A pre-production example of the BMW M3 has been recently spotted testing on the North Loop, Carscoops reports posting a handful of spy shots. The sedan looks differently shaped from the electric M3 announced last month.
The first thing that catches the eye is the Neue Klasse radiator grille. The giant “twin nostrils” of the current generation seem to be gone for good. Overall, the car resembles the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse seen in the video above, but with a much longer hood and some other differences in proportions.
No images of the interior have been taken so far. As for the powertrains, the current M3 generation reaches as high as 550 PS (542 hp / 405 kW) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque. It’s likely that BMW dials up the output some more in the next generation, but the electric M3 is still expected to be far superior in this regard. Rumors claim it will offer between 700 and 1000 PS (690 and 986 hp; 515 and 735 kW).
Everything indicates that the new M3 should debut before the end of the year.