BMW revived the i3 name earlier this year, but rather than using the moniker on a compact electric car, it’s now the EV variant of the brand’s bread-and-butter 3 Series. Naturally, this means an M version is coming, and these spy shots catch one testing on the Nürburgring. This particular car appears to be wearing a production-spec body with just a camouflage wrap on top. It’s perhaps our best look so far of what will be an extremely powerful car.
A Close Look At The BMW i3 M
BMW i3 M Spy Photos With Less CamouflageCarBuzz/Valnet
Up front, the i3M has a more aggressive fascia than the standard model. There are a pair of rectangular openings with horizontal slats. The camouflage appears to cover smaller triangular elements in the lower corners. The narrow, squinty headlights carry over from the regular version, but they look particularly good with the aggressive touches for the M model.
A leaked photo of the production version shows a pair of stacked square-shaped running lights on each lower corner of the nose. Plus, the central upright in the front fascia would be the body color, while the rest of the section would be black, creating a visual contrast for the nose.
One of the more notable changes is the hood, which gains a stylized duct. We don’t currently know its function, but one possible use is to cool electronic components. Regardless of the purpose, the element makes the i3M look more like a performance vehicle.
Along the sides, the i3M doesn’t look much different from the regular i3. The fenders look like they might be a little broader for the sportier model. It also rides on larger wheels that have a black finish and a woven appearance for the spokes. Behind them, there are drilled brake rotors.
At the back, this development vehicle wears a transponder on the trunk. The bumper has a pair of raised sections. Currently, it’s not clear whether these elements are just placeholders or part of the final design. A diffuser is at the bottom of the tail to clean up the underbody airflow.
What Else We Know About The i3 M
BMW i3 M Spy Photos With Less CamouflageCarBuzz/Valnet
To be clear, BMW hasn’t confirmed a name for this model yet. We are referring to it as the i3M, but the actual branding could be iM3 or simply M3 as a way to retain a connection to the past.
The car packs four electric motors that reportedly make around 700 horsepower. With a motor powering each wheel, the system can offer corner-to-corner torque vectoring. The powertrain can also decouple the front axle to be rear-drive only for increased range. The drivetrain also includes what BMW calls “emulated gear shifts” to provide a simulated experience of shifting through the gears.
The i3M gets all the advantages of BMW’s Neue Klasse 800-volt EV architecture. The standard i3 comes with a 108 kilowatt-hour battery. Expect the battery capacity in the sporty model to be the same, or possibly even larger. Similarly, we don’t yet know the i3M’s range. The standard model can go an estimated 440 miles between charges.
A leaked production timeline indicates the i3M goes into production in March 2027. Given that timing, expect the model to debut before the end of the year. Deliveries in the United States should begin before the end of 2027. The regular i3 is expected to start at around $55,000.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
BMW i3 M Spy Photos With Less CamouflageCarBuzz/Valnet
A new, proper M product is exciting because BMW is often the trendsetter in the performance segment. The division appears to be taking the i3M project very seriously. The Neue Klasse platform aims to be a world-class architecture for EVs, and we look forward to seeing how it applies to the brand’s sporty offerings.
