BMW is preparing to launch the next-generation M3. There will be both a combustion version and an electric version, and that’s it—no hybrid.
In an interview with Piston Heads, BMW M Boss Frank Van Meel confirmed that the next M3 "won’t be hybrid, as we’re sticking with the perfect combustion principle." Its updated S58 inline-six engine with M Ignite technology launches this year in the current M3 and M4 models, and it will make its way into future M cars.
While the automaker has no plans to offer a hybrid model to sit between the combustion M3 and the battery-electric version, the S58-powered version will have some electrification. The car will likely feature a 48-volt, mild-hybrid system, unlike the new BMW M5, which has a heavy plug-in hybrid system.
This distinct difference in powertrains allows BMW to "go to the extremes," said Van Meel. While enthusiasts will flock to the combustion-powered one for its pure driving experience, Van Meel was open about the fact that the electric M3 allows the automaker "to move to the next level of vehicle dynamics."
The Neue Klasse platform allows BMW "to create something quite extreme," promising that the electric M3 will be more than just a quick car in a straight line—"it’ll be faster around a track, too."
Motor1’s Take: It’s great to hear BMW won’t make a full hybrid version of the new combustion-powered M3. Yes, electricity can generate a ton of power, but it comes at the expense of weight, and we doubt the automaker wants a repeat of the ridicule that the hefty M5 got when it debuted weighing over 5,300 pounds.
