Alexander Karajlovic is the new BMW M Boss (VP of Development)

Mani59 · 12-12-2025, 09:57 AM

Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Article courtesy of Evo Magazine.

Alexander Karajlovic takes over as BMW M VP for development

As Dirk Häcker enters retirement, BMW M now has a new boss…

Name: P90627236_lowRes_alexander-karajlovic.jpg
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Name: P90627236_lowRes_alexander-karajlovic.jpg
Views: 3769
Size: 246.7 KB

There’s a changing of the guard happening at BMW M. As Dirk Häcker enters retirement after an eleven-year stint as BMW M’s Head of Development, Alexander Karajkovic takes the reins at the top of the tree as BMW M’s Vice President for Development.

Häcker had been at BMW since 1988, with positions in vehicle development and dynamics from 2001. He was put in charge of development at BMW M from 2015, complementing his official role with driving instructor duties at the BMW Driving Experience. The right sort of character to be shaping BMW’s ultimate driving machines, then.

In recent years, he was one of the driving forces behind BMW M’s return to offering Touring models, a part of the cohort that seeded the idea during G80 development. He’s also been around to oversee BMW M’s exhuming the CS badge to denote sub-models with more focus – to great effect too, with the original M2 and M5 CSs both resolved to an evo Car of the Year winning standard, a first for BMW M.

He’s set the development strategy of BMW – one that looks directly at the previous generation car and where it left off, to shape where the model must go next. He leaves having been at the forefront of the conceptualisation and development of next-generation electric M cars, the Heart of Joy control systems and the quad-motor testing mules to prove the concepts.

So what about Karajlovic, the man that’s to take his place? He’s been Vice President for the BMW M product line between January 2021 and May 2023, before returning to BMW Group Development for a stint. Karaklovic takes up the role with ‘a proven track record of chassis development know-how’, in BMW M CEO Franc van Meel’s words. We’re excited to see what direction he takes BMW M in, especially in such divisive, tumultuous times for the motor industry.

Link to article: https://www.evo.co.uk/bmw/208378/ale...or-development

NickyC · 12-12-2025, 10:09 AM

He was well placed in the photo.

phinsn98_2 · 12-14-2025, 09:27 AM

Maybe he can take the design team of E and F chassis and combine them with the drivelines of the G chassis.

vasillalov · 12-14-2025, 09:40 AM

..so now we have 2 execs in BMW from Slavic/Balkan roots. This should be good.

OUGrad05 · 12-14-2025, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyC

He was well placed in the photo.

eljay · 12-14-2025, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phinsn98_2

Maybe he can take the design team of E and F chassis and combine them with the drivelines of the G chassis.

Would that make it EFing Good?

ktmM3 · 12-14-2025, 10:33 AM

If he was behind the spectacular M5 CS, M3 M4 CS, and now the M2 CS, that's a very good sign

Now, fix the electric steering please!

BimmerFix · 12-14-2025, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyC

He was well placed in the photo.

Take this upvote and

NickyC · 12-14-2025, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phinsn98_2

Maybe he can take the design team of E and F chassis and combine them with the drivelines of the G chassis.

The dream.

NGT2 · 12-14-2025, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktmM3

If he was behind the spectacular M5 CS, M3 M4 CS, and now the M2 CS, that's a very good sign

Now, fix the electric steering please!

That was the guy that’s retiring.

mbanck · 12-14-2025, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phinsn98_2

Maybe he can take the design team of E and F chassis and combine them with the drivelines of the G chassis.

He's VP at M, not BMW. M takes regular BMWs and tunes them up. The only thing they can change are the parts which are not body-in-white, so their design choices are limited apart from bumpers, fenders, grilles and other exterior parts like mirrors or exhausts.

SFBavarianArea · 12-14-2025, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NGT2

That was the guy that’s retiring.

💀😅💀

icpee · 12-14-2025, 01:50 PM

For the love of God, please focus on reducing weight of M cars.

ASAP · 12-14-2025, 01:50 PM

any chance at all for lighter more raw cars?

pikkagtr · 12-14-2025, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASAP

any chance at all for lighter more raw cars?

5000lbs hybrid no physical buttons behemoths incoming
Oh wait that is already what they're selling
🤣🤣

BMWTennis · 12-14-2025, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASAP

any chance at all for lighter more raw cars?

And all that going Hybrid route and getting bigger as we’ve already seen the latest design…
Dream on

F8x was the last “raw” M car

Ambrozie · 12-14-2025, 02:44 PM

Again, people, the issue is not the company.

Its the leadership class - I shall say cabal - of the countries these companies are based in. Everything tends to come from the top down, and irrespective of the leadership quality within the companies, they are still ham-strung by what is and isn’t allowed by government.

My M3 · 12-14-2025, 03:27 PM

Hopefully the M future is looking good

NorthBuddy · 12-14-2025, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyC

He was well placed in the photo.

Maybe next time they´ll also manage it to place him in the perfect middle…. (he stands to much left)

NSX2M4 · 12-14-2025, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorthBuddy

Maybe next time they´ll also manage it to place him in the perfect middle…. (he stands to much left)

He covers up the droopy slag boobs on the hood though.

Game · 12-14-2025, 04:32 PM

Alexander, if you find a way to keep the manuals alive, we will build your statues.

