Breaking into the electric performance space is a delicate task for a brand like BMW M, which has spent decades building its reputation on combustion-powered icons. But that’s exactly what it’s attempting with the Neue Klasse-based electric M3, or, as it may end up being called, the i3M.

The upcoming high-performance EV won’t replace the traditional ICE-powered model, though. Instead, it’s designed to sit alongside it, borrowing cues from BMW M’s most celebrated models to bridge the old and the new. Or at least that’s the promise.

Read: BMW’s Electric M3 Tries To Simulate Everything It Just Replaced

BMW M released the latest chapter in its video series detailing the development of the new super sedan, previewing the distinctive soundscape it plans to offer. Taking a page from Hyundai N’s playbook, BMW aims to replicate the sounds of some of its most iconic models, blending them with the unique tone of a high-performance EV.

Chasing the Sound of the Past

Rather than relying solely on software to mimic engine sounds, BMW assembled an M3 GTS with a 4.4-liter V8, an M4 GTS with its 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six, and a classic BMW M6 featuring the brand’s iconic 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V10. Their engine notes were recorded on a dyno, then layered into the soundtrack of the electric prototype.

The clip only demonstrates the soundtrack of the electric M3 for a brief moment while being put through its paces on BMW’s test track. As the driver hits the throttle, it begins to sound like a turbocharged engine building boost as the revs climb. There are also some notable turbo whistles, mixed in together with some of the high-pitched whine expected of an EV.

Performance to Match the Drama

Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N, BMW’s electric M3 will also include simulated gear shifts to match the synthetic engine notes. For drivers who prefer their EV experience unfiltered, these features are expected to be optional and easily switched off.

Of course, the electric M3 will need to be more than just good-looking to convince shoppers. BMW has confirmed it’ll be fitted with four electric motors and a 100 kWh battery pack that’s up to the task of track use.

While BMW hasn’t revealed any final power figures, we know that each wheel will be controlled individually, allowing for advanced torque vectoring for better performance and handling. There will also be an optional rear-wheel drive-only mode.

The era of all-electric performance cars from BMW M is nearly upon us. For years, the brand has been feverishly developing its next generation of cars and has confirmed that the first of these new models, the electric M3, will debut in 2027.

BMW isn’t officially calling the prototype shown here the Electric M3, or even the i3 M, though both names might seem like logical picks. If we had to guess, the latter feels like the more likely direction.

What Powers the Neue Klasse M?

At the center of all future electric models from BMW M, starting with the M3, will be an innovative powertrain based on the sixth-generation technologies found across the standard Neue Klasse family. At the front axle, there will be two motors, while at the rear, there will be a further two motors, each of which drives a single rear wheel.

Read: BMW’s Electric M3 Might Be Silent, But It’s Built To Make You Scream

BMW isn’t yet ready to reveal how much power its quad-motor system will produce, but don’t be surprised if future EV Neue Klasse models have four-digit horsepower ratings.

The motors are arranged in parallel, delivering power to one gearbox per wheel. Each of the two drive units also incorporates an inverter. The motors also allow for the precise control of power and torque at each wheel, creating what BMW says is a driving experience “that has never been achieved before.”

Supplying the motors will be a 100 kWh battery pack using BMW’s latest cylindrical cells. Driving ranges will obviously vary depending on the model, but the brand notes the pack has been designed to withstand the rigors of racetrack use. To offset some of the hefty weight of the electric powertrain, these electric M models will include lightweight natural fiber components.

Rear-Drive When You Want It

In news that will no doubt please hardcore driving enthusiasts, M says the front axle can be fully decoupled, turning its models into rear-wheel-drive beasts. Switching into RWD will also improve efficiency and boost driving range, so you can save the planet and spin up the wheels at the same time.

Channeling Hyundai’s Playbook

This isn’t where the driver-focused features will end. Much like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, electric M Neue Klasse models, like the M3 EV, will include simulated gear shifts and a special soundscape, aiming to add some emotion into the EVs, which are often void of excitement.

The ’Heart of Joy’ high-performance control unit will control all driving-related processes, like control of the wheels and the steering, operating alongside four high-performance computers. To put it simply, M’s Neue Klasse models will be tech fests aiming to put the driver at the center of the experience.

The all-electric BMW M3 is no longer just a concept talked about in forums or teased through obscure patents. It’s taking shape in the real world, and these latest spy shots give us the clearest view yet of BMW’s upcoming super sedan.

The idea of an all-electric M3 might ruffle a few feathers among traditionalists, but there’s little need for panic. Alongside this electric version, BMW will continue to offer a combustion-powered M3 that carries over the same twin-turbo inline-six as the current model without being fully hybridized. Purists won’t be left out in the cold.

Read: The Electric M3 Ushers In A New Era Of BMW Design

The electric version, possibly named iM3, will be built on the new i3 platform that’s set to debut next year as BMW’s reimagined electric 3-Series sedan. As with that car, the M variant will follow BMW’s Neue Klasse design philosophy.

That includes abandoning the current M3’s polarizing grille in favor of something sleeker and, arguably, more cohesive.

Stephen Hancock

Judging by the latest prototype, the headlights look close to production spec. The daytime running lights are integrated cleanly into the headlight units and line up precisely with the redesigned kidney grilles.

There’s a strong sense of alignment here, literally and visually, something that hasn’t always been a given with recent BMWs.

It’s also hard not to be taken aback by just how beefy this prototype looks. Both the front and rear wheel arches sit nice and wide, giving it an ultra-aggressive look, perfectly fitting of an M-branded model. It may not sound as good as the current M3, but it’s definitely shaping up to have just as much visual presence.

What Will Power It?

Then there’s the matter of performance. We know that BMW is developing an electric powertrain with four motors for the new model, and has said its setup can deliver up to 1,341 hp.

That said, it’s unlikely the production model will hit those numbers. BMW is expected to limit output to around 700 hp, which keeps it safely below the upcoming electric M5 and maintains a performance hierarchy within the lineup.

Even so, with that kind of power it would comfortably outpace the next-generation combustion M3, which is projected to land somewhere near 550 hp. That performance edge could be a major talking point once both cars hit the road.

One key tradeoff will be weight. Spy shots from earlier this year suggest the electric M3 could come in as much as 465 kg, or 1,025 lbs, heavier than the current petrol version. That’s a significant increase, and how BMW balances that extra mass with chassis tuning will be crucial to the car’s driving character.

Stephen Hancock