Tag Archives: BMW

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BMW Isn’t Done with Big Engines—Not Even Close

Just when it felt like Europe’s regulatory vise was about to squeeze the last drops of fuel from anything with more than four cylinders, BMW is here with a message that will warm the hearts of internal-combustion loyalists: the big engines aren’t going anywhere. Not yet, anyway.

Speaking from Munich, BMW has confirmed that its six-, eight-, and even twelve-cylinder engines remain very much alive—and, more importantly, compliant. According to the company, the next generation of its larger internal-combustion engines will meet the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standards, expected to take effect before the end of the decade. For an industry scrambling to electrify everything that moves, that’s no small claim.

Joachim Post, BMW’s head of technology, told British media that customers can continue to expect inline-sixes and V-8s in future BMW models. That alone would be enough to raise an eyebrow—but Post went further. He also hinted at the return of the V-12 to BMW-branded cars, a powertrain that officially exited the lineup when the M760i bowed out. Since then, BMW’s 12-cylinder masterpiece has lived exclusively under the hoods of Rolls-Royce models like the Ghost, Phantom, and Cullinan.

Now the rumor mill is spinning. Unofficially, the latest evolution of BMW’s V-12 could resurface in a hyper-exclusive model wearing the Alpina badge. With Alpina now operating as an official BMW sub-brand, the door is wide open for a flagship luxury sedan that blends old-school excess with modern emissions wizardry—and probably a price tag to match.

BMW’s commitment to combustion doesn’t stop there. The next-generation M3 has already been confirmed with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, and it’s set to arrive a year after the debut of the first fully electric M3, which is scheduled to break cover next year. The M4 coupe is also expected to follow into the next generation, ensuring that Munich’s performance division isn’t betting the farm on electrons alone.

The bigger picture is clear: BMW is hedging its bets—and doing it better than most. By continuing to develop internal-combustion, hybrid, and fully electric powertrains in parallel, the brand is positioning itself to serve nearly every kind of buyer, from EV early adopters to die-hard gasoline purists. The European Union’s softening stance on a total internal-combustion ban after 2035 certainly doesn’t hurt.

And the numbers back up BMW’s caution. Last year, 82 percent of global sales across the BMW Group—including Rolls-Royce and MINI—still came from vehicles powered by internal-combustion engines.

In other words, reports of the straight-six’s death have been greatly exaggerated. If BMW has its way, the future won’t be electric-only—it’ll be anything but boring.

Source: Autocar

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Inside BMW’s Plan to Engineer Emotion Into the Electric M3

BMW has finally said the quiet part out loud: its first electric M car will cheat. Not on performance—Munich wouldn’t dare—but on sensation. Synthetic gearshifts and synthesized sound will be part of the experience when the electric M3 arrives toward the end of 2027, and BMW is unapologetic about it.

The car in question is an all-electric M3 built on BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse EV architecture, closely related to the next-generation i3. And according to Dominik Suckart, BMW’s head of high-voltage batteries, this won’t be just another fast EV wearing an M badge. “We have a legacy to continue,” he says—corporate speak, yes, but also a clear acknowledgment that M cars live or die by how they feel, not just how hard they launch.

That philosophy explains why BMW is leaning into synthetic interaction rather than pretending physics alone will do the talking. The electric M3 will use artificial shift points and sound profiles to give drivers something familiar to lean on, much like Hyundai’s surprisingly convincing setup in the Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N. That comparison isn’t accidental. Hyundai’s N division was originally run by Albert Biermann, formerly of BMW M, and the electric Ioniq 6 N may be the closest philosophical rival the M3 EV will face.

Unlike the twin-motor Hyundai setup, BMW is going all-in with four motors—one per wheel—each with its own inverter and reduction gearbox. Everything is overseen by a single control brain, allowing precise torque vectoring that would make a mechanical limited-slip differential blush. BMW still isn’t talking numbers, but with a quad-motor layout and a battery north of 100 kWh, expect output that comfortably clears today’s gas-powered M3—and probably embarrasses it in a straight line.

But straight-line speed is table stakes now. BMW’s bigger concern is engagement. That’s where a bespoke software suite called M Dynamic Performance Control comes in. Suckart promises “never-seen-before handling and traction control,” which is a bold claim in a world where every performance EV already claims millisecond responses and infinite adjustability.

The trick here is flexibility. The electric M3 will be able to run as a full all-wheel-drive car, switch to rear-wheel drive for track use or drifting, and even operate in a range-extending RWD mode for everyday driving. In other words, it won’t just be configurable—it’ll be shape-shifting.

At the center of all this is BMW’s intriguingly named “Heart of Joy” control unit, first shown in the Vision Driving Experience concept. It consolidates drivetrain, chassis, and dynamics controls into a single high-performance computer, reducing latency and making the car’s responses feel more immediate and cohesive. BMW wants this EV to react like a great M car always has: intuitively, predictably, and with a touch of mischief when you ask for it.

