It has been confirmed that BMW will be using a smaller turbo engine for the 2013 M3. Motor Trend says it spoke to BMW's M Division CEO Ludwig Willisch and he confirmed the upcoming ditching of the current V8 format. The naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre V8 produces 309kW (420hp) and 400Nm of torque. Previous generation M3s used four and six-cylinder motors.

The report states that a new six-cylinder will be employed but it is not the same 3.0-litre twin turbo that is used in the 135i and 335i ranges. Two turbos are likely to be fitted instead of just one. What might miff M traditionalists a little is not a forcefed M3 but the fact that BMW is toying with the idea of a V6 for the M3 which would be more compact as opposed to the traditional inline six BMW is known to strictly use. The new engine might not even be more powerful than the V8 but the car itself would be light in order to counter this power handicap.

The segment will get very interesting as Mercedes-Benz also prepares a new 3.5-litre twin turbo V6 for some of its AMGs and Audi is rumoured to have already forcefed the upcoming RS4 and RS5.

More news on the M front is that a 1 Series-based high-performance car was also confirmed. Thought to be developed by the M guys, BMW will probably not call it an M1. It will also have a compact four-cylinder petrol engine with well over 300hp (221kW).

Finally speculation is that the M5 is about to get its cylinders cut too in order to meet stringent emissions laws and fuel economy standards. The M5 and M6 may end up with a twin turbo V8 motor displacing less than 5.0-litres.

 

I would LOVE the chance to buy a spiritual successor to the E30 M3.

 

They just have to keep the weight low (~2800 like the predecessor) and deliver a great engine in the package. The E30 didn't rev sky-high like modern ///M cars, but it had smooth tractable delivery that suited the chassis balance of the car.

 

In the 1 series M of course, as would I. However, I would take a high revving 1-4/1-6 over a turbo charged version any day.

 

Me too, and they could do a high-revving I-4 that produced ample power and still got pretty good MPG. The Honda workhorse (K-series) engines are 2.0 liter I-4's that produce over 100 hp/liter in numerous configurations (RSX-S, S2000, Civic Si is so close) and still get close to 30 MPG on the highway.

So how about slicing the M3 V8 in half and increasing displacement to 2.5 liters or so. With KERS, DI, and some magic jumping beans, well over 300 hp might be possible?

Then keeping the weight light, of course, would ensure that this special little car could comfortably outperform the current 135i in a straight line, to say nothing of the twisties.

Oh, and if they're serious about the E30 M3 claims, a spartan interior with a center stack oriented toward the driver and those big flared rear fenders would be nice...

 

How about something like the modern tii concept based on the 1 series....

 

That would be outstanding!

I'd love to see a successor to the original 1988 M3 but the hard part for BMW will be keeping the weight down since the 135i is already considered to be a pretty stripped out BMW but it still weighs in at right around 3300 lbs because of all the safety equipment and options. Something tells me it'd be really tough for BMW to make a car the size of the 1-series and keep the weight under 3000 lbs without going to aluminum unibody construction which would jack up the price of the car significantly. Then again, if the Corvette builds the Z06 and ZR1 with aluminum chassis' but uses hydroformed steel for the regular Corvette, I don't know why BMW couldn't do the same.