The rear third almost resembles the 5 series GT with its mildly-sloped rear window and tall trunk height. The lack of Hofmeister Kicnk doesn’t help either.

Why do we think it's an M3?

BMW have said the new M-lites (M135i etc) are getting quad exhaust spaced apart, so IMO this is an M440?

Are you telling me the big gross grills are gone?

BMW you might have just pulled me into upgrading from the F80. Im genuinely excited to see this.

Striker01 wrote

So this means the g80 will be the last true ice, non hybridized M3?

Beautiful for those who have them.

Beautiful is a strong word for a G80 .

O5E46M3 wrote

Why do we think it's an M3?

BMW have said the new M-lites (M135i etc) are getting quad exhaust spaced apart, so IMO this is an M440?

There are many hints as to why this is a M3 prototype.
Yes, it has spaced exhaust, probably because they took a M350 and frankensteined the M3 parts into it. The M350 prototype has been driving around for a while now. It does not have widened fenders, big brakes and the biggest giveaway: The 826M G8x wheels.

Any word yet whether there will be an ICE M3 Touring, presumably G85?

Can't see anything on the future models thread to suggest it will be a thing. Hoping to get a G81 M3 Touring soon and wondering whether or not to plan on it being the only opportunity for an ICE M3 Touring or whether it will be followed up with the next generation.

pyrat15 wrote

Exhaust pipes are far apart, not typicall m3-ish…

Not just exhaust tips but also the window line by the hofmeister kink is now raised (red line in image). To me this looks weird and takes away from the hofmeister kink. It kills the side profile of the car and makes the car look a little too soft from the side.

Previous M3s all had straight window lines that lead to the hofmeister kink (blue line in image).

Flamingi wrote

Now that M Performance models also have quad exhaust and M mirrors, how can we differentiate if this is an M350 or an M3?

Carbon roof would be one way to differentiate. Just hard to tell on spy photos

Bimmerfun82 wrote

I remember when I picked up my e46 m3 in 2004. People were begging the 4 door m3 to be offered again, and it was in the e90. The f82 m4 was beautiful, and I didn’t mind the departure from historical naming of the m3 … although felt it was a marketing gimmick. The g series is awesome both in m3 and m4 form. Absolutely love driving my g83 convertible and the g80 comp x and m3 manual prior. I am hearing the m4 won’t be replaced in next gen, which is a shame.

If you liked the e46 M3, you cannot be "absolutely in love" with the G83. Thay have a very little in common, mainly the Badge. One is, even today, perfect size, brilliant design, the other is way oversized, controversial design. One is raw, as M cars should be, the other is numb, isolated, less exciting.

Technologies have evolved and cannot compare the 2004 vs. 2024 vehicles, however, today's M3/M4 are too big of the departure from the e46 idea. The F80 M cars still had that rawness feel, though, I would consider them as a transition into what we have today.

Alpine Wait wrote

So.... 15 years later it has the same hybrid tech as my 2013 ActiveHybrid3? (which was a great car!)

Nothing like that 2013 technology

jaworq wrote

2028!? I thought I can order it next year 🤣
Btw, you can clearly see it has that iX3 grill in the front.

It better not, cant believe I am saying this but the g80 grill is 100000x better than whatever that iX3 has on it.

NGT2 wrote

For now… EV is losing momentum big time in the US, which is a huge market for any global company.

In the long term, EV are going to be the main stay, it would be wise for manufacturers to not change course for short term as they might get left behind..
Plus that’s why having 2 versions (ICE & EV) for the next M3 could make sense..

Just my thoughts..

G MONEY wrote

Any hybrid additions will NOT have a manual.

Yeah, manual with hybrid is unlikely… but I feel it could be done if BMW wants to invest in to R&D for it which may/may not make the business case for them..
Remember the old Honda CRZ came with a manual option..

BMWTennis wrote

If you liked the e46 M3, you cannot be "absolutely in love" with the G83. Thay have a very little in common, mainly the Badge. One is, even today, perfect size, brilliant design, the other is way oversized, controversial design. One is raw, as M cars should be, the other is numb, isolated, less exciting.

Technologies have evolved and cannot compare the 2004 vs. 2024 vehicles, however, today's M3/M4 are too big of the departure from the e46 idea. The F80 M cars still had that rawness feel, though, I would consider them as a transition into what we have today.

But I am. When I go hard in the canyons the g83 is amazing. You have to drive by the seat of your pants but what a thrill!

The e46 had so much feel and lightweight, but the tradeoff is massive power in the g83 and a more lux and comfortable interior and configurable drive and suspension and brake and steering inputs etc. I had a manual e46. The manual G80 is nice but an afterthought (comp engine transmission works better) and power is down considerably.

I always felt that BMW could have saved billions in R&D and produced the e46 forever. It’s that good. But then we’d miss out on the 4L V8 e9x and the insanity of the f8x.

This debate will never end but to answer your assertion the G83 is more thrilling but the e46 was a better overall sports car.

Back on topic. I am not excited about the future of M as its hybridization and looks are not what I want. May buy an BEV M3 in lieu of iXM60 and go with something like the RS6 avant or 991. And this is from having owned each model e46 through g8x.

So this 48v mild hybrid system…..is it like a super fancy version of the start stop feature that unfortunately all these new cars come with?

Is that the main premise behind it- it makes that transition from on off much less noticeable, in a nut shell ?

Striker01 wrote

So this 48v mild hybrid system…..is it like a super fancy version of the start stop feature that unfortunately all these new cars come with?

Is that the main premise behind it- it makes that transition from on off much less noticeable, in a nut shell ?

Yes but more importantly will significantly reduce turbo lag.

Damn they planning on having this in production before the rest of my life. No more new M3 models for us. Over 1000 years is ridiculous

DHDCF wrote

Yes but more importantly will significantly reduce turbo lag.

So now no matter what. That engine at a stop will shut down. Correct ? No more button over ride.

MBoriPerf wrote

No rear hips and that exhaust not like.....
Exhited for the ICE engine mild hybrid

Reminder this is a mule which is a Frankenstein G50 M350 with G84 internals. The front and rear wider fenders will come in a bout a year or so to a more prototype model.

M2COMP wrote

Hopefully someone can render it. And hopefully it comes with a manual

Is that possible with a mild-hybrid?

Here is hoping that this car is a bit of a "throwback" model.

BimmerMan33 wrote

In the long term, EV are going to be the main stay, it would be wise for manufacturers to not change course for short term as they might get left behind..
Plus that’s why having 2 versions (ICE & EV) for the next M3 could make sense..

Just my thoughts..

Maybe. I’m not convinced that the current EV is the play. And there is no reason they can’t re-enter the space later when battery technology and size are improved. The truth is that there is zero macro benefit to EV and the micro benefit is quite small and niche to particular locations and situations. The electricity itself still comes from fossil fuels and the materials needed to make the batteries are just as destructive to obtain and not renewable. Add in that it’s clearly still niche for consumers and it’s just a bad solution (if a problem even exists in the first place).

This isn’t coming from some traditionalist bias. I can remove my car enthusiast hat. From a business and policy standpoint, it’s a shortsighted play.

And if the mass consumer market wanted it to be a primary powertrain, it wouldn’t be dependent on subsidy from governments. Tesla is an outlier because they never needed that. They’re a niche company on the cutting edge. Let those companies continue to perfect the technology, production, and delivery. That’s what smaller growth companies provide. When the market, technology, and supply chains are ready for more mass delivery, then the big auto companies will be able to capitalize and profit.

Everyone taking massive losses to fit a square peg into a round hole is silly.