In the 2025 Concorso d’Elanza Villa d’Este BMW M -CEo Frank van Meel offered new insights into the transition of the brand to electrification – and what this means for driving purists. The manual transmission, a defining element of MS character cars for decades, does not make the leap to the next generation of electrical M models.
While BMW M is still obliged to offer manual gears in its current combustion businesses-especially in cars such as the M2, in which more than half of the US buyers still select three pedals, Van Meel confirmed that conventional manuals are not compatible with the architecture or logic of EVS. Despite her enthusiastic attraction, van Meel said during a round table that manuals would give complexity without improving the performance or efficiency in electrical drive strands.
That means BMW M does not give up the commitment. Instead of imitation outdated hardware, the brand is developing new opportunities to offer sensory feedback in electric cars. Without motor events or gear changes, drivers can lose a feeling of speed and connection. BMW is actively working on solutions, acoustic feedback via haptic information and visual real -time indicators in order to maintain the emotional connection between the car and the driver. A few months ago we saw a teaser that showed an M3 EV prototype that provided an ice noise in the cabin.
One of the most important test beds for this new M -Performance experience is the upcoming Elektro -BMW M3, which is known internally as ZA0. The next generation M3, which arrives in 2027, will be debuted on the BMW class platform and is expected to deliver at least 850 hp. We could follow stronger versions in typical M3 fashion.
The new EV architecture from BMW enables highly flexible drive configurations that support one to four engines. The electrical M3 probably has excited synchronous motors (EESM) on the rear axle for response, paired with asynchronous engines (ASM) at the front, minimize efficiency and air resistance in the event of non -use. This mixture enables engineers to correct the performance with precision and at the same time reduce parasitic losses that are typical of EVS with two motorists.
At an event at which the automotive heritage celebrates, BMW used the Villa d’Este stage to make its position clear: the manual can remain alive in ice cars for the time being. Our own sources say that the six-speed manual is not part of the package if the ICE M3 (Codename G84) is mild.
