Next-gen BMW M3 to retain petrol power

BMW is not pulling the plug on the petrol-powered M3 sports sedan just yet. BMW M boss Frank van Meel confirmed in an interview that the next-generation M3 will retain its straight-six petrol engine. 

In addition to the all-new, fully electric M3 (internally known as ZA0), which will be based on the Neue Klasse platform, BMW M will also launch the internal combustion-engined M3 that will likely retain the current model’s CLAR architecture. Likely to be called the G84, this new M3 will be offered with BMW’s S58 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, straight-six petrol engine that's being developed to comply with Euro 7 emissions norms. The S58 engine presently powers the M2, M3 and M4 models.

 

It is believed that petrol power for the next-gen M3 wasn’t in the original plan and it was supposed to sold only as an EV. However, BMW believes that customers are still very attached to their combustion engines, especially for the M models, and they do not want to do without the inline six-cylinder any sooner than absolutely necessary.

 

The next-gen BMW M3 is expected to debut either in 2027 or 2028, and around the same time, we’ll also see the debut of the electric M3. BMW currently doesn’t sell the M3 in India, but it does sell the M2 (Rs 99.9 lakh), the M4 Competition (Rs 1.53 crore) and has recently launched the M4 CS (Rs 1.89 crore).