Tag Archives: BMW

News

The Next BMW M3 Inline-Six Heads Into a Hybrid Future

BMW’s M division is writing a new chapter in one of its most celebrated stories. The next-generation M3 Sedan—known internally as the G84—is officially in development, and yes, it will still pack an internal combustion engine. BMW M CEO Frank van Meel has confirmed the car’s existence, and now, thanks to a set of spy shots, we’re getting our first look at the next evolution of Munich’s performance icon in motion.

The Mule Takes Shape

The prototype recently spotted in testing isn’t yet wearing its final production skin. Instead, it’s cloaked in a mix of widened fenders, temporary panels, and development camouflage—classic BMW pre-production attire. Even so, its proportions tell a story: this M3 has a broader stance and a more planted look than the current G80 model, signaling tweaks to both chassis geometry and suspension setup.

Peek closer, and you’ll notice familiar M hallmarks. The test car rides on lightweight M aluminum wheels shod in wide rubber, with cross-drilled brake rotors and massive M calipers visible behind them. Around back, the quad exhaust setup—a tradition stretching back to the E46 M3—leaves no doubt about what kind of prototype this is.

A New Face for the M3

Underneath the camouflage, there’s a hint of what’s to come for BMW’s design language. The G84’s front end appears to move away from the polarizing, oversized kidney grilles of recent M models. Instead, the prototype shows an elongated, horizontal grille layout, reminiscent of the Neue Klasse concept cars and the upcoming all-electric M3 (ZA0). Slim, dual-LED headlight units flank the grille, though the rest of the bumper design remains under thick covers.

From the side, flush door handles further tie this prototype to BMW’s future design direction, while at the rear, a subtle trunk lip and the signature M quad pipes carry the brand’s DNA forward. The taillights are still heavily disguised, suggesting BMW isn’t ready to show off the final light signature just yet.

Under the Hood: Six Cylinders, Now Electrified

While the exterior still hides in plain sight, insiders are already sketching the G84’s mechanical blueprint. Expect a 3.0-liter inline-six engine, likely an evolved version of the S58 unit, paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The small electric assist won’t turn the M3 into a hybrid heavyweight but will instead sharpen throttle response, smooth out low-end torque, and improve efficiency—similar in philosophy to Porsche’s upcoming 911 Hybrid.

Sources suggest power will start around 525 horsepower, with higher-output versions pushing closer to 560 hp. The hybrid integration isn’t about chasing numbers; it’s about maintaining balance, response, and precision—the qualities that have always defined the M3’s character.

Farewell, Manual

There’s one inevitable casualty of progress: the manual transmission. The new M3 will reportedly launch exclusively with an eight-speed automatic paired with xDrive all-wheel drive. With the G80/G82 M3/M4 and G87 M2 marking the end of manual M cars, the G84 will carry the torch for BMW’s performance future without the clutch pedal. Purists, take a deep breath—this is the reality of the modern performance car landscape.

Why Not Plug-In?

In contrast to the larger M5, which embraces a plug-in hybrid system, the M3 will deliberately avoid the PHEV route. BMW’s engineers argue that the extra battery weight and packaging demands would dull the car’s agility and compromise its track-day readiness. Instead, the lighter mild-hybrid setup offers a way to meet tightening emissions targets without sacrificing the M3’s razor-sharp handling.

The Road Ahead

The G84 M3 isn’t expected to debut before 2028, but its early test outings are a clear sign that BMW intends to keep the M3 nameplate alive well into the hybrid age. The brand’s challenge is clear: merge cutting-edge efficiency tech with the raw, emotional performance that made the M3 a legend.

If these first glimpses are any indication, BMW might just be on the right track—literally. The M3’s next chapter won’t abandon its roots; it will evolve them, bridging the past and the future one turbocharged, electrified rev at a time.

Source: BMWBlog

Auctions

RM Sotheby’s to Sell One of the World’s Most Complete BMW M Collections

BMW’s M division has always been about more than just horsepower and lap times. For the right kind of enthusiast, it’s a culture, a lineage, and a family tree of some of the most compelling driver’s cars ever built. Later this month in Munich, RM Sotheby’s is giving collectors a rare chance to buy into that heritage—quite literally.

Dubbed the “Best of M Collection,” the auction house will present a curated lineup of classic and modern M cars, spanning everything from homologation specials to low-mileage icons. The sale reads like a love letter to BMW’s Motorsport division, and judging by the lineup, the original collector was particularly smitten with the M3.

