• The next-generation BMW M3 could still be offered with a gasoline engine.
BMW is well on the way to going electric, and for several years now, there’s been speculation that the next M3 will be electric-only. BMW has not confirmed this, and it’s likely it has not yet made a decision.
There’s now some fresh speculation, this time from the BMW Blog website. Citing anonymous sources, it reports that the German automaker’s sports sedan will be produced in electric format as well as with a gasoline engine.
The standard engine would be the same 3.0L, twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder that powers the current model.
The next combustion-powered M3 will, according to those sources, debut in 2027 or 2028, with the electric variant following shortly thereafter. Both will be based on the next-generation 3 Series, expected before the end of 2026. As you can guess, there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes on all the variants planned.
BMW could go different ways with the styling for the electric variant. Until now, the brand's electric sedans – the i4, i5 and i7 - have generally been based on gasoline-powered models. The brand’s SUVs, on the other hand, venture farther into wholly original designs.
Then there’s the question of how consumers will respond to a BMW-badged electric performance sedan. The pleasure associated with driving an M product is largely linked to the sound of the mechanics and the exhaust system; the experience will be entirely different with an electric M3, even if the level of performance is likely to be even greater.
Clearly, this report is good news for potential buyers who were worried about the model going all-electric.
As for the M4, according to BMW Blog, there will be no follow-up for the gasoline version.
Nothing is official, of course, and the manufacturer's plans can change up to 18 months prior to launch. 2027 is still a long way off.
In any case, while automakers are not generally questioning their shift to electric vehicles, they are looking into the possibility of keeping combustion engines alive a little longer.