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BMW M looks set to lift the covers on its first electric M car at this week’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the smart money says it previews the electric M3. The trail began last month when BMW M boss Frank van Meel posted an image of the BMW M Hybrid V8 endurance racer, its reflection morphing into a road car that many took for the electric M3. The BMW M YouTube channel then stoked the fire with a run of videos showcasing the technology bound for that car. Now images obtained by Autoblog.nl reveal a display box at the Circuit de la Sarthe promising a fresh world premiere, and the silhouette inside matches the electric M development car, complete with the same yellow daytime running lights from van Meel’s post.
The shape hiding in the shadows carries echoes of the i3 saloon, yet it is plainly something fiercer. The wheel arches bulge much further out, the wing mirrors perch on slim motorsport-style stalks, and extra lighting units flank the lower front end for a meaner stance. That is well beyond what a regular M Performance model would wear, since an i3 M60 is set to slot in above the 50 xDrive. Even so, the shadowy teaser closely mirrors the leaked electric M3 image that surfaced in March, give or take the mirrors. Reports now suggest the car will break cover on 12 June as a concept, with the BMW M Concept badge attached, ahead of the production version’s expected 2027 arrival.
That timing fits the wider picture. Industry chatter ties the concept to van Meel’s tagline, “Born on the racetrack. Made for the streets,” hinting strongly at a road car rather than a pure racer. The design notes circulating point to a V-shaped bonnet, a forward-leaning shark nose, headlights and kidney grilles fused into a single unit, and a new M yellow lighting signature. There is talk of a trimaran-style front bumper inspired by high-speed sailing boats, track lights set into the outer corners, a rear ducktail spoiler and a striking new Monza Red metallic finish, all sitting on red and blue centre-lock wheels.
As for the car itself, the headline numbers are stout. The electric M3, possibly badged iM3, will run a quad-motor setup enabling torque vectoring, with around 800 horsepower expected. BMW has said the platform can yield as much as 1,341 hp, though that ceiling will likely be saved for the electric M5. Crucially, the firm intends to price the EV roughly in line with the combustion M3, which keeps it within reach of loyal buyers. Power runs to all four wheels, and BMW’s much-hyped Heart of Joy controller knits the driving functions together for sharper responses.
Every previous sighting of the quad-motor development car came draped in camouflage, so this Le Mans display may give the first clear look at how BMW plans to layer M-specific styling onto its future road cars, electric or otherwise. The 94th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans runs from 10 to 14 June, giving the brand a fitting stage for the unveiling. With the production M3 not due until 2027, a concept makes sense as a taste of what is coming, and the answers should land within days.
