Report: The next BMW M3 to be a plug-in hybrid?

In a perfect world, you would never guess or think to hear the words BMW M3 and hybrid in the same sentence, other than they should not interject period. But we don’t live in a perfect world and because we’re all embedded with the fear of running out of oil and polluting our planet beyond habitation, automakers are still relentlessly trying to find alternative ways to propel automobiles, or at least reduce their carbon footprint and fuel consumption while boosting efficiency.

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BMW’s M Division has gone this far to avoid this trend but now, it seems to be catching up to them as The Detroit Bureau reports that the next-generation M3 might actually become a plug-in hybrid. So I guess that means hell IS freezing over, slowly…

But a BMW M3 plug-in hybrid might not necessarily be a bad thing since supercar manufacturers like McLaren, Porsche, and Ferrari proved not all hybrids need to be boring slushmobiles like the Toyota Prius. In fact, Toyota themselves have even been proving that hybrids have a place in motorsports and performance.

Nonetheless, TDB says the new M3 plug-in will still sport BMW’s legendary 3.0L inline-six, the same mill as today, though modified to feature some electric power bits. Despite the massive amounts of torque supplied by the twin-turbocharged six of today’s M3 and M4, the hybridized variant should gain an additional 73 lb-ft of torque. BMW’s also shooting for a range of 20 miles on all-EV power.

The sad bit however is that the addition of plug-in hybrid bits also means added weight, and the M3 has gotten pretty porky over the years. But BMW says they plant to compensate with more extensive use of carbon fiber construction technology, learned from the i3 and i8 programs.

Due date for the next BMW M3: 2020.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: The Detroit Bureau