The Electric BMW M3 Will Wear The Same Badge As Its Gas Sibling

Ever since BMW said it would build an electric M3, reports flooded the internet claiming the car would carry the iM3 badge. However, that won’t be the case. When the production version of the M Concept Neue Klasse arrives next year, it’ll borrow the name from the gas-powered sports sedan the company has been selling since 1986. Yes, to the dismay of some purists, the electric M3 will be called… M3.

The confirmation comes from none other than the man calling the shots at BMW M. In an interview with Bimmer Today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed over the weekend, Frank van Meel set the record straight:

‘Of course it’s called M3. I’ve never said anything different, but I always find it interesting how people talk about the iM3. An M3 was always an M3. Whether it was a four-cylinder, six-cylinder, V8, or had M xDrive, it simply said M3 on it. That doesn’t change even if it’s electric.’

Not A Replacement, But An Addition

Don’t worry; The high-performance EV won’t replace the gas-powered car. BMW is developing another generation of the M3 with an inline-six engine, but it isn’t expected to arrive until later in 2028. As a result, the electric version could be the only M3 on sale for roughly a year. The current G80 bows out sometime next year, while the G84 isn’t expected to hit the streets until the following year.

During the same interview, Frank van Meel also confirmed plans to give the next-generation 3 Series the M Performance treatment once again with a combustion engine. It’s likely the 2027 M350 xDrive that accidentally appeared on BMW USA’s website earlier this year. Much like the full-fat M3, the not-quite-M variant is expected to retain all six cylinders, but using the B58 engine rather than the M-developed S58 found in the flagship model.

There’s also a good chance BMW will offer a fourth M-badged 3 Series by introducing an electric M Performance i3. Logic suggests it’ll wear the i3 M60 xDrive badge and slot between the already revealed i3 50 xDrive and the upcoming electric M3. Offering so many variants should appeal to a broad range of buyers looking for a sporty sedan, whether they prefer a gas engine or electric motors.

With another 3 Series Touring on the way, there could also be something exciting on the horizon for wagon enthusiasts. However, the company isn’t committing to M versions of the long-roof model just yet.

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Source: BMW

Motor1’s Take: BMW appears confident in the electric M3’s capabilities if it has decided to use the fabled name first introduced by the E30 homologation special four decades ago. The quad-motor super sedan certainly has big shoes to fill, and it’ll have a hard time convincing traditional enthusiasts to make the switch.

Then again, it won’t have to persuade buyers to transition from ICE to EV. The six-cylinder M3 will continue to cater to gas-engine loyalists and, hopefully, keep the pure rear-wheel-drive layout and manual gearbox alive for one more generation.