BMW’s Most Controversial M3 Yet Takes Shape
The BMW M3 will someday go electric, and if these new spy shots captured at the Nürburgring are anything to go by, that momentous occasion isn’t very far away. For the first time, an electric M3 prototype has been captured with its production body, though it still has several deceptive elements pasted on top of it. The development mule in question appears to have been pushed hard, as evidenced by a single brake rotor on the right rear of the car turning blue, like titanium does.
The close-up shot was captured while the development mule was being recharged, and we can also see a pale blue light alongside the connector, which all but confirms that most of the production hardware has been finalized. Smaller details like the production lighting units will go on at the last moment.
Blue Brakes Raise Questions
SH Proshots/Autoblog
View the 5 images of this gallery on the
original article
As you’ll see in these photos, it was only one drilled brake disc that changed color. Was this the result of binding, an ineffective cooling system, or substandard materials? Perhaps it was one of those elements, all of them, or a combination of just two, but another possibility is that BMW was testing some sort of vehicle dynamics controller that brakes an inside wheel to better rotate the car. Since the Nordschleife is driven clockwise, the right rear would most often be the inside wheel, but given that the course is nearly 13 miles long, it still seems odd that one brake would suffer more than the others.
Whatever the case, the front brake calipers are finished in blue like most M cars, while the rears are unpainted, indicating that this prototype is not wearing carbon-ceramic brakes (signified by gold calipers). It is, however, wearing production wheels, and while there are false panels on the hood, trunk, and fenders, the temporary bumpers show parking sensors, again indicating that the finished product is near.
What To Expect From The Electric M3
SH Proshots/Autoblog
View the 3 images of this gallery on the
original article
This electric M3 was snapped as it entered the BMW M Development Test Center at the Nürburgring, so we can look forward to seeing it on the track soon. Our spies are told to expect between 700 and 750 horsepower. The electric M3 is expected to enter production in March 2027, which suggests a reveal mid-way through next year, and it’s likely to feature the new flax fiber composite technology that BMW expects will replace carbon fiber as a lightweight but environmentally friendly material.
20-inch wheels will reportedly be standard with a staggered 20-/21-inch setup available, and carbon-ceramic brakes will be optional. The M3 sedan will arrive first, and though no wagon has appeared on leaked internal production reports, it’s all but inevitable. We expect to see the M3 shed more camouflage in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. In the meantime, a summary of everything we know about the electric M3 so far will have to suffice.
Related: 2027 BMW M350 Will Be An AMG-Hunting Sleeper