Most of the car industry is slowly transitioning to the inevitable electric future, but not all is lost – not yet, anyway. Multiple automakers remain committed to the ICE recipe, including BMW's M Division, despite announcing an all-electric M3.
The latter will use the Neue Klasse platform, which supports up to one megawatt of power, or 1,340 horsepower (1,360 ps) in old money. And while the Munich auto marque has yet to announce how much the M3 EV will unleash, it is safe to assume it will be more than the ICE-powered model(s).
But what does the future hold in store for the traditional BMW M3? A recent report from BMWBlog states that it will survive for another generation. Supposedly codenamed the G84, it will allegedly keep using a straight-six with twin turbos.
Mind you, the automaker needs to make it compliant with the Euro 7 emission standards, which will be very tricky. The most logical step would be to electrify it partially, and while this remains a possibility, it might also make do with no electric trickery whatsoever. This move would please purists, especially if it will still be offered with pure rear-wheel drive beside the xDrive AWD models and a traditional stick shift as an alternative to the dual-clutch transmission.
Photo: BMW
Chances are the next-gen BMW M3 will still utilize the CLAR platform, albeit probably with a few adjustments. It is expected to arrive in late 2027 or early 2028, and by then, the current M3 will be seven to eight years old. The previous F80 was made for only four years between 2014 and 2019, and the E9X that preceded it saw the light of day between 2007 and 2013. If these dates are accurate, then the current M3 will have a very long lifespan.
Fans of the two-door M4 (Coupe and Convertible) will not be pleased to hear that the rumor mill says it will not receive a new generation. The current one is believed to stick around until the second quarter of 2027, and that is when it will supposedly bite the dust for good. The current M4 rolled out in 2020, and by the time BMW pulls the plug on it, it should be seven years old – again, if the date turns out to be correct.
There is no word on a potentially new M3 Touring (station wagon), and we wouldn't be surprised to learn that the M Division will not renew it. After all, estates, including fast ones, are not that popular anymore, and BMW has plenty of quick crossovers in its portfolio to fill its shoes. Remember that this is all unofficial information and should be taken accordingly until the company says otherwise.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News