BMW’s Next-Generation Electric M Car is Here and its Design is Inspired by Sailboats

On the heels of the unveiling of the i3 electric sedan, BMW has revealed what its in-house tuning department, BMW M, has been working on with the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse.

Effectively the next all-electric BMW M3 (though the name has not yet been announced, so it could be an iM3), the concept has the weight of great expectation on its widened wheel arches and, at first blush anyway, the M division is off to a good start. Featuring recognizably sporty design cues, classic lightweighting race car trickery, and some electric vehicle (EV) design wizardry, to boot, the concept certainly looks the part.

Starting at the front, the lower grille features a carbon fibre front splitter to help with aerodynamic flow over the front of the car. The splitter is affixed to the concept car by three vertical spars whose design was inspired by trimarans, high-speed, triple-hulled sail boats.

At either end of the front, track lights emerge from the body and work in concert with the racing daytime running lights, that have been tinted yellow. The move to this colour was inspired by GT racing cars, and will be a signature of BMW M vehicles from now on.

Moving towards the hood, BMW combines the familiar with the futuristic. What looks like a hood scoop (a classic design feature of sporty vehicles for years now) is actually an air outlet. The functional design element helps cool the electric drivetrain during hard use.

Along the side, aerodynamic side mirrors give the M Concept Neue Klasse an aggressive edge while, at the back, the trimaran-inspired design is repeated. This time, it supports the rear diffusor, which also helps keep the car glued to the ground.

A newly developed paint colour, Monza Red, is seen here, and the red theme continues inside on the belts of the five-point safety harness. These help keep occupants safe in the newly-developed bucket seats, of which there are four. The seats feature two-tone (Bathurst Blue and Berry Red) Merino leather upholstery, and Nubuck leather is used for the first time in an M vehicle on the steering wheel, door panels, and roll bar.

A floating dashboard is finished in a black knit material with hexagonal lighting developed specifically by BMW M.

Still a concept, it’s not clear how much the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse will change once it reaches real roads, but given its similarity to the i3, it would be surprising to see it depart significantly from this design.

BMW has yet to reveal performance figures for the vehicle, but has said that the battery will be larger than 100 kWh, which should give it ample range, and that it will have four motors, which should make it quick.

Unfortunately, the automaker is also playing its cards close to its chest in terms of release timing.