- Electric M3 expected to launch with four motors and 700 hp.
- Neue Klasse design adds compact grilles and modern surfacing.
- Swollen arches and bold front give this EV serious presence.
The all-electric BMW M3 is no longer just a concept talked about in forums or teased through obscure patents. It’s taking shape in the real world, and these latest spy shots give us the clearest view yet of BMW’s upcoming super sedan.
The idea of an all-electric M3 might ruffle a few feathers among traditionalists, but there’s little need for panic. Alongside this electric version, BMW will continue to offer a combustion-powered M3 that carries over the same twin-turbo inline-six as the current model without being fully hybridized. Purists won’t be left out in the cold.
Read: The Electric M3 Ushers In A New Era Of BMW Design
The electric version, possibly named iM3, will be built on the new i3 platform that’s set to debut next year as BMW’s reimagined electric 3-Series sedan. As with that car, the M variant will follow BMW’s Neue Klasse design philosophy.
That includes abandoning the current M3’s polarizing grille in favor of something sleeker and, arguably, more cohesive.
Stephen Hancock
Judging by the latest prototype, the headlights look close to production spec. The daytime running lights are integrated cleanly into the headlight units and line up precisely with the redesigned kidney grilles.
There’s a strong sense of alignment here, literally and visually, something that hasn’t always been a given with recent BMWs.
It’s also hard not to be taken aback by just how beefy this prototype looks. Both the front and rear wheel arches sit nice and wide, giving it an ultra-aggressive look, perfectly fitting of an M-branded model. It may not sound as good as the current M3, but it’s definitely shaping up to have just as much visual presence.
What Will Power It?
Then there’s the matter of performance. We know that BMW is developing an electric powertrain with four motors for the new model, and has said its setup can deliver up to 1,341 hp.
That said, it’s unlikely the production model will hit those numbers. BMW is expected to limit output to around 700 hp, which keeps it safely below the upcoming electric M5 and maintains a performance hierarchy within the lineup.
Even so, with that kind of power it would comfortably outpace the next-generation combustion M3, which is projected to land somewhere near 550 hp. That performance edge could be a major talking point once both cars hit the road.
One key tradeoff will be weight. Spy shots from earlier this year suggest the electric M3 could come in as much as 465 kg, or 1,025 lbs, heavier than the current petrol version. That’s a significant increase, and how BMW balances that extra mass with chassis tuning will be crucial to the car’s driving character.
