Third-party renderings tend to be a shot in the dark, but that’s not necessarily the case here. Although not affiliated with BMW, this digital design exercise has some truth to it. Our talented friend Avarvarii analyzed recent spy shots of i3 sedan prototypes to draw his take on the already confirmed M version. We’re in for a long wait since the hot EV won’t go on sale until 2027, roughly a year after the i3 returns as a sedan.
Although this is still very much an unofficial depiction of the hot electric sedan, we reckon it can’t be too far off the real thing. Internally codenamed “ZA0,” the first full-fat M without a combustion engine looks hugely promising here. The next-gen M3 “G84” with a gas engine is going to have much of the same design. BMW Group design boss Adrian van Hooydonk told us you’ll have a hard time telling ICE and EV models apart.
By not having to accommodate a gas engine underneath the hood, the electric M3 will have a shorter front section than its gasoline counterpart, which will receive entirely different underpinnings. The EV will use BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, intended exclusively for electric cars. The next M3 with an inline-six will stick to the tried-and-tested CLAR platform. Thanks to better packaging enabled by the EV-only architecture, the electric M3’s rear overhangs might also be a tad shorter. Another obvious difference at the back will be the signature quad exhaust system reserved for the ICE model.
The adjacent renderings also take after the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept. BMW is reinventing the front grille again, making the kidneys nearly as wide as the front section. At the rear, we’re still not entirely convinced by the concept car’s taillights, but they’re honestly not half bad here. The prototype caught undergoing testing gave the impression that it was smaller overall than the G20/G80, which would be a breath of fresh air after decades of continuous growth.
Judging by the concept and prototype, the reborn i3 will embrace fresh, clean styling. BMW has strongly suggested that the new electric 3 Series will feature a clean design without overly complicated lines and creases. BMW will cut the next ICE 3 Series (“G50”) from the same cloth despite the vastly different hardware. M versions will coexist for years, with BMW saying it’ll keep the gas M3 for as long as legally allowed.
Before BMW revolutionizes the 3 Series and M3, it’ll soon celebrate the model’s half a century of existence. The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este will highlight the luxury sedan’s 50th anniversary in the second half of May. As a refresher, the original E21 went into production back in June 1975.
Renderings: Avarvarii
