- BMW teases the upcoming electric M3 equivalent with its production body hidden by camouflage.
- We get a very good idea about the car's proportions and stance, and it's certainly a departure from the combustion-powered models that have so far worn M badges.
- The electric M3 (which may be called iM3 or i3M) will debut around 2027.
BMW’s sporty Motorsport division is preparing to launch its first fully electric vehicle, and it’s begun building the hype even though the first one doesn’t arrive until 2027. After confirming the quad-motor layout of its upcoming electric M cars and how it wowed executives during an internal drive event, BMW is now teasing the first M EV, which will be based on the upcoming i3 sedan.
The i3 name will likely be repurposed to designate BMW’s new fully electric Neue Klasse (it already calls its G20 3 Series EV for China the i3), and iM3 or i3M seem like the most plausible names for the hot version. According to BMW Blog, there will be several variants of the i3M with power outputs ranging from 670 horsepower to double that in the most potent and hardcore quad-motor variant.
This suggests that base versions will be rear-wheel-drive. However, they may still have the same advanced torque vectoring characteristics thanks to a dual-motor configuration, and you should get it to misbehave pretty easily and turn its rear rubber into smoke. Even in the quad-motor variants, you will likely have a drift mode that sets the car up for maximum side slip. In today’s all-wheel-drive M cars, you can disconnect the front axle if you only want to slide around.
Bearing the internal codename ZA0, the electric M3 equivalent will be the first of its kind, but it will likely be followed by a two-door coupe (M4 equivalent) and an SUV to serve as an electric X3M. BMW’s latest teaser shots tell us a lot about what the M3 EV will look like, featuring design elements from Neue Klasse concepts and Motorsport design staples like blistered wheel arches and a deep chin spoiler.
From the side, you notice the camouflaged prototype doesn’t have the traditional M3 proportions, though. Its front section looks less like it’s hiding a big longitudinally mounted engine and more like that of a front-wheel-drive car. The front overhang looks pretty large too, and the overall design doesn’t appear as elegant as any current BMW sedan.
Hopefully, once the camo gets peeled off, what will be revealed is a sedan that’s pleasing to look at, but so far, its side profile isn’t convincing. It does have a sporty and purposeful stance with its flared-out fenders, but it seems like it wants to break with decades of design tradition, and this may backfire.
We also noticed the camouflaged prototype had what appear to be motorized, flush-fitting door handles, and the car is likely wearing its production body but with some placeholder parts like the front and rear light clusters. Even the stick-on fender flares appear to be the production parts since they resemble the ones on the current M3. Like on today’s M3, the upcoming EV doesn’t appear to have bespoke doors to go with the widened arches, an area of the car that has drawn much criticism.
The electric M3 was penned by Domagoj Dukec, who was at the helm of BMW’s design department and probably signed off on more controversial designs than Chris Bangle. Now, he’s been promoted to become the design director at Rolls-Royce, but his legacy will be felt until the end of the decade when Neue Klasse models will be receiving their mid-lifecycle refresh, and we’re not sure it’s a positive one.
Maybe once the camo comes off, it will reveal a much prettier shape than we’re seeing right now. While for many, the mere fact that BMW M is going electric might be shocking enough (pun intended), we’ve known about that for years. We're excited about that, but what raises some questions for us is the design. Let us know your thoughts on the camouflaged electric M3 and whether the whole Neue Klasse design language is successful.
