BMW's Next M3 Is Going To Keep Its Straight-Six Engine
In an interview with German outlet, Bimmer Today, BMW M head Frank van Meel confirmed that the M3’s straight-six engine would survive long enough to make it into the next-generation sports sedan.
It will be sold beside an electric version, but BMW has made it clear that the gas-powered M3 will live on.
In fact, van Meel seems to think BMW will keep the motor around as long as regulations allow. The twin-turbo unit will meet upcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations, and customer demand is apparently now more a factor than emissions requirements. So long as these two hold steady, the M3 keeps its long-standing six-cylinder tradition.
However, the fate of the manual is more of an unknown. van Meel did not give specifics on the M3’s six-speed, but it’s still possible BMW continues to offer the transmission. As for the electric M3 arriving alongside the gas-powered one, BMW M indicates it’ll be the performer of the two, with an electric motor at each corner and torque vectoring the likes of which we haven’t yet seen.
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Chase is an automotive journalist with years of experience in the industry. He writes for outlets like Edmunds and AutoGuide, among many others. When not writing, Chase is in front of the camera over at The Overrun, his YouTube channel run alongside his friend and co-host Jobe Teehan. If he's not writing reviews of the latest in cars or producing industry coverage, Chase is at home in the driver's seat of his own (usually German) sports cars.
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