See BMW's Wild Electric M3 Preview From Every Angle

Last month, BMW presented the M Vision Neue Klasse concept, a design study that effectively serves as a roadmap for the aesthetics of all future M cars. We got to see it up close at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and in person, it's even more imposing and aggressive, showing just how much creative freedom BMW design boss Oliver Heilmer and his team were given. Let's take a tour of the bodywork and the cabin, discussing which elements are likely to reach the electric M3. And don't worry, there'll be a mild-hybrid M3 with an S58 twin-turbo gas engine too.

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Walking into the booth where the BMW M Vision Neue Klasse is being exhibited, visitors are greeted by the front end, whose width is even more impressive in person. Seeing the front end up close also conveys just how deep the splitter is, and the trimaran-inspired support in the bumper is a neat reinterpretation of the dual kidney grilles, though those are also referenced in the light-accented upper nose, where yellow DRLs appear. These will no longer be exclusive to CS models, appearing on all future M cars, and we can also expect the "Track Lights" on the corners to make production, but the intakes and the splitter will be less aggressive.

The takeaway: Future M cars will have split lower intakes, yellow DRLs, and track lights. The mirrors will be similar, too, but less extreme, since the production M3 won't be this wide. A recess in the center of the roof will continue to be a trademark design trope.

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The front three-quarter angle gives us a better view of the vent in the valley of the hood, helping cool the quad-motor powertrain, and this view also shows just how wide the arches are. We liked that you could see the upturned lip of the trunk from all the way in front of the car; no vantage point is boring. Light bounces off the angular surfaces in intriguing ways, giving the bodywork new depth and letting subtle details appear as you walk around the car.

The takeaway: Monza Red metallic paint is coming to the next M3, as is a four-motor 'Heart of Joy' powertrain capable of over 1,340 horsepower, but expected to produce roughly 800 hp to begin with. More hardcore variants, M5s, and other, bigger EVs BMW may produce with the M treatment will get closer to that threshold.

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Moving down the side of the car, we see that BMW has referenced the E24 6 Series and its famous 'sharknose' front end, which has an overbite that makes the car look like it's moving at high speed even when parked. The waffle-weave wheels reference the BBS wheels on the E30, and they'll likely make production, but with center-lock hubs? That seems unlikely, but it'd be very cool. Moving aft, the deep black side skirt, like the splitter, roof, and other elements that would normally be made of carbon fiber, benefits from new plant-based composite materials, turning flax into natural fiber composites developed alongside Swiss clean-tech firm Bcomp.

The takeaway: BMW is eschewing carbon fiber in favor of something less harmful to the planet, but it remains to be seen if the automaker will stick with this matte finish or add gloss, since the latter could undo some of the good work this cleaner alternative has done. What we do know is that an interpretation of these wheels is likely, and a slight overbite will appear on the production car, according to spy shots.

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From the rear three-quarter angle, the bulk of the rear fender comes into focus (though it would be easier to see in a color other than a notoriously difficult-to-photograph red). While most rear fenders on performance cars tend to bulge above the wheel arch and deflate somewhat ahead and behind them, the M Vision Neue Klasse's flow nearly seamlessly into the rear bumper, allowing the track width to be dramatically increased. More Track Lights exacerbate the effect, while the dual lips of the pert trunk flick upwards, contrasting with the angle of the rear diffuser's trimaran opening. Combined with the shape and coloring of the L-shaped taillights, it's pure geometric indulgence. The angle of the trunk lip also reflects the Hofmeister kink, though it's still not properly filled with glass, while extended wing mirrors provide more motorsport references.

The takeaway: The glasshouse will be identical in production, but the wing mirrors may get shorter stalks. Lights will appear in each corner, and the taillights will look much like these. We also expect the split trunk lip to appear, but the arches and other caricaturized elements, like the surfboard of a rear diffuser, will be much less extreme. Another example of how the electric M3 will pull back is that it will share its rear doors with the base i3 to keep costs down, making such swollen arches impossible to achieve neatly.

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The BMW M Vision Neue Klasse's rear diffuser stirs up images of the Aston Martin Valkyrie and Red Bull RB17 in my mind, and it's basically "just a hot 3 Series." We expect that the recess atop the trunk will be almost this deep for the M3, but we doubt that you'll be able to see through the diffuser - not this much, at least. Why? Because that would rob the production car of valuable space for the trunk. In addition, pedestrian impact laws mean the front won't be so crazy, and the back has to match. Remember, the real thing's proportions are unlikely to balloon this much, so there'll be far fewer cubic inches of room to play with. Still, we haven't yet spotted a prototype without fake bodywork, so BMW may provide a slightly tamer, downscaled take on this diffuser.

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Pop open the rear door, and you see just how much bodywork has been added to a regular i3 to make this concept as extreme as it is. Like the M5 CS, there are four individual seats, but unlike that road car, this has a roll bar behind the front seats, supported by a truss anchored between the rear seats. Perhaps in a special edition, these elements will come to life, but the production M3 coming next year will have a bench rear seat and no bar.

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We do expect something similar to these flax-shelled front-row bucket seats to be available with the M3 and M4, but not with harnesses. Normal seatbelts will suffice because harnesses are extremely difficult to homologate, especially with airbags, occupant sensors, and other problems. They're great on a racetrack, where the driver has a roll cage above them, and there's a very low chance of a high-speed rear-end collision, which can lead to spinal injuries. Accidents in harnesses can also cause submarining, where the occupant slides under the lap belt, often with fatal consequences. That's why we don't get the 911 GT3 RS with the factory roll cages other markets get, even though they're carbon fiber, not metal.

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In front of the driver, there is very little to distract. There's a Panoramic Vision iDrive display along the base of the windshield and a thick-rimmed, sueded four-spoke steering wheel with a red noon marker. Physical M buttons in red and real stalks are refreshing in this cabin, but the majority of the interfaces are touch-operated, including the 17.9-inch screen in the center of the dash. We expect a smaller central island for the gear selector, likely adding storage bins for wireless charging and other everyday carry, but the gear selector will remain prominently mounted.

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The bold colors of the concept and the depth of the side thigh bolsters won't be standard fare in the M3, but we like how supportive they look and wouldn't be surprised if such an aggressive seat is available (again, without harnesses) as an option.

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A thinner wheel might be nicer; BMW seems to be fattening the rim up more and more with each new car. However, not having used the wheel on the road, we can't cast any judgments yet. It feels good enough in hand while stationary, but personally, I'd prefer a thinner three-spoke and likely always will. Perhaps this is one of the ways BMW thinks it can convey a sense of power and a feeling of being in control of something devastatingly fast.

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In summary, the BMW M Vision Neue Klasse looks even more spectacular in person than the press pictures suggested, and thanks to the huge rear arches, its small doors seem to imply that it's a coupe at first glance, helped by the hidden window seals and winglet door handles. It's amazing, and the color-coded wheel nuts are a nice touch. The electric M3 will effectively look like this car has been slightly shrunk in the dryer, and that should translate to something angry enough to intimidate even the wildest AMG. We can't wait for more revealing spy shots and the M3 EV's global debut, expected in early 2027, with production scheduled for March.

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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 1:05 PM.