BMW, whose racing squad has just set pole position for this weekend's blue riband Le Mans 24hrs race, has used the French endurance event to show off a striking concept version of its new all-electric M3.
Yellow lights!! YELLOW LIGHTS!!!!!
Yes, yes, we know - please calm down just a tad. Yes, the new M Concept Neue Klasse has been shown off in a striking Monza Red paint scheme (a faint taunt to the Ferrari Le Mans squad, perhaps?) and at the front, the headlights are indeed picked out in classic French-style yellow, a look also adopted by BMW's recent CS models, notably the M5 CS and M3 CS, as well as nodding the head towards the BMW M Hybrid 'Hypercar' racers taking part in Le Mans itself. They're set to be a 'signature feature' of all upcoming M models, which is awesome news in and of itself.
How close is this to the new M3?
Good question, and BMW isn't answering any specifics on that front just yet, but you can clearly see the production i3 electric saloon beneath the extended wheelarches and the hulking aero package (check out those race-car style door mirrors - we REALLY hope those are production-spec…) so there seems little here that's not ready for the dealership.
Hang on, is that a bonnet vent?
Yup, and apparently it's not just for show, even though there's no engine under there. The vent - as well as being something of a visual nod to the original BMW M1 supercar - contributes to the cooling of the battery and the electric powertrain, as do the deep inlets in the 'trimaran' front bumper.
There's lots of carbon-fibre, of course, and a distinct kick-up boot spoiler that looks very 1970s 3.0 CSL Batmobile in its style.
"The new BMW M design language forms the expressive spearhead of the Neue Klasse - determined and purposeful,” said Oliver Heilmer, head of design for both BMW M and the Neue Klasse family. "At BMW M, form consistently follows function. Every detail serves performance. This project is truly special to me because it carries the BMW M character into a new era.”
What about the interior?
The cabin looks very much production-spec, with the Panoramic View Display spanning the width of the windscreen and the big, angled touchscreen in the centre of the dash, just as in the regular i3 saloon. The M updates include deep bucket seats for each cabin occupant (there's no middle rear seat, taking inspiration from the old M5 CS), each with a dramatic red four-point harness instead of a normal seatbelt. There are also the expected bright red M drive mode buttons on the steering wheel and a bright red gear selector.
Behind the wheel, there are chunky 'gearshift paddles' that are most likely to evolve into regenerative braking paddles, unless, of course, BMW is copying Hyundai's homework and giving the M3 simulated gearshifts.
How much power will the electric M3 have?
BMW's still being a bit coy on that front, but the expectation is that the electric M3 (i3M? Mi3? M3i?) will have as much as 1,000hp with four electric motors, one individually mounted in each wheel. That in-wheel motor layout, known as M e-Drive, will allow BMW's complex four-core 'Heart Of Joy' vehicle controls computer to play some potentially astonishing tunes when it comes to torque distribution, possibly turning the electric M3 into something of a drift machine, but will also allow it some clever brake energy recuperation, improving overall efficiency. BMW claims that much of the new M3's electric tech has been influenced by the brand's hybrid-engined Le Mans racing efforts, with Franciscus van Meel, head of BMW M, saying: "Even in the new all-electric era, we continue the M-typical tradition of transferring both technological innovations and defining design features directly from motorsport into series production.”
What about range?
Again, nothing official, but we assume the M3 will have the same 108kWh battery as the long-range standard i3, and based on that car's circa-900km range, we'd take a guess at a 700km WLTP range for the M3.
Will there be a petrol M3 too?
Yes, there will be, actually. The existing M3 will remain in production, though it will be rebodied with an i3-lookalike shell and will keep the existing 3.0-litre turbo straight-six engine, albeit with some hybrid add-ons to keep it emissions-compliant.