2027 BMW M3: latest on electric and petrol versions of iconic performance car

Those worried the all-new BMW M3 would be EV-only can breathe a sigh of relief because the next iteration of the legendary super-saloon will also be offered in mild-hybrid petrol-engined form. We expect the reveal of both cars in 2027 ahead of an on-sale date in 2028. 

Given the difference in the two cars’ powertrains, we can expect their performance to be noticeably different. However, a senior official told us that the EV and petrol models should have similar styling – based on the Neue Klasse Sedan concept that BMW brought along to the Munich Motor Show in 2023. 

Along with the typically aggressive design traits that more modern M3s have become renowned for – such as chunkier wheelarches, larger wheels, bigger diffusers and bespoke bumpers – the new M3 will also feature BMW’s revolutionary ‘Panoramic iDrive’ too.

What engine will the new petrol BMW M3 get? 

We’ve known the next M3 will become all-electric for the first time ever for a while now, but more recently, BMW’s development boss Frank Weber revealed that the existing 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six engine has been developed to meet Euro 7 emissions regulations. Rather than a plug-in hybrid system as on the latest M5, mild-hybrid technology will play a part in meeting the M3’s emissions targets, which will mark the first time hybrid power has been used in an M3. There’s no confirmation of what engine the next petrol-powered M3 will use, but BMW won’t go down the same downsizing route as Mercedes-AMG has done with its four-cylinder plug-in hybrid C63. 

A six or eight-cylinder M3 could be possible, but we know that it’ll have a new cylinder firing order and a revised cooling set-up – the latter of which will contribute to a significant reduction in weight, which could come down to as little as 1,500kg. Such a kerb weight on an M3 hasn’t been seen since the early 2000s, on the lightweight M3 CSL coupé with carbon panels. 

With no substantial electric assistance, we expect the petrol-powered M3 to be only slightly more potent than the current M3 Competition, which develops 523bhp and 650Nm of torque. 

What can we expect from the new all-electric BMW M3?

The pure-electric M3 - likely to be called ‘iM3’ judging from BMW’s recent trademark filing, will have similar dynamic capabilities to the petrol model, according to our source, despite the EV weighing between 400 and 500kg more. To offset the extra weight, the iM3 will get more power. We’ve previously seen a quad-motor version of BMW’s similarly sized i4 M50 EV testing and Weber told Auto Express the system could produce up to 1,341bhp, although such an output would probably be reserved for cars further up the M range, such as the X5 M and XM. 

The iM3 will likely get a detuned version of the system, but power distribution between the four motors will be highly adjustable, which should help the iM3 retain the traditional driving experience of the M3. BMW’s M division boss Frank van Meel told Auto Express they ‘won’t need’ a megawatt of power (roughly 1,341bhp) for the iM3, though with more power available we could see more potent versions of the EV arrive later - akin to the petrol model’s hotter CS and CSL variants. 

BMW is also looking into simulated gearchange technology like that offered on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, van Meel added. “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,” he said. “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.”

What will the new BMW M3 look like?

A camouflaged prototype of the new electric M3 was spotted testing with a bodystyle similar to the Neue Klasse sedan concept and indeed the livery on the test car was similar to the i4 quad-motor car our spies caught in 2023.

We expect the new all-electric M3’s design will be heavily inspired by the Neue Klasse 3 Series sedan concept, garnished with some usual M division touches such as wider wheelarches, aggressive bumpers and the diffuser seen in our exclusive image predicting the looks. 

With less heat build-up, thanks to new engine temperature-management systems, the petrol-engined M3 might not need many more air vents at the front than its pure-electric sibling. 

The M3’s interior will take elements from BMW’s new ‘Panoramic iDrive’, which it revealed in early 2025. This will feature a huge, full-width display on the dashboard, a larger trapezoidal central touchscreen and a radically different steering wheel. 

When will the new BMW M3 arrive and what are its rivals? 

Following the launch of the standard Neue Klasse 3 Series in 2026, BMW is scheduled to reveal the all-electric iM3 version of the next-generation M3 in 2027 alongside the petrol-powered version - which will mark seven years since the current G80-generation M3 went on sale. 

UK specifications and pricing are expected to be announced towards the end of 2027, with an on-sale date of 2028 for both cars. 

The electric M3 won’t have the market to itself when it does arrive. There will be competition from Hyundai with its Ioniq 6 N, which will share technology with the Ioniq 5 N. Other rival electric performance saloons will include the Tesla Model 3 Performance and potentially a hot Quadrifoglio version of the upcoming electric Alfa Romeo Giulia. 

Now read our review of the BMW M5 Touring...