The Gas BMW M3 Isn't Dead Yet, And These Spy Shots Are The Proof Enthusiasts Needed

Good News For Purists: BMW Isn’t Actually Killing The Gas M3

When BMW first announced an electric M3 was coming, the obvious fear among enthusiasts was that it signaled the end of the combustion version entirely. New spy shots confirm that’s not the case — BMW’s building both, and the combustion M3 is far enough along in development that photographers caught production LED lighting already installed, no camouflage covering it.

The Two Versions Will Look Similar But Aren’t The Same Underneath

Both the electric and combustion M3s share BMW’s Neue Klasse design language, but they’re built on genuinely different platforms: the EV rides on the dedicated NK architecture, while the gas car uses an updated version of today’s CLAR platform with a longer hood to accommodate its six-cylinder engine. That’s a meaningfully different approach than simply slotting an electric motor into the same chassis — BMW is maintaining two distinct engineering paths rather than compromising either one to share more hardware.

The Engine Is Evolution, Not Revolution

The combustion M3’s engine is expected to be a modified version of today’s S58 twin-turbo 3.0-liter six, almost certainly with mild-hybrid assistance based on comments from a BMW M executive at the 2024 M5 launch. Don’t expect a dramatic power jump beyond the current M3 Competition’s 523 hp — this isn’t shaping up to be a power-war entry, more a refinement of an engine that’s already well-regarded.

The M350 Is Quietly Becoming The More Interesting Story

Here’s a genuinely surprising subplot: rumors suggest the X3 M50’s 3.0-liter inline-six will jump from 393 hp to 437 hp next year, and that upgraded engine could find its way into the M350 sedan — potentially with 3-series-style quad tailpipes, though only the M3 keeps the fatter fenders and hood scoop. If that math holds, BMW’s own internal lineup could end up with the M350 nipping uncomfortably close to M3 territory on power alone, which is the kind of self-competition BMW will need to manage carefully in how it prices and positions both cars.

The Manual Transmission Question Remains Genuinely Open

BMW M boss Frank Van Meel has reportedly hinted a manual option could survive on the combustion M3. That’s a meaningful detail for enthusiasts specifically, since manual availability has become an increasingly rare signal of a manufacturer’s continued commitment to driver engagement over pure performance numbers.

The Timeline Explains The Patience Required

The electric M3 is expected to launch next year, but the combustion version won’t arrive until 2028. That’s a genuinely long wait if you’re specifically holding out for the gas car, but it also means BMW has real time to differentiate the two rather than rushing the combustion version to market just to have both available simultaneously.

My Take

BMW keeping both versions alive, rather than using the EV transition as cover to quietly retire the combustion M3, is a genuinely reassuring signal for enthusiasts who’ve watched other performance nameplates get electrified without a combustion alternative surviving alongside. The real story to watch now isn’t whether the gas M3 survives — it clearly will — but how BMW manages the M350 encroaching on its power figures, and whether that manual gearbox rumor actually holds up through 2028.

Would you rather have the 2027 electric M3 or wait until 2028 for the combustion version, assuming both deliver on their respective promises? I think the wait is worth it if that manual rumor is real.