Article Summary
- New G84 M3 prototypes near the Nürburgring use Neue Klasse headlights with the same daytime running light design as the i3.
- The hood is longer than on the electric M3 (ZA0) to fit an updated S58 twin-turbo inline-six that reportedly meets Euro 7 rules.
- The electric M3 arrives next year, and the six-cylinder G84 follows in 2028 with much wider fenders than the 443 PS M350.
Early mules of the next-generation BMW M3 (G84) were covered in plastic cladding, but the latest prototypes caught at BMW’s test center at the Nürburgring look far closer to the car that will reach showrooms in 2028. The gas-powered successor to the G80 now wears a proper Neue Klasse face, and it’s clearly not a regular 3 Series.
Neue Klasse Face With A Longer Nose
The headlights are the biggest giveaway that we’re looking at near-production hardware. Their daytime running light graphics appear identical to what BMW uses on the electric i3 (NA0). That doesn’t mean the M3 will look like a Neue Klasse EV at night, though. The M Vision Neue Klasse concept and the X5 M60e (G65) prototypes have both shown M Yellow Lights, and we’d be surprised if the M3 didn’t get them too. BMW M likes an easy way to tell its cars apart from the M Performance models, and yellow DRLs do the job cheaply.
The hood is the more interesting detail. Put the G84 next to prototypes of the electric M3 (ZA0) and the combustion car’s hood is noticeably longer. Why one might ask? Because the EV doesn’t need a long engine bay, but a straight-six does.
S58 Carries On, With Euro 7 In Mind
Under that stretched hood sits a further developed S58 twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six, reportedly updated with BMW’s M Ignite technology so it can pass Euro 7 emissions rules. It’s rumored that it would get a mild hybrid 48V which will bring a slight power boost, but we don’t expect the base model to launch with significantly more horsepower.
Quad Pipes Aren’t Enough Anymore
At the back, the four exhaust tips confirm it’s an M3. The taillights, however, won’t differ from those on the regular 3 Series (G50) and the i3, so the rear bumper and exhausts will have to do the talking. We’ve already seen the M350 out and about the other day. That’s important more than usual, because the new M350 xDrive also gets quad pipes.
BMW rates the M Performance sedan at 326 kW (437 hp in the US, 443 PS in Europe) and 580 Nm (428 lb-ft), which is more horsepower than the F80 M3 had. With a “baby M3” that quick, the G84 needs to look the part. And it certainly does. Its fenders bulge far beyond the M350’s, leaving room for wider tracks and more sophisticated suspension hardware. Back in January, we also pointed out that the M350’s exhaust tips sit farther apart than those on the M3, whose pipes are grouped closer to the center of the bumper.
The prototypes also show yellow brake calipers, which point to optional M Carbon ceramic brakes, plus a panoramic glass roof that’s expected to be optional. Inside, we expect a full Neue Klasse design with a new central display, the Panoramic Display and of course, less buttons than before.
BMW is launching the electric M3 (ZA0) first, next year, but the G84 won’t hit showrooms until 2028. Anyone who still wants six cylinders will have to wait, or there is still time to pick up the G80 M3 which will be on sale throughout 2027.
