{"id":84688,"date":"2026-01-21T13:16:45","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T18:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=84688"},"modified":"2026-01-21T13:16:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T18:16:45","slug":"electric-bmw-m-cars-use-real-inline-six-and-v10-sounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=84688","title":{"rendered":"BMW Will Use Pre-Recorded V10 Sounds For Electric M Cars"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this month, BMW sparked controversy among purists by announcing that electric M cars would use \u201ca newly developed soundscape.\u201d A vague statement like that is open to interpretation, but the same question was on everyone\u2019s lips: fake engine noises? Well, yes and no. Although next year\u2019s M3 ZA0 won\u2019t have a gas engine, the sounds it\u2019ll make will come from a real engine.<\/p>\n

Attached at the bottom of the page, a new video shot inside an anechoic chamber features three M cars with engines sporting different cylinder counts. From left to right, the M3 GTS (E92)<\/a> hides a naturally aspirated 4.4-liter V8 (S65) under its Fire Orange hood. Sitting front and center is an M6 E64 with its legendary 5.0-liter V10 (S85). Joining the two naturally aspirated cars is the M4 GTS, powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six (S55).<\/p>\n

BMW installed microphones to accurately capture the engine\u2019s notes. All it took were a few engine revs to partially melt the mic\u2019s fluffy windscreen. In the electric M3, you won\u2019t hear those ICE notes as-is. Instead, the engine music will be blended with the electric motor\u2019s whir to create the soundscape we mentioned earlier.<\/p>\n

\"BMW<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019re sure this will be an opinion-splitting feature. Some will dismiss it as nothing more than a gimmick. Others will see it as an enhancement to the driving experience. As long as there\u2019s a way to turn it off, it shouldn\u2019t be a problem. Regardless of which side you\u2019re on, BMW deserves credit for using actual M cars to capture authentic engine notes. It could\u2019ve relied entirely on artificial sounds.<\/p>\n

The rest of the video focuses on the M3 ZA0\u2019s hardware. However, BMW points out that the prototypes were using early technology at the time of filming. The company hints that significant progress has been made since then, ahead of the production model\u2019s launch next year. We also get a look at the front and rear axles, each with an electric motor per wheel. Side note: drivers will be able to disengage the front motors for a pure RWD setup.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a glimpse of the battery pack, developed specifically for M EVs with more than 100 kWh of usable energy. For reference, the related Neue Klasse iX3<\/a>, with its sixth-generation battery tech featuring round cells, has a net capacity of 108.7 kWh. In the M3, BMW will bolt the battery to the front axle, and it will act as a structural component to stiffen the vehicle.<\/p>\n

The M3 ZA0 will arrive after the regular i3 NA0<\/a>, essentially an electric 3 Series set to premiere later this year. Also in 2026, the combustion-engined sports sedan will switch to the next generation (G50) with a spicy inline-six M3 (G84) following in 2028.<\/p>\n