Open Markus Flasch’s Instagram account and you’ll find nearly 20 Stories where he answers some of the most important questions BMW fans are asking. In one of them, the BMW M CEO discloses when the M5 LCI will premiere – in a couple of weeks – while in another, he reveals the M3 Saloon and M4 Coupe will debut in September.
The man in charge at the M division also says BMW is in the final stages of testing M3 prototypes at the Nürburgring, reiterating the high-powered saloon will be offered with both a six-speed manual gearbox and a dual-clutch automatic with eight gears. He went on to specify there will be rear- and all-wheel-drive versions of the car, with identical configurations planned for the coupe as well.
Gallery: 2022 BMW M3 CS spy photos
Markus Flasch promises the cars will have “up to 510 horsepower,” a number which refers to the output according to the German Pferdestärke (PS), with 1 PS = 0.986 bhp. In other words, the M3 and M4 will have as much as 503 bhp in Competition spec, thus perfectly matching the X3 M and X4 M Competition models. While he didn’t mention the torque figure, it probably stands at 442 pound-feet (600 Newton-metres) as it’s the case with the two speedy SUVs.
It’s worth noting the S58 engine in the Competition models will be offered exclusively with the automatic and xDrive. Similarly, the three-pedal version nicknamed the “Pure” model will be rear-wheel-drive-only. In other words, buyers won’t be able to combine the stick shift with AWD. Hotter versions are planned by BMW, with our spies seemingly catching an M3 CS prototype the other day. The return of the CSL badge is also expected, but that will happen later in the life cycle.
See the spy shots:
It is believed BMW will commence production of the new M3 Saloon and M4 Coupe in November, with customer deliveries planned to start early next year. Later in 2021, an M4 Convertible will join the lineup. There have been rumours of an M4 Gran Coupe, but we wouldn’t hold our breath.
Meanwhile, the next-generation 4 Series Coupe will debut on June 2 together with the M440i M Performance model.
Source: Markus Flasch / Instagram