BMW enthusiasts are a fickle bunch. Generally, we greet new designs with a chorus of chastisement. We’re incapable of lauding a car’s steering if it was produced later than 2012. Screens on the dashboard — what’s that about? And why would anyone need an app for their car? While there’s some hyperbole nestled in there, the reality is that BMW’s goals and designs have changed a lot from arguably the brand’s “modern classic era” — say, between 1980 and 2010. This week, we saw and heard a lot from BMW about the future. And thankfully, there was a lot of good news there.
Let’s start in the very beginning — of the week, that is. Monday, BMW revealed the BMW M3 Touring 24H. The wagon gone racing is essentially an M4 GT3 EVO with some bodywork. Notably, the car debuted as an April Fools Joke last year, only to break cover for real this week. It’s also important to note that this car isn’t some gimmick prototype that will spend the rest of its days in BMW’s underground garage; the car will actually race at 24 Hours of Nurburgring later this year. BMW didn’t need to build this. Certainly, nobody expected it. But projects like this help remind us that passion is alive at BMW, even at the highest levels. The same driving forces are likely responsible for delightful cars like the M5 and M3 Touring models.
Internal Combustion and EVs
While the BMW M3 Touring 24H is super cool, I’ll concede that, practically, it might not matter to many enthusiasts. After all, the car will essentially race once and disappear into storage, making surprise stops at various industry shows for the rest of eternity. Closer to home, then, is release of BMW’s newest iteration of the ubiquitous BMW 3 Series. While we’ve had eyes on the iX3 — which will likely ascend to the volume-mover throne once occupied by the 3er — for a while, the i3 closes the circuit, so to speak. The 3 Series changed what a compact luxury sedan could be once, over 50 years ago. Today, the electrified 3 Series redefines what an electric sedan can do.
With range that trounces every competitor (save, perhaps the Lucid Air, a much more expensive car) and power figures dwarfing that of the current 3 Series, it’s no mere incremental move forward. Consider: an even hotter M Performance model is likely on the way, likely touting 550 (or more) horsepower. The implications for how serious a performer the electric M3 will be just get more and more exciting. Combined with BMW’s knack for making a heavy car handle well, and you can consider our curiosity piqued.
On the other side of things — in more than one way — BMW also confirmed that V12 engines are still in the books for Rolls-Royce. This ties in well with what we’ve already known about BMW’s continued dedication to the gas engine. While V12-powered Rollers fall closer to the BMW M3 Touring 24H than an electric 3 Series on the spectrum of relevancy to the average enthusiast, it means BMW will be one of the last automakers even considering a V12 engine after 2030. And that club is pretty exclusive, including the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Gordon Murray Automotive, and few others.
What All of This Means For BMW Enthusiasts
The vast majority of BMW enthusiasts are not purchasing V12 Rolls-Royces. Nor will they ever pilot the BMW M3 Touring 24H. There’s some overlap into the electric 3 Series — and that’s reason enough to be excited. But even if you aren’t thrilled by the possibilities of the new BMW i3, all these developments combined paint a very exciting picture of the brand’s future. It shows that BMW has not forgotten a slice of their demographic largely credited with solidifying its success in the modern era. The portrait only gets more enchanting when combined with choice bits of other good news surrounding the brand. For example: the next-gen M3 Touring has a solid chance of coming to the United States. Next-gen M cars might even be offered with a true-blue manual gearbox. If offering a manual transmission in nearly 2030 doesn’t cater to enthusiasts, I’m not sure what does.
The days of hydraulic power steering and natural aspiration are long gone. And, sadly, there’s no going back now. But that doesn’t mean it’s all gloom and doom. If you’re an enthusiast, there’s no other automaker checking the boxes like BMW is in 2026.
