A standalone BMW M car has been on the cards for many years, and it seems that it might finally be greenlit for production.
Confirmed to AutoExpress by the division’s chief, Markus Flasch, during the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, it’s reportedly due in 2021.
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“I can think of doing standalone M cars – I like the idea and I think we’re going to do something in this direction.” When asked about the body style of the car, or if it could be an SUV, Flasch replied: “I don’t know… Well, I do know, but I’m not saying yet!”
Electrification is expected to be part of the package, as such powertrains could be “an easy answer to every question”, and not “rocket science” or “the game changer that people think”, according to Flasch. “We will bring electrified propulsion systems as soon as they’re better than the predecessor – that’s the first rule – we don’t have to be the first, we have to be the best.”
Although BMW M’s head honcho wouldn’t say whether the Vision M Next Concept previewed the halo car, the company’s design chief, Domagoj Dukec, is convinced that this is the right approach.
“We have a heritage of bringing art cars and race cars together with M. I am convinced that this [Vision M Next] is the right way. BMW deserves to be ahead in terms of brand identity. What we did with the M Next is a complete different approach in terms of communication and artwork around the car.”
The Vision M Next has a hybridized four-pot with a total system output of 592 HP (600 PS / 441 kW) that enables a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in 3.0 seconds and a 186 mph (300 km/h) top speed. It can also drive on electricity alone for 62 miles (100 km).
