Over the last couple of weeks, a series of renderings were making the rounds on the Internet. The computer generated images were based on the spy photos of the upcoming BMW G80 M3 and were showing the sports sedan with a new and polarizing design. While in the past the M3’s design was mostly based on the “regular” 3 Series sedan, this time around, things will take a different turn.

According to several sources, the G80 M3 will distance itself from the G20 3 Series, and implicitly from the already very competent M340i sedan, and will bring a larger than usual kidney grille which, as you’d expect, will take over the entire front fascia. The news are hardly unexpected, considering that we’ve seen several BMW M3 prototypes roaming around and carefully trying to hide the large nostrils.

You can see the renderings here.

The design of the G80 M3 is this time around closer to the upcoming 2020 4 Series Coupe and therefore, close to the G82 M4 Coupe. And since the 4 Series and its Gran Coupe are the basis for the all-electric i4, the G80 M3’s design will be part of the same kidney grille family. As you might have guessed by now, the new 4 Series will also be quite polarizing with its design and will move away from uniform design language across all BMW models that we’ve seen in the last few years.

Despite several reports hinting at an unveil this year, the G80 M3 is scheduled to be shown in the first half of 2020 with sales commencing in the second half of the year. The G82 M4 won’t arrive on the market until 2021.

Last week, the boss of BMW M division, Markus Flasch, confirmed that the next G80 M3 will be powered by the same twin-turbo six-cylinder engine as the X3 M and X4 M crossovers.  So basically, we will be getting the 500+ hp with all-wheel drive and likely the entry-level 480 hp M3 with rear-wheel drive. The manual transmission will be offered for the lower powered M3.

“Drivetrain-wise, think about the M5’s all-wheel drive system – we are able to put it in the M3 as well,” Flasch said. “It’ll be very similar. But we will also do rear-wheel drive cars, purer ones too and a manual stick shift.”