New petrol BMW M3 planned, M4 future unclear – report
There will be at least one more generation of the venerated BMW M3 with a petrol-powered drivetrain, but the possibility of a similar BMW M4 looks much less certain.
Sources have told BMW Blog the Bavarian automaker is planning to launch a new petrol-powered M3 – codenamed G84 – some time in 2027 or 2028.
This information gels with the fact that the current G80 M3 is scheduled to stay in production until the second quarter of 2027.
The new petrol-powered M3 will reportedly be based on the eighth-generation 3 Series – codenamed G50 – that’s set to debut in late 2026.
Both the G50 3 Series and G84 M3 will reportedly be based on an updated version of the Cluster Architecture (CLAR) that underpins all current rear- and all-wheel drive BMW models.
Although it’s not confirmed yet, the new M3 is expected to be powered by an updated version of the S58 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six engine, which cranks out 390kW of power and 650Nm of torque in the latest M4 Competition.
It’s uncertain if there will be an accompanying S58-powered M4 sibling, but the signs don’t seem to be good at this point. The report also makes no mention of a successor to current M3 wagon.
The petrol-powered G84 M3 will reportedly be sold alongside an electric M3, codenamed ZA01.
Before any of these cars make it to market, a facelift for the current M3 is scheduled to be revealed some time this year.
Like the updated 3 Series and M4, the revised M3 will have revised exterior styling, including tweaked headlights and tail lights.
There should also be some extra power under the bonnet for the Competition variant, while on the inside there will be the usual tweaks, including the latest operating system for the infotainment setup.
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