It’s only been a little over a week since the all-new Neue Klasse-based BMW i3 made its official debut, but it appears we’re now already getting our first look at the souped-up M3 version of the electric sedan, courtesy of a pair of photos that were leaked online over the weekend.
The origin of the photos are unknown, although they’ve been shared to various online forums and social media, including Bimmer Post. Of course, there’s no way of verifying the legitimacy of these photos, but at least we do know that whatever it is in the photo (i3 M60, perhaps?) will look drastically different to the standard i3.
For starters, the headlight assembly – which now also somewhat doubles as the kidney “grille” – appears to have been given a darker tint. Not that you’d notice that, though, because you’re probably stunned mouth-agape staring at the front bumper.
Not only is there an odd diamond-shaped element in the centre (which, to be fair, would probably be covered mostly by the number plate), there are also four square holes at the corners of the bumper – serving as what appears to be fog lamps – book-ending the lower central air intakes at the bottom.
The front end is… interesting, to say the least, and like so many of their newer cars, this here will also definitely divide opinions. Elsewhere, you’ll also notice that despite this (allegedly) being an EV, there’s still a vent-like element in the centre of the bonnet. Could that be an S-duct aerodynamic system to channel air from underneath over the top of the car?
That’s serious performance car territory, and would certainly befit a proper M badge – but there are still some things here that raises some doubt. For one, the car in the spyshots doesn’t have the winged side mirrors that we’ve come to expect from BMW M cars, and the angle of the photos also makes it tough to make out if it does indeed have the customary wider fenders at the side…
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But if it is indeed the next-generation fully electric BMW M3, then expect it to feature a quad-motor setup underneath, one for each wheel, controlled by an M-specific “Heart of Joy” control software for extremely precise control of torque distribution. They’ll be juiced by a battery pack of over 100 kWh in usable capacity, utilising the marque’s Gen6 cylindrical cells.
The front motors can also be completely decoupled for a rear-wheel drive layout to give it “an unmistakable BMW M driving experience”. And just to hone in on the driving experience, it’ll also feature simulated gear shifts alongside a bespoke “soundscape”. All we’ll have to do is wait until 2027, when the car is slated to make its official debut…
