BMW has delivered its 300,000th ‘M’-badged sports car, 30-years after the introduction of its first ‘M’ model.

The barely disguised road-racer BMW M1 coupe was the first car to wear the now iconic blue ‘M’ on its rear.

Just 445 BMW M1s were made, but it was the start of something much bigger.

View our BMW M car slide show

Sales of BMWs fastest models have grown and this year they will account for around one per cent of the German marque’s total global sales.

Today the model range comprises of the BMW Z4 M Roadster and Coupe with 345bhp straight-six engines, the BMW M5 Saloon and Tourer which shares its award-winning 505bhp, five litre V10 engines with the BMW M6 Coupe and Convertible and the brand new BMW M3 Coupe, Saloon and Convertible.

The latest generation BMW M3 takes over from its predecessor in the most famous and successful ‘M’ blood-line of all – that of the small-but-deadly 3-Series saloon.

The M3’s engine has almost doubled in size since the original BMW M3 was launched in 1986 with a 2.3-litre four-cylinder. It now has a 4-litre V8 pumping out a whopping 420bhp.

View our BMW M3 saloon slide show

In its first four months of sale BMW has already built 4,000 M3s, the majority of which will find homes in America.

The 300,000th 'M' car is a white BMW M3 coupe, which has already been delivered to its new owner in the town of Resenburg, Germany where the BMW M3 is built.

Check out this official promo video of the BMW M3 Coupe: