When the iconic sports saloon finally goes electric, it will be called BMW iM3. This model name has just been filed by BMW with the EU Intellectual Property Office, hinting at a sporty variant of the Neue Klasse electric saloon coming in 2025.

We already knew BMW was working on a next-gen electric architecture for the 3 Series’ successor called the Neue Klasse, referencing the 1500, 1800, and 2000 model range from the Sixties, which set BMW on a path toward the sporty saloons it’s best-known for.

The first full-fat electric M model?

A glimpse at the looks of this new 3 Series was given in the shape of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, a concept car representing a major technological leap. BMW has promised 30% more range, 30% faster charging, and a 25% improvement in overall efficiency for this next-gen platform.

But BMW wouldn’t be BMW if it didn’t consider sportier versions of this new electric architecture. In the past, the German brand’s electric ‘i’ models were not yet allowed a full-fat M version, opting for the lower-tier M Performance badge, such as the i4 M50 and the i7 M70.

The next-gen 3 Series might be the first ‘real’ electric BMW M model, with the iM3 model name filed with the EU Intellectual Property Office back in March. The development of this electric M3 was already confirmed by BMW earlier this year, but we will have to wait for it. Whereas the Neue Klasse is set to launch in 2025, the iM3 might only arrive around 2027. As such, no details are yet known in terms of performance figures.