BMW hasn’t determined whether or not the subsequent M3, M4 will likely be electrical

All hope is not misplaced for lovers preferring the BMW M3 with a sonorous straight-six engine underneath the hood. Though the game sedan was supposed to change to electrical energy close to the top of the 2020s, the German agency hasn’t dominated out designing a brand new gasoline-powered mannequin.

“Effectively, the logic is sort of simple. The subsequent [M3] or [M4] must be higher than the present one. And if that may be completed in an electrical manner, then it should in all probability go electrical. If not, we’ll stick with combustion engine. It is fairly simple,” BMW M boss Frank van Meel instructed Australia’s Drive.

Some parameters are pretty straight-forward to enhance. The present-generation M3 makes use of a 3.0-liter straight-six that is twin-turbocharged to 473 horsepower in its customary configuration. If its successor lands with 500 horsepower, it’s going to tick the “higher” field — on paper, not less than.

Nonetheless, straight-line pace and horsepower aren’t the one interesting elements within the M3 recipe, and dealing with has helped make the mannequin a pressure to reckon with on and off the observe for many years. That is the place making an electrical M3 that is higher than the present automotive will get difficult, as batteries add an incredible quantity of weight. BMW M has examined electrical prototypes for years, however as of writing it hasn’t unveiled a full-blown electrical M automotive. M-branded fashions, just like the i4 M50 and the iX M60, are positioned a notch beneath vehicles just like the M3 and the X5 M.

“In fact, we’re making an attempt to make [the next M3] occur as pure electrical,” clarified van Meel.

What’s seemingly sure, not less than at this stage, is that the next-generation M3 will not be out there with a number of powertrain varieties.

“I do not assume all three [options]. That will likely be somewhat bit too far. Really, we wish to supply only one, however you by no means know,” van Meel replied when Drive requested about the potential for seeing gasoline-burning, battery-powered, and plug-in hybrid variants of the subsequent M3 and M4.

BMW’s next-generation M3 and M4 seemingly will not arrive till 2027 on the earliest, so the model nonetheless has time to determined which drivetrain to make use of.

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