New BMW M5 And Electric M3 Spied During High-Speed Testing

THE BREAKDOWN

• BMW's first electric M3 does a good job at hiding its weight.
• The hybrid V8-powered M5 has a fully redesigned front fascia.
• Both performance sedans are set to come out in 2027.

2027 is going to be a huge year for BMW. It’ll go down in history as the year when the M division launches its first high-performance car that completely does away with the combustion engine. The purely electric M3 won’t come alone, as the bigger M5 will undergo a significant mid-cycle facelift while retaining its plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain.

Prototypes of both M sports sedans have been caught in action, racking up miles at the Nürburgring. Although they’re completely different cars in terms of underpinnings, the front-end design similarities are easy to notice. Even though the test cars are cloaked in camouflage, the Neue Klasse sedan face, first seen on the new i3, is hard to miss. Both work-in-progress vehicles feature a horizontal take on the kidney grille, flanked by a modern interpretation of the traditional double headlight motif.

The M5 has slightly less disguise at the front, as BMW is kind enough to expose the bumper’s numerous air intakes. At the rear, expect the taillights of both vehicles to span almost the entire width, leaving room only for the roundel at the center of the trunk lid. Look no further than the new i3 and 7 Series/i7 to get an idea of how the design team is reshaping taillights in the modern Neue Klasse era.

BMW's New-Era Interior

The similarities should continue inside, where the electric M3 and the updated M5 will feature BMW’s completely revamped dashboard design. New models like the next-generation iX3, i3, and the 7 Series facelift are leading the way for a radical interior transformation that will extend to nearly all models in the coming years.

What to expect? There will be a large central touchscreen, a pillar-to-pillar projection at the base of the windshield, and in the case of the M5, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a passenger screen borrowed from the 7 Series.

2027 BMW i3

Photos by: BMW

2027 BMW 7Series/i7

With BMW waving goodbye to the iDrive rotary knob, the M5 is about to lose the dial as well. The new i3 already does away with most conventional switchgear, and its M sibling will also embrace the debatable “less is more” approach. The M5 Touring will also receive the Neue Klasse treatment inside and out, while insiders claim an electric M3 Touring might follow.

The two M sedans are scheduled for a 2027 release, with a gas-fueled M3 featuring an inline-six engine planned roughly a year later. BMW has already confirmed another generation of the 3 Series wagon, but it’s still unclear whether a full-fat M derivative is also in the pipeline.

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Motor1's Take: It’s safe to say these are some of the most interesting times in BMW M’s history. The variety of powertrains and body styles should cater to just about everyone shopping for an M car. Knowing that an M3 with a gas engine will follow will please traditionalists who don’t want to switch to electric.

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However, even the future M3 with a 3.0-liter engine is likely to be electrified to some extent, with reports of a mild-hybrid setup. Rumor has it that it will switch exclusively to all-wheel drive and an automatic-only gearbox. The updates BMW is bringing to the M5 won’t eliminate the plug-in hybrid, so the era of pure ICE cars is gradually coming to an end.

It remains to be seen how many customers will warm up to an electric M3, as we suspect more than a few will wait for its six-cylinder counterpart. Having the option to choose should create a win-win for BMW M, though it would be even better for the company to sell an M5 without the hybrid bits.

New M Cars Incoming:

BMW's Electric M3 Will Have Fake V10 Engine Sounds

New BMW M5 Spotted Hiding Radical Facelift During Track Test

The New BMW M5 Could Look Something Like This

BMW Says The Electric M3 Will 'Stay True To BMW M DNA'

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