G MONEY · 12-14-2025, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Game

Alexander, if you find a way to keep the manuals alive, we will build your statues.

I was going to say, maybe he can fix the absolutely horrible manual transmission that M cars have had for 25+ years!?!? That’s right, manuals are all but dead. Never mind

12-12-2025, 09:57 AM	#1
Mani59 Moderator 22492 Rep 8,678 Posts Drives: F87 LCI M2 & G26 i4 35 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Leicestershire iTrader: (1)	Alexander Karajlovic is the new BMW M Boss (VP of Development) Featured on BIMMERPOST.com Article courtesy of Evo Magazine. Alexander Karajlovic takes over as BMW M VP for development As Dirk Häcker enters retirement, BMW M now has a new boss… There’s a changing of the guard happening at BMW M. As Dirk Häcker enters retirement after an eleven-year stint as BMW M’s Head of Development, Alexander Karajkovic takes the reins at the top of the tree as BMW M’s Vice President for Development. Häcker had been at BMW since 1988, with positions in vehicle development and dynamics from 2001. He was put in charge of development at BMW M from 2015, complementing his official role with driving instructor duties at the BMW Driving Experience. The right sort of character to be shaping BMW’s ultimate driving machines, then. In recent years, he was one of the driving forces behind BMW M’s return to offering Touring models, a part of the cohort that seeded the idea during G80 development. He’s also been around to oversee BMW M’s exhuming the CS badge to denote sub-models with more focus – to great effect too, with the original M2 and M5 CSs both resolved to an evo Car of the Year winning standard, a first for BMW M. He’s set the development strategy of BMW – one that looks directly at the previous generation car and where it left off, to shape where the model must go next. He leaves having been at the forefront of the conceptualisation and development of next-generation electric M cars, the Heart of Joy control systems and the quad-motor testing mules to prove the concepts. So what about Karajlovic, the man that’s to take his place? He’s been Vice President for the BMW M product line between January 2021 and May 2023, before returning to BMW Group Development for a stint. Karaklovic takes up the role with ‘a proven track record of chassis development know-how’, in BMW M CEO Franc van Meel’s words. We’re excited to see what direction he takes BMW M in, especially in such divisive, tumultuous times for the motor industry. Link to article: https://www.evo.co.uk/bmw/208378/ale...or-development __________________ Follow me on Instagram for my BMW adventures - mani59.f87
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12-12-2025, 10:09 AM	#2
NickyC Lieutenant General 22060 Rep 12,009 Posts Drives: M4 CS. Former G82, x2 F82, F80 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Jacked out of my mind iTrader: (24)	He was well placed in the photo.
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12-14-2025, 09:27 AM	#3
phinsn98_2 Private First Class 164 Rep 223 Posts Drives: M2 Comp Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: South Florida iTrader: (0)	Maybe he can take the design team of E and F chassis and combine them with the drivelines of the G chassis.
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12-14-2025, 09:40 AM	#4
vasillalov Mad Linux Guru On The Loose 1394 Rep 5,557 Posts Drives: 2023 M3, 2025 Crown Signia Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (5) Garage List 2025 Toyota Crown S ... [0.00] 2023 BMW M3 Base [0.00]	..so now we have 2 execs in BMW from Slavic/Balkan roots. This should be good. __________________ Check this out on VINCollector: 2023 BMW M3 - Build Feature https://vincollector.com/share/vehic...7-c9d2923097d2
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12-14-2025, 10:33 AM	#7
ktmM3 Private 126 Rep 91 Posts Drives: '17 M2, 98 M3, 15 X5, 1M, G87 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Portland, Or iTrader: (0)	If he was behind the spectacular M5 CS, M3 M4 CS, and now the M2 CS, that's a very good sign Now, fix the electric steering please!
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12-14-2025, 01:50 PM	#13
icpee Private 233 Rep 70 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: May 2015 Location: New Zealand iTrader: (0)	For the love of God, please focus on reducing weight of M cars.
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12-14-2025, 01:50 PM	#14
ASAP Lieutenant General 12928 Rep 10,342 Posts Drives: '26 G80x M3 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	any chance at all for lighter more raw cars? __________________ N54->N55->S55->B58->S58
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12-14-2025, 02:44 PM	#17
Ambrozie Certified 1359 Rep 1,028 Posts Drives: Depends on the day Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: SanFran iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 Jaguar S-Type [10.00] 2017 BMW 440i [9.50]	Again, people, the issue is not the company. Its the leadership class - I shall say cabal - of the countries these companies are based in. Everything tends to come from the top down, and irrespective of the leadership quality within the companies, they are still ham-strung by what is and isn’t allowed by government.
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12-14-2025, 03:27 PM	#18
My M3 Lieutenant 542 Rep 521 Posts Drives: 2023 M3 Competition X Drive Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Sydney, Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 BMW M3 Competi ... [8.00] 2026 Toyota Corolla ... [0.00] 1986 Chevrolet Corv ... [5.50] 2019 Mercedes Benz ... [0.00]	Hopefully the M future is looking good
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12-14-2025, 04:32 PM	#21
Game ------ 9517 Rep 11,341 Posts Drives: G80 LCI, G87 (sold) Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago'ish iTrader: (26)	Alexander, if you find a way to keep the manuals alive, we will build your statues. __________________ Last edited by Game; 12-14-2025 at 04:32 PM..
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