BMW to unveil its first all-electric M3 with MORE power than brand’s petrol counterparts
BMW is reportedly set to unveil its first ever electric version of the iconic M3 with more power than its petrol counterparts.
The new EV will be accompanied by a more traditional alternative as the German firm looks to “hedge its bets”.
According to a report in AutoExpress, bosses were not keen to put all their eggs in one basket when it came to the next generation of one of the brand’s most popular models.
Instead, the decision was made to develop two different powertrains alongside one another, with two versions of the car eventually offered to customers.
One of these is reportedly set to be an all-electric M3, which could be dubbed the iM3.
This variant is also expected to be given a power boost, mostly to account for the fact that it would likely be between 400 and 500kg heavier than the petrol version.
It could be equipped with a version of the quad-motor setup used on the i4 M50, which the firm claims could produce up to 1,341 horsepower.
Interestingly, Frank van Meel (who heads up the M Division) also confirmed that the brand would be looking into “simulated gear change” tech.
All electric cars are inherently automatic as electric motors put out consistent amounts of torque, eliminating the needs for different gear ratios to synchronize the speed of rotation across the drivetrain.
But some manufacturers are concerned that this will hurt the driving experience, especially for those used to manual cars, so are examining ways to still provide the sensation of a gear change.
A version of the software is already available on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which could inform Beemer’s approach too.
Mr van Meel said: “If you have just one gear and you have no feedback at all, you don’t know how fast you are going and you cannot look down at the speed.
“You should always know how fast you are going, and that’s missing if you have no acoustic feedback and no haptic feedback.
“We are looking into different ways of giving you that.”
However, BMW apparently won’t be jumping into the EV transition with two feet as the next generation M3 will also be available in a mild hybrid spec.
This could be based on the recently-developed six-cylinder engine created by the firm to meet Euro 7 emissions rules.
It’s not expected to receive much help from an electric motor, with petrol pulling almost all of the weight above low speeds.
Both variants are set for production beginning in 2027, with the sales debut expected in 2028.
BMW will then vary how many of each version they produce to adapt to customer demand.
It comes after experts warned that two popular types of vehicle would “disappear” from UK roads after the Chancellor’s shake-up of road tax in the Autumn Budget.