A new boss is taking over development at one of the auto industry’s most revered performance brands just as it shifts to EVs
As BMW prepares for a significant leadership change at the very top of the pyramid, a key shift is also happening within its high-performance division. Just days after the company confirmed that Milan Nedeljkovic will succeed Oliver Zipse as CEO next year, BMW M has named a new head of development.
Stepping into the role is Alexander Karajlovic, best known for overseeing one of M’s most polarizing recent projects, the BMW XM SUV.
Read: BMW’s Next Boss Already Has 40 New Models On His Plate
Karajlovic’s track record within BMW includes a range of roles that place him squarely in the performance and SUV space. Between November 2017 and 2020, he led development for BMW’s X derivatives and served as project manager for the XM, the M division’s first standalone model since the M1 in 1978, and arguably one of its most divisive to date.
He also served as vice president for the BMW M Product Line for two years, before heading back to the broader BMW group and worked in the areas of Requirements, Concepts, and Driving Experience Integration.
He now steps in for Dirk Hacker, a veteran who’s been with the BMW Group for 37 years and spent the last 11 of those at BMW M. Hacker has led development since 2015, a tenure that included not only technical oversight but hands-on involvement as a driving instructor with BMW’s Driving Experience program. The last model launched under his direction was the new M5 Touring.
“Dirk Hacker’s departure sees the long-term Head of Development at BMW M GmbH bow out to start his well-earned retirement,” BMW M chief executive Franciscus van Meel said. “His name is inextricably linked with an unprecedented product offensive, superior product quality and yearly sales records at BMW M.”
BMW M’s Future Plans
Karajlovic takes over at a time of transition, as the M brand begins laying groundwork for its next-generation lineup. Among the most closely watched projects is the upcoming M3, which is being developed in both all-electric and twin-turbo six-cylinder versions.
The fully electric model, a major technical shift for the badge, is expected to feature four electric motors and deliver upwards of 700 hp, a configuration that will likely spark no shortage of conversation among fans and skeptics alike.
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