• BMW is readying the next generation of the gas-powered BMW M3, which has been spied testing at the Nürburgring in Germany.
• The M3 will continue to offer a turbocharged six-cylinder engine, although BMW is also launching an electric M3 in the near future.
• The gas-powered model will adopt the smooth Neue Klasse styling seen on the electric i3 sedan, but has different proportions with a much longer hood.

BMW has been busy teasing the first electric M3, most recently with the Concept M Neue Klasse, but that doesn't mean that the iconic sports sedan is going exclusively electric. The high-performance version of its i3 electric sedan—originally thought to be called the iM3 but now likely to simply be badged M3—will live alongside the gas-powered M3 for the foreseeable future, and now we've captured the next-generation M3 testing with six-cylinder power.

Our spy photographers found the gas-powered M3 prototype whipping around the Nürburgring race track in Germany, the first time that the next-generation version of the M3 has been spotted in non-EV form. Overall, the gas-powered M3 looks less stubby than the electric M3 prototypes, with a significantly longer hood.

Still, the next-generation gas-powered 3-series will conform to the design language spreading across BMW's lineup with the i3, iX3, and new 2027 X5 SUV. The front end appears to have the headlights and kidney grilles connected in two horizontal pieces, separated by an indentation in the bodywork. The headlights come to a point at the outer edge of the front fascia, echoing the i3's look. The performance-focused changes are seen up front, where two large L-shaped openings in the center of the bumper are flanked by smaller triangular intakes on the outer edges.

The M3 has an assertive stance thanks to wide wheel arches that sprout from the body and sporty-looking wheels that hide bigger, stronger brakes. At the rear, there's a small lip spoiler and four large exhaust tips, clearly distinguishing this M3 as the gas-powered variant. The taillights appear to be mounted fairly high, similar to the i3.

While the styling appears to feature many of the i3's Neue Klasse design cues, the powertrain is completely different. The next-generation M3 is expected to continue to feature a six-cylinder engine and, unlike its M5 big brother, will likely skip out on a full hybrid setup. Some light mild-hybrid assistance is possible.

The engine is expected to be a reworked version of the existing S58 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. The M3 will almost certainly come with all-wheel drive, but rumors suggest that the entry-level rear-wheel-drive version could be on the chopping block. Sadly, we're also not so sure the manual transmission will return. More details should emerge over the next year or so, with the gas-powered next-generation M3 expected to arrive after the electric variant sometime in 2028.

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