At the dawn of the collection sits the legendary 2002 Turbo, the car that laid the groundwork for BMW’s turbocharged future. Not far behind it is the BMW M1 from 1980—the first car to officially wear the M badge. The M1’s mid-engine layout and Giugiaro-designed wedge body made it one of the most exotic Bavarians ever produced.

From there, the spotlight shifts heavily toward the M3. The 1990 M3 Sport Evolution and 1992 E30 M3 Cabrio headline the early ’90s, while the collector clearly couldn’t resist the second-gen cars either: a 1995 E36 M3 Cabrio in Dakar Yellow and an E36 M3 GT in British Racing Green, the latter showing just over 70,000 kilometers—high mileage in this lineup, but still modest for a 30-year-old performance car.

The turn of the millennium brought more gems, including a 2000 Z3 M Roadster in Dakar Yellow, originally delivered to Japan and barely broken in with just over 3,000 kilometers. With an upper estimate nearing €80,000, RM Sotheby’s seems confident that rarity and condition will do much of the talking. Collectors will also have the chance to bid on a 2002 Z3 M Coupe (“Clownshoe”), an E46 M3 Cabrio, and a 2003 M3 CSL, arguably one of the greatest driver’s cars BMW ever built. Rounding out that year is an Alpina Roadster V8, a Z8-based rarity expected to fetch around €380,000.

The modern era of M isn’t neglected either. The E92 M3 GTS (2010) stands out as one of fewer than 150 ever built, and this one has barely stretched its legs with just 176 kilometers. Even more jaw-dropping is the 2011 M3 CRT, with only 168 kilometers on the odometer. Pair those with a 2012 1M Coupe and a 2016 M2, and you’ve got a generational bridge that most enthusiasts only dream about.

Later highlights include the 2016 M4 GTS, a 2017 M3 30 Jahre Edition, and two present-day halo cars: the 2023 M4 CSL and the M4 Edition 50 Jahre BMW M, celebrating half a century of Motorsport magic.

Taken as a whole, the “Best of M Collection” isn’t just an auction—it’s a time capsule. With everything from homologation heroes to modern-day limited editions, the lineup underscores the enduring appeal of BMW’s M cars. And with estimates soaring into the millions, it’s safe to say bidders in Munich will need deep pockets—and maybe a pit crew of accountants—to bring any of these icons home.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

News

Future Shock or Open-Top Tradition? BMW’s Cabriolet Conundrum

There was a time when the biggest existential threat to a convertible was the British weather. Now, in 2025, it’s not drizzle and soggy picnic baskets but SUVs and batteries looming over the drop-top’s survival. Which leaves us with a tantalising question: in a world going electric faster than you can say “charging anxiety,” will the convertible remain a symphony of six cylinders, or morph into a silent wind tunnel on wheels?

BMW, naturally, has been asked this straight up. The man tasked with answering was Bernd Koerber, BMW’s product boss, and he didn’t so much give an answer as an essay. “These days it’s very hard to make this general judgment,” he told us. Translation: don’t expect a neat headline.

Why? Because what matters in Dallas doesn’t necessarily matter in Düsseldorf—or, for that matter, in Dalian. In the U.S. and Europe, the idea of a convertible is still tied to the sound and fury of a big engine—the inline-six purr, the V8 growl, the childish joy of downshifting just to annoy cyclists. In parts of Asia, though, the mood music is different. Silence, serenity, sustainability: the drop-top as electric spa.

So BMW’s solution is, well, not to pick a side at all. “Technology neutral,” Koerber calls it. Hybrids, ICE, BEVs—whichever flavour you fancy, Munich will happily provide. Think of it as the automotive equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet: schnitzel on one plate, tofu stir-fry on the next.

This means the convertible of tomorrow could go two ways. On one hand, you’ll still have your visceral combustion cabrio for those who consider an exhaust note to be half the fun. On the other, an electric cabriolet where the only soundtrack is wind in your hair and the smug hum of electrons. BMW doesn’t see why both can’t coexist, and frankly, neither do we.

Of course, there’s the lingering question of timing. Will there be a smooth transition from petrol-burning cabrios to their silent EV counterparts, or will BMW leave us twiddling our thumbs in a convertible gap year? The company isn’t ready to say.

But one thing’s clear: BMW isn’t preparing a funeral for the drop-top. Quite the opposite. The Neue Klasse era could be the dawn of two convertibles—one loud, one quiet, both unapologetically BMW. Which, in a market obsessed with cookie-cutter SUVs, feels like a victory worth celebrating.

Roof down. Future uncertain. But still very much alive.