BMW M GmbH is going back to basics, sort of, ditching the current M3’s V8 for a six-cylinder tri-turbo engine.

There is whole new range of M cars coming in fact, in addition to the current range, chief among which the M2 sportscar, the new M3 and a successor to the legendary M1. M division is going to expand its range and build more cars. There’s certainly a huge demand out there.

The next BMW M3 is reportedly going to get an all-new six-cylinder engine boosted by three turbos. Two of them are conventional units connected to exhausts, and the other is powered by electricity. It’ll make around 450 hp. The car will be lighter thanks to carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body panels which are as light as carbon fiber but less expensive and easier to repair.

All this means the new car will be much more fuel efficient than the E90, without any major compromise. Well, it probably won’t sound as nice as the V8, but hey!

Even more exciting than the new M2 is the new M1. If BMW officials finally get around making it, it’ll be a full-on hyper car competing with supercars from Lamborghini, Ferrari and Aston Martin. It will get either a V10 or a V12 engine. It’s not likely for the M1 to arrive sooner than 2016.

Source: AutoExpress