So here’s the deal. BMW isn’t hiding the EV version behind a new “i” nameplate.
When the production M3 launches in 2027, it’s going to wear the same badge as its gasoline sibling. The M3 nameplate turns 40 this year, and for one specific stretch, there is going to be a gap in the lineage where only the electric version exists. It happens. The old gas-powered G80 model bows out early next year. Its high-performance electric cousin, the M340i, fades away too.
By mid-2028, a new inline-six M3 arrives to save the day for traditionalists.
But until then? Just the electric one.
The Badge Debate Ends Here
The internet spent months speculating that the car would be called the “iM3”. People liked that logic. It felt clean. Distinct.
Frank van Meel, the head of BMW M, doesn’t care. He told Bimmer Today at Goodwood:
“Of course it’s called M3… Whether it was a four-cylinder… V8, or had M xDrice… That doesn’t change even if it’s electric.”
He sees the history clearly. An M3 has always been an M3. The engine inside changes. The name stays. This is a hard line he’s drawn, and he isn’t apologizing for it. It confuses the purists who believe electricity should carry its own label. But BMW thinks the M3 name is strong enough to handle batteries.
Filling The Lineup Gaps
Don’t panic. The internal combustion engine isn’t dying just yet. BMW is still building a new gas-powered M3 with the S58 inline-six engine. It’s coming. Late 2028 is the target date.
There is also news for people who like speed but want to keep the emissions lower than the M3 allows. The 2027 M Performance 3-Series will likely arrive as the M350 xDrive. We saw this coming early. That code accidentally appeared on the BMW USA website months ago.
It uses the B58 engine. That means all six cylinders stay. It’s not the flagship M-developed power unit, but it is legitimate combustion engineering.
BMW might even add another layer to the sandwich. An electric M Performance model could exist under the main M3 banner. Think “i3 M60”. It slots between the current electric 3-Series and the heavy hitter. Four variants total by the time the dust settles. Gas, electric, performance gas, performance electric.
What about the wagon lovers? There’s a new 3 Series Touring in the works. But an M-badged wagon? Maybe later. They aren’t committing yet.
Can Batteries Carry The Legacy?
The car we are talking about is the 2026 BMW M Concept, fully realized by 2027. It uses four motors. It has a lot of torque.
Will it convince the old guard to switch?
Probably not immediately. Traditional enthusiasts hear “electric” and think “compromise.” The upcoming gas M3 exists to soothe that anxiety. Hopefully it keeps the rear-wheel drive manual box alive. If not, at least there will be a loud, six-cylinder alternative nearby.
The electric M3 has to stand on its own merit though. The name alone isn’t going to sell the car.
