BMW Marks One Million M Cars and Reveals Electric M3 Plans

BMW M has reached a milestone with the production of its one-millionth vehicle, a BMW M3 finished in BMW Individual Fire Orange III, assembled at the BMW Group Plant in Munich. The car was presented by Peter Weber, head of the Munich plant, to Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, during an official ceremony that reflected on over fifty years of the M division’s history and looked ahead to its future.

The celebration also served to announce a significant shift for both the M3 and the Munich factory. From 2027, the plant will manufacture only fully-electric vehicles, beginning with the first-ever all-electric BMW M3. This new model will be the first high-performance M car to use BMW’s Neue Klasse technology, and the second Neue Klasse model produced in Munich after the electric BMW i3. The move marks the end of combustion-powered M3 production at the site, with future gasoline M3 models expected to be built at BMW’s Dingolfing facility.

BMW M3 CS in Böblingen — Photo: Alexander Migl / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

The one-millionth M car, a G80-generation M3, highlights the deep connection between the model and the Munich plant, which has produced M3s since 2020. The milestone comes forty years after the launch of the original M3 E30 and more than five decades after BMW Motorsport GmbH was established. “BMW M combines road and racetrack capabilities with everyday practicality. The one-millionth BMW M vehicle shows that these values are still very much appreciated by our customers, 40 years after the market launch of the first BMW M3,” said Franciscus van Meel. “This motivates us to continuously develop our BMW M high-performance vehicle portfolio based on BMW M Neue Klasse technology, including fully-electric models, in line with our core brand promise.”

The transformation of the Munich plant is extensive. BMW is investing about 650 million euros to remodel roughly one-third of the site. That adds a new body shop, assembly area, and logistics facilities. These changes are being carried out while production continues, positioning the plant at the forefront of BMW’s transition to electromobility. Peter Weber, head of the Munich plant, said the BMW M3 has close ties to the BMW Group’s main plant in Munich and that BMW M has a special emotional significance for the associates at the plant.

As the Munich plant pivots to electric-only production, the next gasoline-powered M3, rumored to carry the G84 designation, is likely to move to Dingolfing. Reports suggest this future model could be xDrive- and automatic-only, with a mild-hybrid version of the twin-turbo inline-six engine, though BMW hasn’t officially confirmed these details. Production of the current G80 M3 will continue in Munich until later in 2027, alongside its long-roof sibling, the G81.

The one-millionth M car marks a farewell to the era of combustion-powered M3s at BMW’s historic home, while the brand prepares for an electric future. The electric M3’s reveal is planned for next year, with production at the retooled Munich plant to follow in 2027. The magazine has also looked at BMW’s limited edition M4 CS in its coverage of the brand’s performance models.