Many automakers have softened their once-aggressive electrification plans, but that hasn’t stopped several of them from backing off development of their thirstiest internal combustion engines. BMW is one of the few companies that have publicly affirmed their dedication to gas engines, as an executive recently said it would keep the M3’s gas-powered inline-six for at least one more generation.
BMW M CEO Frank van Meel told the German publication BimmerToday.de that the next-generation M3 performance car would retain a gas option alongside the expected electric model. Van Meel said he expected the quad-motor EV variant to deliver faster lap times, but keeping a gas option is a significant upside for enthusiasts, many of whom loudly voice their displeasure as automakers cut popular engines.
That said, BMW’s next-gen gas engine will have to comply with new Euro 7 emissions standards, which impose strict limitations on tailpipe emissions, battery construction, and more. At some point, the development costs and timelines to implement emissions-cutting technologies will overcome the profitability of gas-powered performance cars, but we can celebrate the M3 and others for now.
The next-gen cars are expected to start rolling off the production line late in this decade, and some expect the new M3 to be one of BMW’s last internal combustion vehicles. Recent models like the new M5 feature hybrid power, but many have criticized their weight. We’ll have to wait several more years to see how things pan out for the M3, but we can at least take the time to enjoy what we already have.
[Images: BMW]
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