BMW ONCE SAID THEY'D NEVER MAKE AN ELECTRIC M3 - SOMEONE LIED...
BMW M is about to rewrite one of its own sacred texts. From 2027, the badge that built its legend on screaming straight-sixes and tyre smoke will introduce a fully electric BMW M3, ushering the “Ultimate Driving Machine” into an era many purists feared, and secretly wondered about. According to BMW M boss Franciscus van Meel, this isn’t a side quest or a compliance exercise. It’s a reset. Built on the brand’s next-generation Neue Klasse architecture, the upcoming electric M models aim to set a new benchmark for high-performance cars, blending everyday usability with genuine racetrack capability.
At the heart of the electric M3 is a drivetrain concept that’s as bold as it is complex. Each wheel gets its own electric motor, meaning four motors in total, delivering a level of control no combustion M car could ever achieve. This is where BMW’s new BMW M Dynamic Performance Control comes in, governed by the evocatively named “Heart of Joy” supercomputer. Torque is metered to each wheel individually, in real time, balancing traction, rotation, braking and recuperation right up to the limit. The result promises explosive response, uncanny stability, and the ability to deploy power with surgical precision on both road and track. For those already shouting “but rear-wheel drive”, BMW’s thought of you. The front axle can be completely decoupled, restoring classic M-style rear-drive behaviour when conditions allow, while also improving efficiency and range on long motorway stints.
Neue Klasse brings serious computing muscle. Four high-performance control units, dubbed Superbrains, handle everything from driving dynamics and automated driving to infotainment and comfort systems. The upside is faster reactions, more cohesive vehicle behaviour, and the ability to roll out updates and performance upgrades far quicker than before. Think of it as an M car that can evolve, rather than one frozen at launch. BMW isn’t playing coy about performance. These electric drive units are described as the most powerful ever used in a BMW M vehicle, with extreme power density and integrated inverters, gearboxes and oil supply systems. The system allows seamless torque blending between electric motors and braking, delivering maximum traction while harvesting energy under braking with unprecedented efficiency. BMW claims the driving experience this unlocks is something its production cars have simply never achieved before.
Feeding all of this is a high-voltage battery with more than 100 kWh of usable energy, engineered specifically for high-performance use. Based on the Gen6 cylindrical cell and an 800-volt electrical system, it promises long range, high peak power, and rapid charging. Cooling has been beefed up, the Energy Master control unit has been optimised for sustained output, and the battery housing itself forms a structural part of the car, tying the front and rear axles together. The payoff is increased rigidity, sharper responses, and better dynamics, especially when pushing hard.
Yes, it’s electric, but BMW M knows emotion is non-negotiable. To that end, the electric M models will feature predefined driving modes, simulated gear shifts, and a newly developed soundscape designed to give drivers feedback, drama, and involvement. Whether that convinces lifelong petrolheads is another story, though.
Take a look at the YouTube video hosted by the chaps at DPC Cars as they take a look at the BMW that was never going to exist but is set to arrive in a little over a year now: This Is How BMW M Plans To Redefine Performance In 2027 | DPCcars
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