The iconic M3 badge is going through some rough times now. People wanting a brand new M3 are pretty much left with no choice, as the F80 model has gone out of production and the G80 M3 is still being developed. Thus, if you want an M3 right now, you might as well settle for an M4. The new high-performance sedan is scheduled for a 2020 reveal which means, if you’re lucky, you might get yours by 2021.
It’s a bit odd for BMW to have such a big hiatus between two generations of M3s. Usually, BMW launches its M cars about a year after the ‘regular’ model has been unveiled. The 3 Series will be celebrating one year since its launch later during 2019 but there’s still no sign of the new M3 coming anytime soon. According to our sources, the highly anticipated model will arrive in 2020 and will be sold as a 2021 model.
So what hides under that wider sheet metal? As you can hear in the footage below, it’s a straight six that will animate the upcoming M3, the same engine that is now used under the hood of the X3 and X4 M models. The S58 will have over 470 HP in the ‘regular’ M3 and over 500 in the Competition models. The sixth incarnation of the legendary name will also have all-wheel drive for the first time in its history, albeit it will depend on the model you go for.
According to our insider info, the M3 will be offered in a couple different guises. You will be able to get it in RWD guise with either an automatic or a manual gearbox or in all-wheel drive guise but solely with an automatic. Also, the M3 Competition will only be available with AWD and an 8-speed automatic transmission. With so many choices on the table, which one will you get?
