BMW is preparing simultaneous electric and gasoline M3 models at "roughly the same" price

BMW is set to offer both electric and gasoline M3 models that look nearly identical with minor design differences related to the powertrains, at approximately the same price. The electric M3 will debut in 2027, while the gasoline model will appear in 2028, likely as a mild hybrid, reports UNN with reference to Autoblog.

Details

Like Toyota, BMW has not bet on just one option when electrifying its lineup. Despite being one of the pioneers of modern electrification, the company has approached the issue wisely, refusing to switch completely to electric vehicles, the publication notes.

Through its strategic "Power of Choice" approach, BMW has provided customers with a wide range of powertrains, including gasoline, plug-in hybrids, and battery electric vehicles, often on the same platform. This has allowed it to weather the electric vehicle market downturn better than many competitors. Even with the launch of the dedicated Neue Klasse EV platform—the largest single investment in the company's history at nearly $12 billion—BMW continues to maintain a flexible approach. The upcoming BMW M3 is a very good example: the automaker will offer it in two different variants: an electric vehicle based on the Neue Klasse (codename ZA0) and a gasoline car (G84) based on the proven CLAR platform.

For the first time, BMW M fans will have a choice between two different M3 models, although they will look very similar externally. And it has now become known that their price will be approximately the same, the publication notes.

BMW Head of Sales Silvia Neubauer told Autocar that the electric M3 and the six-cylinder M3 will cost roughly the same, which essentially means that personal preference will be the main factor in the purchasing decision. "The good news is that in terms of pricing, they are roughly the same," Neubauer said, without providing specific estimates. She added that offering two M3s simultaneously would give customers a choice.

While both cars will be virtually identical on the outside, there will be small design differences related to the type of powertrain. "There will be functional differences that will lead to different design solutions in some areas of the car, but if you look at them, you will see that they are twins," Neubauer told Autocar.

Neubauer also noted that regardless of the chosen powertrain, customers can be sure they are getting a true BMW M car. "When we talk about a BMW M3, it is an M3, regardless of the powertrain type. The driving experience must be authentic, and you decide for yourself whether you want an electric vehicle or an internal combustion engine car," she said.

According to unnamed sources cited by BMW Blog, the all-electric BMW M3 will be equipped with a four-motor powertrain producing between 800 and 900 horsepower. This would easily make it the most powerful production BMW M car in history.

This setup will provide all-wheel and rear-wheel drive modes, electronically controlled torque vectoring, and lightning-fast acceleration, with a 0 to 100 km/h sprint likely in less than 3 seconds. Rumor has it that the all-electric M3 will enter production in Munich in March 2027.

The gasoline-powered BMW M3 will likely retain the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six engine, although BMW Blog sources claim that for the first time it will be offered as a mild hybrid, with a 48-volt electric motor integrated directly into the 8-speed automatic transmission. BMW reportedly chose the mild hybrid path after the plug-in hybrid M5 was widely criticized for being overweight.

The base model is expected to develop around 525 hp, though CS and CSL variants will likely be more powerful. Most sources claim that the gasoline-powered BMW M3 will not be offered with a manual transmission. Production of the G84 M3 is expected to begin in July 2028, more than a year after its all-electric sibling.

Exclusive 850 hp BMW M5 by Mansory debuts in Egypt04.05.26, 13:21 • 5482 views