BMW Knows The Biggest Threat To The M3 Comes From Within

When the M Concept Neue Klasse broke cover at Le Mans earlier this year, the message from BMW was clear: we’re making an electric M3. While it didn’t carry the iconic badge, that much was obvious from the press images. Some of the official photos even paired the concept with the legendary E30 homologation special, hinting at the first M3 without a combustion engine. When the concept morphs into a production model in 2027, it’ll use the same 40-year-old name: M3.

With the Mercedes-AMG C63 out of the picture, at least for the time being, the M3 has fewer rivals to worry about. There’s the new Audi RS5 and aging-but-still-excellent sports sedans like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. However, BMW believes the biggest threat to its gas-powered sports sedan comes from within: the M3 ZA0.

Speaking with British magazine Autocar, M CEO Frank van Meel says the electric M3 will become a “natural enemy” of both the G80 and the G84 that will succeed it. The current-generation M3 is expected to bow out by the middle of next year before a new inline-six model arrives in 2028, possibly with a mild-hybrid setup. It may become all-wheel drive only and lose the manual gearbox in the process, but another ICE-powered M3 is definitely on the way.

Gas Or Electric BMW M3? There Are No Wrong Answers

“Now we are fighting against [ourselves], because with the all-electric M3 we are attacking our best-selling product – the leader in its segment. We are also working on a future generation of [gasoline] M3, but now we have an internal fight. We are just pushing ourselves with the two different powertrains, and it’s a great contest.”

For BMW, it’s a win-win situation, as the company will be equally happy if buyers continue choosing the gas-powered M3 for its sound and other combustion-engine-specific traits. However, the mayor of M Town believes the ZA0 will win over some customers, especially those who are “into racing or driving dynamics.” Simulated gear changes are also on the menu, as Frank van Meel says they’re necessary to help drivers judge how fast they’re going.

Interestingly, the electric M3 won’t get an engine-inspired soundtrack after all. Instead, it’ll feature a new sound derived from the whir of its quad electric motors. That’s a surprise given BMW previously had sound engineers record everything from the E30’s four-cylinder engine to the naturally aspirated V10. The company ultimately concluded those sounds “made sense for that specific car” and weren’t suitable for the ZA0.

As for pricing, the current M3 Competition xDrive starts at $89,950 in the United States and €107,600 in Germany. With prices continuing to creep upward, its direct successor will likely edge even closer to $100,000 and exceed €110,000 when the G84 arrives in 2028. The ZA0, launching a year earlier, will be “in the same ballpark” as the six-cylinder model, according to Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President, Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW M.

Source: Autocar