The next generation BMW M3 will be an electric vehicle (EV) based on the brand’s incoming Neue Klasse platform, according to a new report.
Australian publication Carsales says the news came directly from the mouth of BMW’s head of product development, Frank Weber, who told media that the iconic model will go fully electric by 2027.
As previously mentioned, the M3 EV is said to be based on the Neue Klasse platform which will underpin between six or seven different models by 2027.
“We want to come with something where we show Neue Klasse is already very ambitious. But this is doing something far above what people are used to today,” Weber told Carsales.
“This will come with M3 and will not be too far away from the initial launch of the Neue Klass as a product line.”
Thanks to the new platform, the electric sports sedan could also pack quite the punch, with BMW M CEO Frank Van Meel hinting that a quad-motor 1000kW model is on the cards for the brand. That car could very well be the next M3.
In terms of design, the M3 EV might look like a hotted-up version of the recently revealed Vision Neue Klasse with a larger front splitter, more aggressive side skirts, and a rear wing. We expect that it’ll have redesigned and wider wheels to maximise grip.
There’s good news for the petrol engine lovers among you too, as BMW says it will keep a turbocharged six-cylinder offering around for a little while longer. However, we yet aren’t sure what platform the dinosaur-burning model will be based on.