BMW in Germany has its roots as a manufacturer of aircraft engines and is also known for its motorcycles powered by a flat-twin air-cooled engine. Based in the Bavarian region in Germany, BMW produces many models particular about driving pleasure and has many fans around the world. BMW has also been actively involved in motorsport activities. In the category of touring car racing, BMW won the long-desired ETC (European Touring Car Championship) championship in 1966 with the 2000TI model.

BMW continues to play an active part in touring car racing, with the BMW 3 series as its main model. The first BMW 3 series arrived in 1975 and replaced the BMW 02 series, which is the successor to the 2000TI. The model, codename E21, became a big hit with sales of as many as one million units in the six years leading up to 1982. After that, the 3 series was remodelled through regular model changes, reaching its 4th generation in 1999. The model, codename E46, became BMW's flagship model and is also used as the base machine for touring car racing in races held around the world. With many cars in touring car racing moving to front-wheel drive (FF), BMW's continuation with the front engine rear-wheel drive (FR) 2WD system makes it notable. The BMW E46 has participated in many races such as the ETCC (European Touring Car Championship), the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) in the UK, and many privateer teams also ran the E46.

One of those privateer teams is Carly Motors in the Netherlands. Carly Motors was founded in 1979 as a tuning company. From 1999 to 2003, Carly Motors ran a machine based on the BMW 320i for the DTCC (Dutch Touring Car Championship) and the Guia Race of Macau, playing an active part as one of the BMW top teams.

BMW remains active in touring car racing in a variety of forms, including the development of E46 evolution models, carrying on to current motorsport activities.