2026 BMW M3

It might seem strange to equate the high-performance BMW M3 with value, but virtually no other sports car can match its prodigious acceleration and handling at a sub-$100K price tag. The M3 checks nearly every box on an enthusiast driver's wish list, with the extra benefit of four doors and a family-friendly back seat and trunk. Given its hard-earned reputation, you'd think BMW wouldn't need to tinker much with the formula. And for the forthcoming next-generation M3, it appears they won't — with one significant addition to the lineup.

Edmunds spotlight: Ultimate enthusiast car embraces electric future

If it returns for next year — a big if, as BMW typically skips M3 model years when its more pedestrian counterpart, the 3 Series, is redesigned (as is expected for 2026) — the 2026 BMW M3 will likely be indistinguishable from the model available today. But the 2027 version is a different ballgame, highlighted by an extreme all-electric version with more power than any other M3 to date. If rumors are to be believed, it could produce more than 700 hp from at least two electric motors. To ease the minds of skeptical enthusiasts not quite ready for an electric M3, BMW brass have also assured that an updated version of the current turbocharged six-cylinder engine will carry over. Also assured is a reversion to more classic 3 Series styling. If prototype and concept images are any indication, the current model's beaver-toothed grille should give way to a wider, more classic BMW kidney-grille look. The M3 EV will ride atop a completely different platform than the gas car. Whether the faithful accept it as a true M3 is an open question, but BMW says it will come with a hyperfast processor that can make infinite steering, handling and braking adjustments in the merest of milliseconds.

Competitors to consider

The M3 is a benchmark of compact sport luxury cars, but there are others to consider before committing your cash. The next-generation Audi RS 5 Sportback should debut around the same time as the new M3 with similarly fierce power and handling. The Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance is a plug-in hybrid with audacious levels of speed and acceleration, while the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing delivers 472 horsepower's worth of American flavor to the class. And if you can find a good used version of the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio, it might satisfy your taste for Italian passion and performance.

The redesigned M3 should follow on the heels of the next-gen 3 Series debut, which is expected in the next year. If you want the expected power increase and advanced tech of the new M3, are eager for an all-electric version, or simply can't get past the looks of the current M3, sit tight.