of Drift”, offered exclusively at Memmingen. The company describes it as a gamified, competitive event built around driving skills such as precision, dexterity and endurance. Challenges include following a defined drift spiral, the “Ring Drop” (throwing rings into a target while drifting) and a Gymkhana course to be completed as quickly and cleanly as possible.

Results feed a live scoreboard on the public website showing each participant’s score and ranking. The event can be booked by any fan, multiple times if they wish. The nine highest-scoring drivers qualify for a final on 17 October 2026, with a tenth place awarded as a wildcard by the Red Bull Drift Brothers, who will also act as the jury as the finalists compete for prizes.

The car used for Games of Drift is a BMW M2 Coupé modified for the format, with a greater steering angle, lockable rear wheels and a rear-axle differential running specially developed software to make drifts easier to reproduce and compare.

What it means

The reboot signals BMW’s intent to turn a driver-training operation into a community and lifestyle platform around the M brand, courting what it calls “Gen M” as well as gamers and newcomers of any age or gender. Whether the gamified formats broaden M’s appeal beyond existing owners will become clearer once bookings open.

Facts: BMW AREA M

  • Launch: 3 February 2026
  • Locations: Maisach and Memmingen, Germany
  • Categories: Winter, Track, Thrill, Custom, Control
  • Levels: Compact, Essential, Plus, Pro, Max
  • Key new format: Games of Drift (Memmingen only), final on 17 October 2026
  • Games of Drift car: BMW M2 Coupé (combined fuel consumption 9.8–9.6 l/100 km; combined CO₂ 223–218 g/km, WLTP; CO₂ class G)

AREA M goes live on 3 February 2026.

Source: www.press.bmwgroup.com