Spy Shots. Camouflaged BMW iX3 M Spotted On The Roads In Munich

Development of the anticipated iX3 M could already be well underway, as a pre-production, performance-focused version of BMW’s brand-new all-electric SUV has been spotted on the roads around BMW’s headquarters in Germany. With the similarly potent i3 M already in production, and with the BMW Group having confirmed that more than 40 new and/or updated models will be launched by the end of 2027, this camouflaged prototype suggests M Division’s take on the iX3 could be the next big announcement from Munich in 2026.

Speculation surrounding an iX3 M quickly arose when BMW first teased the brand-new all-electric SUV as the Concept iX3 back in 2018. The iX3, the debut model of BMW’s pioneering Neue Klasse generation and the electric equivalent to the X3, will be the Bavarian brand’s headliner at the upcoming Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) in September.

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Performance Tires And Brakes On Show; No Aero Tweaks Yet

Though no official details have been released, this pre-production mule was snapped boasting much heftier tires – 21 inches at the front, 22 at the rear – and perforated blue brake calipers indicative of M Division’s colors. While it’s difficult to say with certainty, no further tweaks appear to have been made to the iX3’s bodywork, suggesting – if indeed this is an M model – that development work is currently focused on racier suspension and brakes, and chassis rigidity. All future aerodynamic work will presumably be reserved until after the production iX3’s reveal in Munich.

Potential release dates are also unclear. Interestingly, sales of BMW’s all-electric vehicles have slowly but consistently continued to rise (the Group saw a 13-plus percent increase in EV sales from 2023 to 2024). With customer deliveries of the iX3 expected to begin in early 2026, followed shortly thereafter by the launch of the new i3 sedan, BMW will be looking to ride that momentum, suggesting an M Division iX3 could be announced in late 2026 ahead of a potential 2027 or 2028 release date.

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Around 400 Horsepower Expected From Production iX3

One of the most expensive development projects in the brand’s history, the iX3 is very much the figurehead of the Neue Klasse EVs shaping the future of BMW. The iX3, for example, will showcase a brand-new design language, a new EV-dedicated architecture, and latest generation batteries, which, for the first time on a BMW, are mounted within the chassis. The additional structural rigidity and more malleable center of gravity can only be good news for a future M Division model.

Said batteries power three synchronous electric motors (though again unconfirmed, the launch model is expected to be an all-wheel-drive iX3 50 xDrive) that produce around 400 horsepower and 442-pound feet of torque, enough for a 0-62 mph sprint time of less than five seconds. Chances are pretty good the future iX3 M will easily leapfrog the 500-hp mark. Energy density of the new battery generation, meanwhile, is said to be 20 percent higher than their forebears, with BMW suggesting that an estimated range of 800 kilometers – or just shy of 500 miles – could be doable. Reports from a well-informed insider suggest the 400-volt charging technology could see up to 80 percent of that range recouped in just 21 minutes.

The new iX3 will debut in September. While it’s possible BMW could reveal the hotter M variant at the same time, we expect that to happen some time in 2026.