BMW M Neue Klasse: the electric M3 arrives in 2027

Do not alter your display. No, it is not a misprint. BMW M is getting ready to introduce an all-electric version of its most prized models: the M3, alongside the M4 coupé and cabriolet and, hopefully, an M3 Touring before too long. Will it adopt the iX3-style naming convention and simply become the iM3? Time will tell. At present, BMW describes the project as the BMW M Neue Klasse, and these new images show the heavily camouflaged four-door saloon sliding around in snowy conditions.

BMW M Neue Klasse launch and powertrain

We have known for some time that BMW has been quietly developing it behind the scenes, but its arrival now feels much more tangible following the publication of its first official information. The headline figures? It will arrive in 2027 - and ‘arrive’ is the key word, because BMW has confirmed four electric motors, one powering each wheel and, if the rumours prove accurate, more than 1,000bhp. In an M3.

BMW M traditionalists may be tearing their hair out at this stage, but the real stroke of genius is that BMW will simultaneously introduce a straight-six petrol M3 range as well. It may use electric turbochargers, although that remains tbc, and it will give buyers a genuine choice. They can embrace M’s electric future, with its huge power and electronic sophistication, or remain with the established formula. Want to discover what performance-car fans truly make of the EV-versus-petrol argument? Check the sales figures: we are about to find out.

The BMW M Neue Klasse will, as its name implies, be closely based on the new modular architecture beneath BMW’s Neue Klasse range. Top Gear’s current car of the year, the iX3, is the first model to use this completely new platform, with 40 (yes 40!) further models due between now and 2027. The M version, however, upgrades every component that matters.

Four motors and BMW M eDrive handling

The system known as BMW M eDrive uses two drive units, one at each axle, with two motors in each unit. Positioned in parallel, the motors send their output through individual gearboxes to their respective wheels. This is the electric-vehicle ideal: all-wheel drive is available for traction, while the front axle can optionally be disengaged to provide traditional rear-wheel-drive responses - and substantial smoky slides - as well as more efficient motorway driving.

It also gives the car immediate, highly precise control at every corner. That opens up near-limitless torque-vectoring scope to calibrate the handling, create specific driving modes and, in general, disguise the vehicle’s weight.

It all sounds impressively complex, but what about the drama of taking an engine to the redline and hammering home a full-throttle upshift? BMW has not gone into detail, but it refers to ‘emulated gearshifts’ - presumably a software-controlled paddle-shift setup similar to that in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N - plus an ‘exclusive soundscape’. You can hear a preview of the latter by skipping to 7m 45s in this film.

Battery, Superbrains and chassis technology

BMW has also confirmed that the battery will have a capacity of more than 100kWh, although there is no range estimate yet. Revised cell chemistry allows it to deliver greater peak power, accept more energy through regeneration, and charge more rapidly than batteries in regular Neue Klasse models. It is also a structural part of the car, linking both the front and rear axles and increasing overall chassis rigidity.

As on other Neue Klasse vehicles, four high-performance computers - termed ‘Superbrains’ by BMW - manage this complexity. They oversee driving dynamics, automated driving, infotainment and comfort functions through a single, seamless processing stream. Further developments include natural-fibre composites, which offer properties comparable with carbon fibre while cutting CO2 emissions from production by 40 per cent.

“The next generation of models are set to establish a new benchmark in the high-performance vehicle segment,” said BMW M boss Frank van Meel. “With the latest generation of Neue Klasse technology, we are taking the BMW M driving experience to a new level and will inspire our customers with outstanding, racetrack-ready driving dynamics for everyday use.”

Wherever you stand in the performance EV discussion, one point is certain: BMW M understands the reputational risk attached to going entirely electric - and it will not be taking shortcuts with this one.