- BMW M has built its one-millionth vehicle.
- It was a Halloween-worthy M3 Competition.
- Automaker also teased the upcoming M3 EV.
BMW M GmbH was founded in 1972, and it’s just reached an important milestone. The one-millionth vehicle recently rolled off the assembly line in Munich, Germany.
The model was an M3 with a BMW Individual Fire Orange III paint job. It was presented to Peter Weber, head of BMW Group Plant Munich, by BMW M CEO Franciscus van Meel.
More: BMW M3 EV Lays Down 11s Trying To Shake Xiaomi At The Ring
The executive said, “BMW M combines road and racetrack capabilities with everyday practicality. The one-millionth BMW M vehicle shows that these values are still very much appreciated by our customers, 40 years after the market launch of the first BMW M3.”
The automaker said surprisingly little about the car, but it appears to be an M3 Competition. The model has a twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that has outputs of 503 hp (375 kW / 510 PS) and 523 hp (390 kW / 530 PS). When equipped with all-wheel drive, the sedan can rocket from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.4 seconds before hitting a limited top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).
Of course, the current model is living on borrowed time as BMW recently introduced the eighth-generation 3-Series. In fact, the company noted the Munich plant will build only fully electric vehicles starting in 2027.
The automaker is investing around €650 ($732) million into the facility, and i3 production started in August. The plant will eventually build the M3 EV as well.
BMW M3 EV Teased
BMW is staying tight-lipped about the M3 Electric, but it released new images of a camouflaged prototype. It closely echoes the concept that was introduced in June, but features a toned-down design.
As you can see, it has a less aggressive front bumper and a smaller splitter. The car also adopts conventional mirrors and flush-mounted door handles. Designers went on to give the road-going model a more traditional rear end, which eschews the boy racer aesthetic.
Despite a number of changes, the production model keeps the yellow headlight graphics and squared-off lower lighting units from the concept. We can also see a ventilated hood and a small rear spoiler.
BMW is keeping specifications a closely guarded secret, but the M3 EV is expected to have a quad-motor powertrain. The rumored output has been all over the map, with numbers ranging from 691 hp (515 kW / 700 PS) to 986 hp (735 kW / 1,000 PS). However, the Mercedes-AMG C-Class Electric is expected to have a tri-motor powertrain with around 789 hp (588 kW / 800 PS), so BMW could also land somewhere around there.
