Article Summary
- The M Concept Neue Klasse, revealed at Le Mans, is the clearest preview yet of the 2027 electric M3 (ZA0), featuring four electric motors and over 100 kWh of usable battery.
- BMW has given the i3 sedan a serious M makeover with flared wheel arches, a natural-fiber composite aero kit, center-lock wheels, and a new M Yellow Lights design language.
- Production output is still unofficial, but BMW sources suggest the electric M3 could deliver between 800 and 900 horsepower.
Happy birthday to the M3! It’s been 40 years since the E30 went on sale, following its debut a year earlier at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show. Since then, BMW has launched six generations of gasoline-powered sports sedans. A seventh, the G84, is scheduled to arrive in 2028. In the meantime, the company is reminding us of its plans to give the M3 a second identity. Yes, an electric version is coming soon.
Before the ZA0 breaks cover in 2027, the M Concept Neue Klasse makes its debut today on the sidelines of the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans. If it already looks familiar, there’s a perfectly logical explanation. The show car is based on the 2027 i3 sedan but has been extensively reworked to earn its M badge. At the same time, it’s nowhere near as outlandish as the Vision Driving Experience concept unveiled last year. The VDX served as an unrestricted technology demonstrator showcasing the capabilities of the so-called “Heart of Joy” control unit.
The M Concept Neue Klasse is much closer to the electric M3 than the wild VDX that preceded it. Finished in a new Monza Red paint, the high-performance four-door EV is considerably wider than the i3 thanks to flared wheel arches at both axles. BMW further distinguishes it from the standard electric sedan with completely redesigned side mirrors that look as though they came straight off a race car.
The New BMW i3 Has Been Given The M Treatment
The longer you study the concept, the more differences you’ll notice. One of the most significant changes appears at the front, where the hood incorporates a central V-shaped air vent. It’s there to cool the hardware underneath, which can only mean the i3’s front trunk is gone. Like the substantial front splitter, rear diffuser, and roof, it’s made from natural-fiber composites. These reduce weight while cutting production-related emissions by up to 40 percent compared with conventional carbon fiber.
We saw the new yellow lights in a teaser when BMW hinted that the concept would draw inspiration from the 2026 M Hybrid V8. Called M Yellow Lights, this feature distinguishes the concept from the standard i3 and previews a styling element that will appear on future production M cars. Like the endurance racer, the electric concept also features stacked white rectangular lights.
Unlike the M Hybrid V8, where the white rectangles are integrated into the headlight units, the concept’s lights protrude from the front bumper. BMW carried the theme to the rear, where matching red squares extend from the bumper for visual symmetry. The company won’t say whether these boxy lights will reach production. However, that seems highly plausible given that the M3 ZA0 is likely less than a year away.
What we do know is that the concept introduces a new design language reserved for M cars. It looks like an i3 that has spent countless hours in the gym building muscle. The pumped-up sports sedan rides on center-lock wheels with red and blue caps on opposite sides as a nod to M’s signature colors. To reinforce the connection, BMW added the iconic M stripes to the wing mirrors and roof edge.
Four Bucket Seats, But Will They Make It To Production?
The interior should already look familiar if you’ve seen images of the 2027 i3. However, several changes immediately stand out, including the four bucket seats. Yes, even rear passengers get body-hugging individual seats that create a sporty atmosphere reminiscent of the M5 CS (F90). Since it’s a concept, BMW can get away with installing a rear roll bar, which severely limits the space available to passengers. Of course, it goes without saying that the production model will lose it.
You’ve never seen black nubuck leather in an M because the M Concept Neue Klasse is the first to use it. The roll bar is wrapped in the premium material, which also covers the door panels and steering wheel. The wheel itself is essentially the same design seen in other Neue Klasse vehicles, but it gains configurable red buttons befitting a full-fledged M car.
Because BMW stops short of calling it an M3, it isn’t sharing any technical specifications beyond what we already knew. The concept uses four electric motors powered by an M-specific battery pack with more than 100 kWh of usable energy. We’ve reported that the production version could deliver somewhere between 800 and 900 horsepower. However, these figures remain unofficial until BMW confirms them.
Although the VDX and M Concept Neue Klasse portray sedans, BMW won’t wait long before launching an electric M SUV. The X3 M (ZA5) is expected to return in 2027 with the same quad-motor setup as the M3. From there, M will likely expand its electric lineup further with an X5 M (G95) in 2028. Whether the upcoming i3 Touring will also receive the M treatment remains unclear, but we certainly hope it does.