BMW is preparing a new chapter for the M3, one of its central performance models. The decision keeps the combustion version tied to the brand’s inline-six formula while giving the electric version a separate role.
According to Piston Heads, BMW M boss Frank Van Meel said the next M3 “won’t be hybrid,” explaining that the division is “sticking with the perfect combustion principle.” The statement clarifies BMW M’s strategy for the model before its next generation arrives.
The Combustion M3 Keeps the S58 Inline-Six
The combustion-powered M3 will use BMW’s updated S58 inline-six engine. This engine will feature M Ignite technology, which is scheduled to launch this year in the current M3 and M4 before being used in future M cars.
BMW is not planning a full hybrid version of the M3. The S58-powered version will still likely include some electrification through a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
That setup would separate it from the new BMW M5, which uses a heavier plug-in hybrid powertrain. The difference shows that BMW is not applying the same electrification strategy across all M models.
BMW Wants Two Clear M3 Identities
Van Meel said the split between combustion and electric allows BMW to “go to the extremes.” The combustion version is being positioned around what he described as a pure driving experience.
The electric M3, by contrast, gives BMW another direction for performance development. Van Meel said it allows the automaker “to move to the next level of vehicle dynamics.”
There is a neat simplicity to the plan, even if it leaves no middle option. Buyers will choose between a gasoline M3 and a battery-electric M3, not a hybrid compromise.
The Electric M3 Will Be More Than Straight-Line Speed
BMW’s electric M3 will use the Neue Klasse platform. Van Meel said this architecture allows BMW “to create something quite extreme.”
The company is not presenting the electric M3 only as a quick car in a straight line. Van Meel said “it’ll be faster around a track, too,” pointing to handling and dynamics as part of the brief.
The weight issue surrounding the new BMW M5, which debuted at more than 5,300 pounds. In that context, BMW’s decision not to create a full hybrid combustion M3 keeps a clear separation between the lighter combustion formula and the fully electric version.
