The upcoming BMW iM3 – an electric version of the iconic M3 – will be the first EV ‘M’ car, and while it’s got impressive numbers on paper, the brand seems aware that raw data doesn’t sell performance vehicles.
Last week, BMW said the electric M3, previewed by the M Neue Klasse prototype, follows in the footsteps of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N (and Ioniq 6 N) by adopting fake gear shifts and a “newly developed soundscape”.
While it didn’t say at the time what this soundscape would be, it now appears that it has enlisted a number of classic BMW M models to give the EV’s occupants a simulated soundtrack to listen to.
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).
The BMW M6 in particular was the star of the video, having been the first car to be recorded, and accidentally burning the cover of the microphones near its exhaust outlets.
It’s not yet known whether the iM3 will offer drivers the ability to change the car’s sound based on one of the three recorded vehicles directly, or if BMW’s soundscape will see the three engines effectively combined.
In the Ioniq 5 N and 6 N, the engine-based simulated sound mimics the noise of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, while its faux shifting system makes it feel like an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Previous reports have tipped the BMW iM3 will produce more than 750kW from its quad-motor powertrain, which can have the front motors decoupled to provide a raw rear-wheel drive experience.
BMW has previously said the electric M car will be its first to use natural fibre composites on a large scale, cutting CO2 production emissions while being just as strong.
Despite the fanfare for the M Neue Klasse, BMW will continue to sell a petrol-powered M3 alongside the EV, with a new-generation six-cylinder engine to sit under the bonnet.
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