THE BREAKDOWN
- The electric BMW M3 will likely feature a 1,000-horsepower quad-motor powertrain.
- According to Sylvia Newbauer, VP of Sales for BMW M Division, the EV M3 will 'stay true to BMW M DNA'.
- Price-wise, both the EV and combustion M3 will land in the same ballpark.
BMW M3 shoppers will soon have a choice: do you keep your combustion powertrain or embrace electrons? The next-generation M3 will arrive as both a full battery-electric super sedan and a gas-powered motoring icon. But don't worry, BMW swears it will keep its soul.
According to a new report from Autocar, both versions will remain true to the M brand DNA. Per Sylbia Neubauer, Vice President of Sales for BMW's M division, the electric M3 is an 'M3 no matter the drivetrain.'
Gallery: BMW M3 EV Rendering By Motor1
The 2027 BMW M3 EV will arrive wearing the Neue Klasse styling. More importantly, however, the electric M3 will likely boast a quad-motor setup, which should deliver nearly 1,000 horsepower. This will be an incredibly important machine for BMW, as this will be the M division's first production EV.
Still, BMW knows its most hardcore M fans will revolt if there's no combustion-powered version on offer. While this upcoming M3 should boast straight-six power, there's a strong chance that electrification will play some part.
More and more high-performance vehicles benefit from some manner of hybrid setup. The result is gobs of power, no torque gaps, and shockingly strong fuel economy. While there's also a weight penalty, the gargantuan power on tap more than offsets the extra heft.
Motor1's Take: BMW is wise to offer two powertrain choices for the next M3. The car should be quite a looker, shod in its Neue Klasse getup. And while we will likely prefer the gas-powered version, there will be no denying the potential performance capability of a quad-motor-powered electric M3.
The good news is that BMW says both versions will arrive in the same price ballpark. We'll be curious to see if that means the same section... or just the same stadium.
Source: Autocar
