BMW’s M performance division isn’t planning to retire inline-six petrol power anytime soon, with the seventh-generation M3 set to feature a version of the venerable S58 engine.
In an interview with German website Bimmer Today, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel confirmed engineers are in the process of tweaking the 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six to meet Euro 7 emissions regulations, extending its life beyond the current sixth-generation M3.
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“We’ll let the six-cylinder combustion engine run for as long as possible,” said Mr van Meel in remarks translated from German.
“If customer demand is what it is at the moment and it doesn’t drop off, we won’t turn off the six-cylinder engine either.
“We’re working on a Euro 7 qualification so that the engine can be offered in the long-term.”
However, the German marque is still moving towards an electric future, with an M3 EV built on the new Neue Klasse platform to be sold alongside the seventh-generation combustion-powered M3.
“That’s the plan and it has to be better than the current one,” Mr van Meel confirmed.
Neue Klasse concept
“There are currently no high-performance models that are purely electric for good reason, because they require a lot of ingredients and technologies that aren’t available at the moment.
“Neue Klasse offers a great platform that we have actively helped shape, it’s able to map the M performance requirements.
So, what can we expect from an electric BMW M3?
“Four electric motors is definitely the concept we are planning for high-performance models, individually controllable e-motors on each wheel paired with a central control logic similar to M xDrive in the M5,” said Mr van Meel.
“It’s about the drive, it’s about braking, it’s about dynamics, it drives like it’s made from a single piece. That’s very important and it’s only possible with four motors.”
BMW Blog reports the next generation of M3 performance machines will wear the G84 (petrol) and ZA0 (electric) model designations, respectively.
Both combustion and electric versions of the seventh-gen M3 are expected to land in either 2027 or 2028, following the introduction of the new G50 3 Series.
It’s unclear whether the next M3 will be available in Touring wagon form, after the body style debuted with the current generation.
MORE: Everything BMW M3
