Next-Gen BMW M3 Spotted Testing For The First Time

A test mule of the new BMW M3 performance sedan was recently spotted testing on the international roads. The car was rumoured to be in the making for a quite a while now and this is the first time that a prototype of the upcoming BMW M3 has been spotted testing. The next-gen BMW M3 is likely to be introduced sometime in the second half of 2019, considering the fact the current-gen F80 model will reach the end of its production in October 2018.

The current BMW M3, the F80 model, has been in the market since 2014 and over the past three years the car has received some considerable facelifts, it's now finally ready to receive a generation upgrade as well. As you can see the test mule seen in these images is heavily camouflaged and we also can only see the rear section of the car so it's too soon to comment on the styling and other changes made to the car. Having said that, there are some noticeable design changes, like the roofline is now not coupe-like, as seen in the current one and more sedan-like. Also, the new M3 will be built on the company's modular CLAR platform and will feature more aluminium and high-strength steel in its construction to keep the weight down.

New BMW M3 will be based on the company's CLAR platform

As for the other bits, the taillamp also looks slightly different but these could be temporary ones and the production version could be a different one altogether. While the camouflage doesn't reveal any more information, we also expect to see a revised boot-lid and rear bumper and a new quad exhaust setup. We can also see a set of black sporty alloy wheels, but they could also very well be temporary ones that will be replaced later. The new M3 might possibly come with an optional on-demand all-wheel-drive system like the BMW M5 along with reworked aerodynamics and improved design.

Under the hood, the new BMW M3 will possibly get the same 3-litre biturbo engine, which likely to be tuned to make somewhere closer to 500 bhp. The engine will come paired with a new 48-volt mild hybrid system a more aggressive start-stop function to meet stricter emissions standards. We expect the car to make its global debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, following a global launch the same year.

Image Source: Motor1