BMW’s benchmark sport sedan, the M3, will soon come in for a redesign.
A prototype for the next-generation model been spotted again, revealing a number of clues.
Referred to internally as the G80, the new M3 will sport a much wider track compared to the redesigned 2019 3-Series, from which it will be derived. We can also see that the brake discs and calipers are very large, and at the rear of the car sit a signature set of quad-exhaust tips. Hidden underneath all of the camouflage gear at the front will be enlarged intakes possibly with a similar design to what’s found on the latest M5.
2020 BMW M3 spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
A debut of the new M3 is expected to take place in September at the 2019 Frankfurt auto show. We should see the car reach showrooms in early 2020.
There’s not a lot of intel out on the new M3 but the car is expected to utilize a twin-turbocharged inline-6, possibly with the aid of a mild hybrid system or perhaps even electric assistance for the turbos. A 6-speed manual transmission will be offered, though perhaps only on a basic version of the M3 sporting slightly less power than automatic-equipped cars and rear-wheel drive only.
This basic model, which could be dubbed an M3 Pure, is expected to have about 454 horsepower, whereas the automatic model should have something closer to 474 hp. More powerful Competition, CS and CSL models are also in the pipeline. In each case, an inline-6 with turbocharging will be found under the hood. The current M3 has just 425 hp in standard guise and 453 hp in the limited edition CS model.
BMW M5 with m xDrive all-wheel-drive system
All-wheel drive will be a feature of the new M3, too. The system will be the rear-biased M xDrive configuration that debuted in the latest M5. It has a function that allows the driver to select a rear-wheel-drive mode at the push of a button.
Despite the fitting of all-wheel drive, we hear the new M3 will be lighter than the current model, in some cases as much as 140 pounds lighter.
The M3 for decades has been the go-to option for the sharpest sport sedans and coupes on the market, though AMG and Cadillac’s respective C63 and ATS-V models have outshone their Munich rival in recent years. It’s a situation we’re sure the M division will want to rectify with its newest M3.
