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Motor 1
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Bad News: BMW Won't Build a New Supercar Anytime Soon
BMW was very close to having a new version of the iconic M1. However, the automaker pulled the plug on that project at the last minute, and it's unlikely BMW will build a new supercar anytime soon. BMW M Boss Frank van Meel told BMW Blog that the company doesn't "want to lose focus" on its high-performance models right now, even if "we are always dreaming about" a new M1-like supercar. However, the company has to "find the right window of opportunity where we have the capacity to work on a car like that." BMW is preparing the launch of its Neue Klasse architecture that will support both electric and gas-powered versions of the highly anticipated M3. It's not expected to go on sale until late 2026 or early 2027, and it's likely consuming a vast amount of engineering resources leading up to the launch. The new combustion-powered M3 will have a gas engine that's unique from the S58 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that powers the current model. The new M1 that BMW was supposedly working on would have been a 600-horsepower plug-in hybrid with a four-cylinder engine. BMW worked on the project throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but the powers-that-be decided to greenlight the XM instead. It's likely not a question of if, but when BMW decides to build a new supercar—it just has to happen at the right time. One reason the company greenlit the XM over a new M1 was that it believed today's customers wanted SUVs instead of sports cars . However, the XM isn't selling well , and a new BMW supercar is now sitting on the back burner. Here's More BMW News to Check Out: BMWs Will Look Very Different Very Soon BMW Has a 'Higher Demand' for the M5 Wagon in the US Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: BMW Blog Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW hints at Z3 M-inspired concept car for Villa d'Este 2025
BMW has released the first images of a new model set to be revealed at the upcoming Villa d'Este Concours, seemingly fusing last year's Skytop concept with the famed 'Clownshoe' Z3 M Coupé. Images posted to social media show the silhouette of a model with the same rear lights as the Skytop, a rakish open-top GT unveiled at last year's Villa d'Este Concours, but a reworked tail section. Rather than a long deck housing a convertible roof panel, it appears to be a shooting brake with a rakish glasshouse and a prominent ducktail-style roof spoiler. Its form appears to reference the Z3 M as well as the Z4-based Touring Coupé concept that BMW revealed at Villa d'Este in 2023. The Touring Coupé never made it to production but the Skytop, on the other hand, is being readied for a limited run of 50 road-going cars. Testing of these cars – based on the CLAR platform that underpins every BMW from the 3 Series upwards and packing a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 – recently ramped up ahead of this year's Villa d'Este Concours, which opens on 23 May. Discussing the impact of Villa d'Este, BMW M chief Frank van Meel last year told Autocar: 'It is a little bit like a test balloon: you show the cars and, if there's enough demand, it can be built. 'I think the demand is quite high, so [the] probability is quite high. We will see over the next few weeks if that interest translates into purchasing orders. 'The probability is there. It shows [that] we always want to try new things and see if there is a demand. Even though we're a big company, it's not the main purpose to build a small series. 'But if you listen to your customers and they say every now and then to do something like this and we do it, I think it's a nice gesture, to show that we aren't only into, let's say, the cars we build everyday, but we can also do something special if demand is there.' BMW design director Adrian van Hooydonk added that 'there's no need to turn [the Skytop] into a big series production car' and that it is 'maybe an instant classic'. ]]>
