Article Summary
- 30 new M Performance and M cars are coming in the next two and a half years.
- There will be pure gas cars, plug-in hybrids, and EVs.
- The new M3 is coming in two flavors: inline-six and electric.
With 213,457 cars delivered in 2025, BMW M extended its record sales streak to 14 consecutive years. How does the “world’s most powerful letter” plan to keep that momentum going? By launching a product onslaught, with a whopping 30 models due by 2029. As you can imagine, not all of them will be full-fat M cars. Instead, a sizeable portion of these new arrivals will carry M Performance branding.
This model offensive, rolled out over a relatively short timeframe, will span nearly every drivetrain type. BMW M plans to launch gasoline, plug-in hybrid, and electric performance models. However, it’s about to bid farewell to the M340d, putting sporty diesel cars in the rearview mirror for good. The X3/X4 M40d have been retired, and it’s been a while since the quad-turbo X5/X6/X7 M50d were available in showrooms.
BMW M CEO Frank van Meel revealed the new influx of models in an interview with the Australian magazine Carsales. As many as 30 cars will arrive in the next two and a half years. He didn’t go into detail about what to expect, but we’ve discussed most of them extensively in recent months. For example, the M2 xDrive is widely believed to debut later in 2026. It likely counts as one of those new products, even if it’s based on the existing G87.
The Electric BMW M3 Debuts Next Year
There are already plenty of spy photos showing the electric M3 due in 2027. Car paparazzi have also spotted its gas-powered companion slated for 2028. Both the EV and ICE models will also receive the M Performance treatment as the i3 M60 and M350, respectively. This time around, don’t expect a manual gearbox or rear-wheel drive for the six-cylinder cars. Instead, the M-flavored 3 Series variants will probably be offered exclusively with an automatic transmission and xDrive. Should there be long-roof versions, we’re hoping for a pair of M Performance and M Tourings.
Although there won’t be another X3 M with an inline-six, the iX3 is expected to receive a full-fledged M version next year. Meanwhile, the Neue Klasse-based electric crossover should spawn an iX3 M60, possibly by the end of this year. 2026 should also mark the launch of the first-ever iX4, which is rumored to get both M variants as well.
Moving higher up the lineup, the M5 will undergo a mid-cycle facelift next year for both the G90 sedan and G99 Touring. Whether the LCI will bring a hotter Competition Sport remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Munich applies the CS badge to both, following the M3 CS formula. The electric i5 M60 is also set to receive a facelift in both sedan and wagon forms.
The Next X5 M And X6 M Could Get V8 And Electric Versions
The next-generation X5 (G65), launching this year, will feature a highly complex lineup, including M60, M60e, and iX5 M70 M Performance models. An X5 M with a V8, along with a separate all-electric X5 M, will serve as range-toppers. The second-generation X7 (G67), arriving in 2027, will reportedly offer only M Lite versions (M60 and M70), plus an electric ALPINA iX7 (G69) as the iX7 M70 xDrive crown jewel.
By 2028, the X6 G66’s arrival should be followed shortly by combustion and electric M derivatives, though likely not to the same extent as the X5 family.
As for the 7 Series, its facelift launches in the coming months and should retain the M760e and i7 M70. There are also rumors of an M760 with a beefy V8, but nothing is official at this point. ALPINA versions with six and eight cylinders are on the way, along with an i7, but none fall into the M category.
We haven’t forgotten about the front-wheel-drive compact models. The M135 hatch and M235 sedan are expected to undergo a facelift by 2029. Similarly, the mechanically related X1 M35 and X2 M35 are likely to receive updates over the next two and a half years.
Several M Models Are Dying
While BMW M prepares for this model offensive, it has already said goodbye to the M8. The M850i will go out of production in April, and the final Z4 M40i will leave the assembly line around the same time. The XM could also bow out by 2029, indirectly replaced by an adventure-focused SUV that may receive the M treatment. The iX M60, along with lesser versions, is expected to be phased out by mid-2028, when the iX5 effectively takes its place.
Did we miss any? We didn’t mention the M440i, M440d, or the M4, as these models will be retired by 2029. It’s unclear whether BMW will revisit any of them before this generation of the 4er retires.
