The shift to EVs is already happening, and emissions regulations are being tightened for combustion-powered cars. Several automakers have downsized engines to three- and four-cylinder units in their performance vehicles. However, not all automakers have taken this path, and one that won’t stick around is the BMW M.
During a media preview for the 2022 BMW M Fest, brand boss Franciscus van Meel said that M has no plans to produce a three- or four-cylinder high-performance model. Based on CarBuzz, Meel said he was aware of other companies doing that but reiterated that it was not something the brand would do. And it’s not.
103 Photo
The brand incorporates a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six into its new 2023 M2. The powertrain produces 453 horsepower (333 kilowatts) and 406 pound-feet (550 Newton-meters) of torque, and has no hybrid components. This will be the brand’s last non-electric model, but the BMW M won’t pair an electric setup with a three or four-cylinder engine.
A future move to a hybrid setup may disappoint some fans, but they should welcome the added efficiency and performance. The Mercedes-AMG C63 is being downsized for the 2024 model year, with the automaker adding plug-in hybrid components and installing a four-cylinder engine. This setup produces a stunning 671 hp (500 kW) and 752 lb-ft (1,019 Nm) of torque. Mercedes claims the luxury sedan can reach 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in 3.3 seconds.
While BMW M won’t be building a three- or four-cylinder performance car, it will be building an electric car. The BMW XM makes 644 hp (480 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque from its twin-turbo V8 hybrid to begin with. Spy shots of the next-generation M5 seem to show the car with a plug-in hybrid setup, and the next-generation M3 will arrive as a full-fledged EV driving the automaker’s Neue Klasse architecture.
Unlike the others, the BMW M may stick with six- and eight-cylinder engines, but it can’t avoid complete electrification. While the automaker has yet to announce a timeline for when it will become a fully electric car brand, BMW hopes 50 percent of its sales will be electric by 2030.
