BMW is making a lot of big claims about the new electric M3, but its latest statement might just be the boldest yet.
Expected to be called the iM3 – as the flagship of the electric i3 range – the upcoming performance EV is being tested under the BMW M Neue Klasse moniker, ahead of a 2027 launch.
Previous reports have suggested its 800-volt, quad-motor platform will support power outputs of more than 750kW, making it not only BMW M’s most powerful production car ever, but also well clear of the current twin-turbo straight-six M3 Competition xDrive’s 390kW figure.
Despite this significant power advantage, as well as the technological steps of being based on a far newer and more complex platform, BMW M’s sales boss Sylvia Neubauer told the UK’s Autocar that the iM3 will be similarly priced to the current M3.
“The good news is that from a pricing perspective, that are in the same ballpark,” Neubauer said.
The executive added that by offering both the iM3 and M3 as a part of its lineup, BMW will give potential buyers “the choice” as to which car suits them best.
“There will be functional differences that lead to a different design in some areas of the car, but when you look at them, you will see that they are twins
“Mainly it’s a high-performance target group [BMW M3 buyers. But within that high-performance target groups, you have those with more progressive all-electric mindsets and the ones that are diehard petrolheads who will stay in an ICE vehicle forever.
“But it’s always a BMW M. When we talk about the BMW M3, it’s the M3 no matter the drivetrain. The driving experience must be true, and you decide if you want EV or ICE.”
According to Neubauer, the BMW iM3 will “stay true to BMW M DNA”, something the company has previously highlighted about the EV.
“It’s not only about acceleration and power, it’s about drivability, manoeuvrability and that level of trust and connection between the driver, car and road,” she added.
“With a high-performance BEV, you need to be able to trust it every millisecond, and the car is so convincing.”
As previously reported, BMW has teased that the iM3 will feature fake gear shifts and a “newly developed soundscape”, similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (and now Ioniq 6 N).
While it didn’t say at the time what this soundscape would be, in a video uploaded to YouTube, BMW M showed its team recording engine sounds from three recent performance models, which will likely be piped into the EV’s cabin.
These include the E92 M3 GTS (powered by a 4.4-litre V8 engine), the F82 M4 GTS (powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six engine), and the E63 M6 (powered by a 5.0-litre V10).
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