The battery itself is doing more than just storing energy. BMW says it will be capable of delivering high sustained output—not just short bursts—and, crucially, will continue to recuperate energy even under extreme deceleration at the limits of grip. That’s an engineering flex aimed squarely at track-day credibility, where many EVs still fade or behave inconsistently once the tires and brakes are fully loaded.

Structurally, the M3 EV gets unique treatment as well. The battery housing is a stressed member of the chassis and will be mounted to both the front and rear axles, rather than only the rear as in the standard i3-based models. The goal is improved rigidity and more consistent handling—again, chasing feel rather than spec-sheet dominance.

Weight, however, remains the elephant in the room. Modern M cars are already portly—the plug-in hybrid M5 tips the scales at nearly 2.5 tons—and EVs don’t exactly help that narrative. BMW says it’s attacking the problem creatively, using natural-fiber composites in place of carbon fiber where possible, a technique already employed on the M4 GT4 race car. Besides reducing mass, these materials carry a 40-percent lower CO₂ footprint than carbon fiber, which neatly aligns with the Neue Klasse’s sustainability messaging.

Whether buyers are truly ready for an electric performance sedan that relies on synthesized drama is still an open question. The market’s response to high-end EVs has been enthusiastic but uneven, especially among traditional enthusiasts. Suckart, for his part, seems unconcerned. “We’re excited about it,” he says, “and I think you can be excited too.”

Perhaps the most telling detail, though, is what BMW isn’t abandoning. Alongside the electric M3, the company has strongly hinted that a more traditional gasoline-powered option will remain, using an updated version of the beloved B58 turbocharged inline-six. That’s BMW hedging its bets—and wisely so.

The electric M3 won’t replace the idea of an M car. It’s BMW’s attempt to translate it. And if that translation requires a few well-tuned digital illusions to keep the soul intact, Munich seems perfectly comfortable pressing “simulate.”

Source: BMW

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BMW Turns the 3 Series into a Collector’s Item Ahead of the Next Generation

BMW has already told us that the next-generation 3 Series will debut later in 2026, but before the current G20 quietly slips into retirement, the brand is squeezing out one last round of collectibles. In South Korea, BMW is launching a set of five limited-run special editions, three of them rooted in the outgoing 3 Series lineup, each aimed squarely at buyers who want something rarer than the usual showroom fare.

The most eyebrow-raising of the bunch is easily the 320i M Performance Parts Edition. Seeing BMW’s M Performance catalog bolted onto the entry-level four-cylinder sedan is unusual, but that’s exactly the point. Finished exclusively in Alpine White, the car wears a full suite of carbon-fiber accents, including the kidney grille, rear spoiler, and mirror caps. An aramid roof antenna and black M fender badges add subtle flair, while inside you’ll find Cognac-colored Sensatec upholstery rather than real leather. BMW is building just 10 examples, each priced at 64.9 million won, or about $44,500 with taxes included.

Move up the ladder to the M340i, and BMW offers two interpretations of the same idea. Both versions get carbon-fiber trim for the grille, trunk spoiler, and mirrors, plus the same aramid roof antenna seen on the 320i. The more expensive variant layers on an M carbon rear diffuser and black side decals for a more aggressive look. Unlike the base car, these M340i editions come with Vernasca leather seats.

The “entry” M340i special edition is capped at 10 units and costs 89.9 million won ($61,700). Buyers can choose between Alpine White with a Mocha interior or Sapphire Black paired with Oyster. The higher-spec version is limited to 30 units, priced at 91.9 million won ($63,000), and painted either Skyscraper Grey or Brooklyn Grey, both matched with a Mocha cabin.

If subtlety isn’t your thing, BMW also has a farewell treat for hardcore M fans. The M3 Touring receives its own special-edition treatment, finished in a flat, Audi-like Nardo Grey. It rolls on bi-color double-spoke M wheels and features an Individual leather interior in Silverstone and Black. Only 10 will be built, each costing 146 million won, or roughly $100,200. For collectors, it’s about as close as you’ll get to a swan song for this generation of the M3 in long-roof form.

Rounding out the lineup—and blowing past the 3 Series entirely—is the most expensive model of the group: an XM First Edition based on the flagship XM Label. Painted in Individual Frozen Tanzanite Blue, a shade unavailable on the standard South Korean XM, the hulking plug-in hybrid SUV also gets 23-inch wheels, Shadowline exterior trim, and Night Blue Individual leather inside. Just five examples will be sold, exclusively online, at a staggering 240 million won, or about $165,000.

Taken together, these editions feel less like performance statements and more like BMW clearing its throat before turning the page. The next 3 Series may be right around the corner, but for buyers in South Korea, BMW is making sure the current generation exits with a carbon-fiber-laced flourish—and a price tag to match its rarity.

Source: BMW