The BMW M Concept Neue Klasse previews the upcoming electric M3. It looks like an i3 on steroids, with a bodykit and a four-seater cabin. Power comes from quad electric motors and a 100 kWh battery. The M3 is about to get the multi-energy treatment that BMW has been rolling out across its lineup. A combustion M3 is still coming, but ahead of it BMW pulled the wraps off the M Concept Neue Klasse, and this is the electric one in everything but name. Think of it as a near-production preview of the upcoming i3M, which is the badge it’s rumored to wear. The concept broke cover at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where BMW officially called it a “preview of the new design language for high-performance automobiles from BMW M GmbH” and said it “sends a clear signal for the brand’s all-electric future.” More: BMW’s Hottest M3 CS Loses 70 HP But Gains A Manual BMW can dress up the language however it likes. The fact is, this thing looks like an i3 sedan that spent a winter in the gym, and parking it next to the E30 M3 for photos settles any question about what it stands in for, even if it’s bound to wear an i-badge that some purists will never read as a real M3. The shape carries over from last year’s Vision Driving Experience concept, cleaned up and pushed closer to something you could actually buy. A Track-Ready Take On The i3 Sedan The greenhouse and LEDs recall the i3 sedan, but everything else has changed. The M treatment adds custom front and rear bumpers with large openings inspired by high-speed multihull sailing boats, cube-shaped LEDs called “track lights,” much wider front and rear fenders, and a pronounced ducktail spoiler. More: BMW’s Vision Alpina Is Built Around A Car It Already Killed The bodywork wears a Monza Red metallic shade, with the dark-finished splitter, side skirts, diffuser, hood scoop, and roof made of natural fiber. The M Yellow Lights pull straight from racing, and the mirrors are aerodynamically optimized. The concept rides on center-lock wheels with negative camber, and the M-specific chassis brings wider tracks and a lowered stance. Inside: Four Buckets And A Roll Cage The cabin carries over the Neue Klasse hardware and design from the i3, including the infotainment and the BMW Panoramic iDrive screen at the base of the windshield. Everything else marks this out as a performance sedan. More: BMW’s New iX5 M Could Make The Gas X5 M Look Weak There are four independent bucket seats trimmed in Merino leather, with five-point belts and structural elements made of natural fiber. A roll cage wrapped in Nubuck leather matches the steering wheel and door cards. The dashboard is trimmed in a black knit material with backlighting, and the steering wheel and center console break from the i3 with custom controls and red accents. Quad Motors And 800 Volts Under the skin, we find the BMW M eDrive quad-motor system. It builds on the Neue Klasse’s Gen6 foundation but was specifically developed for electric M models. BMW hasn’t quoted a combined output, though sources put the electric M3 anywhere between 700 and 1,000 hp (710-1,014 PS). The 2025 concept reportedly generated 13,269 lb-ft (17,990 Nm) of torque. More: BMW’s First-Ever AWD M2 Has A Button That Makes It Rear-Drive Again Power is managed by the BMW M Dynamic Performance Control System, which is part of the Heart of Joy superbrains. The company promises a “new interpretation of dynamics, agility, and precision” thanks to the wheel-specific control of power and brakes. The 800-volt architecture pairs with a battery pack rated at more than 100 kWh. It uses an M-specific version of the sixth-gen cylindrical cells built to handle higher outputs while supporting fast charging and longer range. The battery housing is structurally integrated with the axles for added rigidity. Franciscus van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW M GmbH, said: “Even in the new all-electric era, we continue the M-typical tradition of transferring both technological innovations and defining design features directly from motorsport into series production”. More: A 1,000 HP Electric M3 And A 552 HP Gas M3 Will Have The Same Price Tag BMW hasn’t set a date for the debut of the electric M3 (or iM3), but 2027 looks like the likely window. Reports also point to a mild-hybrid six-cylinder successor to the gas M3, dressed in Neue Klasse styling and tech, that would sell alongside the EV.
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