Easily the most revered of go-faster sedans in the D segment, the BMW M3 will go electric by decade's end. Dropping no later than 2027 according to BMW product development chief Frank Weber, the all-electric model is expected to be christened iM3.
This rumor may turn out correct, especially after BMW filed the iM3 trademark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Filed on November 3rd, the moniker covers two Nice classes: 12 for vehicles and 28 for toys, games, and so forth.
Rather than using the CLAR platform of the G80-generation M3 sedan, the newcomer will be underpinned by the Neue Klasse vehicle architecture. Named after the Neue Klasse line of models from 1962 through 1972, said platform will drop in 2025 in the form of two D-segment models: a 3 Series-like electric sedan and an X3-like electric crossover.
Previewed by the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, which is best described as an updated i Vision Dee, the 3er-sized model – which is referred to under the codename NA0 – can be considered a premium-oriented alternative to the Model 3. The big seller, on the other hand, will be the NA5-generation iX3.
The iX3 that bears internal codename G08 rolled out in 2020, and you can't buy one in the United States because its pricing and specs aren't really competitive. Produced in China rather than Germany, the zero-emission crossover is exclusively rear-wheel drive, packs 210 kW (282 hp), starts at 67,300 euros (make that 74,000 dollars at current exchange rates), and offers no more than 471 kilometers (that would be 293 miles) in the WLTP combined test cycle.
Photo: CarPix
Regarding the iM3 – or whatever the all-electric M3 will be called – you can look forward to as many as four electric motors. BMW revealed an i4-based EV concept with a quartet of electric motors in August of 2022, and the Neue Klasse is compatible with this no-nonsense setup. Remember Weber from earlier? He also made it clear that one megawatt of power is feasible, although it's not known whether the iM3 will receive 1,000 kW or not. Chances are not…
1,000 kW converts to a staggering 1,341 horsepower, a rating that's better suited to a larger vehicle such as the 7 Series or X7. In any case, you can rest assured that BMW's M division will give the iM3 more power and torque than the combustion-engined M3.
Speaking of which, the G80 will receive the Life Cycle Impulse changes from the mid-cycle refresh of the G82 in July 2024. The sedan will be discontinued in February 2027, whereas the BMW M3 Touring – a.k.a. G81 – will follow suit in October 2027.
At the moment of writing, the punchiest M3 yet is the G80-gen M3 CS. Expected to be produced in approximately 2,000 units, the limited-run model develops 542 horsepower and the same 479 pound-feet (650 Nm) of torque as the M3 Competition.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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