I need to see it with the lighting elements powered on. It’s getting absolutely massacred by the BMW subreddit, per usual with every new redesign. I personally think it looks better than the front of the G80 which I still haven’t come around to.
The G80 was the first BMW in my life that didn't follow the normal path of everyone hating it at new and loving it when it gets replaced. I kinda already like this so I'm sure it'll be just fine
I don't know. What you said kind of makes sense.
The G80 M3 fascia looks like it was meant for a sedan body to me.
It's the G82 M4 that looks weird and out of place.
I had an F82 and loved it. Went 911 afterwards. I want to add an M3 to the garage too I just can’t accept the huge shouts. Hoping the new model is easier to stomach visually because the performance is great. So far I like what I see if this carries over to the ice model.
Yeah, the G8x is still the bucktooth grill. It’s just goofy looking when sat next to the F8x or E9x. This is somehow… worse? And what’s weird is the regular sedan actually looks decent. The fuck happened between that and this?
I'm in agreement that this is still better than the G80, but it beggars belief that the whole point of this Neue Klasse design language was to be clean, retro, and minimalist, and then they go ahead and overdesign the front end of their highest-end model to look busy as hell. It shouldn't be that a base i3 looks better than an M3.
Agreed with it being better than the g80, although i wasn't a huge fan i never hated it like some other do. My wallet is the main reason I don't have one lol
r/BMW is an E92 and earlier circlejerk that isn't reflective of BMWs real customer base at all.
They called the G80 the death of BMW with its design and it was a wild sales success.
There's nothing wrong with appreciating BMWs golden era of driver's cars, but they lean very tone deaf in my opinion.
That's because to a *driving enthusiast* the E9x era was the end.
Now from a badge and spec warrior perspective BMW is better than ever. But they've lost what makes *driving* enthusiasts like them.
To be fair you can't analyze these things in a bubble. Had Mercedes not taken a shit on everyone with the 4 banger C63, M3 sales would've been a lot different.
The BMW sub shits on every new BMW, they don't actually like new (as in newer than 15 years old) BMWs. Every new design is the death of BMW then they act surprised when it outsells basically ever other car in it's class. Repeat for every new model.
Lighting cannot save this. Regardless of how the lights look, this is the face greeting prospective buyers on dealer lots. It's what a buyer's going to be showing off when it's in a parking lot. It's horrible regardless.
It’s the EV so the iM3 from the proportions. I think they might be doing both an ICE and an EV. The ICE uses the same design but different proportions.
Keep in mind that this sub rarely likes any new cars initially. The [original thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/s/oavIKiZGpV) when the G20 3 series launched back in 2019 was mostly negative.
Nope. Loved the G20 even before the camo came off, wanted an M340i as soon as the specs leaked. Bought one and still own it today, wouldn't trade it for anything else. Not every BMW has to 'grow on you' some just look good.
I remember when the G20 was launched, yeah, the reactions were mostly negative.
Frankly, the renders/press pictures didn't do the car justice. It looks much better in person, the body lines look more subtle.
Yeah the G20 looks way worse in that render than I remember the car looking. I actually prefer the pre-LCI to the current model where they removed the headlight crease. I'd probably have a negative kneejerk reaction to that render too.
Yup a lot of people also didn't like the E90 when it came out. Top Gear even [gave](https://youtu.be/DqmW5s-Qfsw?si=dlEYsbizpuv_1LCY&t=2m18s) it the "ugliest car of the year award"! E60 5 series was also very controversial back in 2003.
But that’s how it usually goes and then people like it after they’ve acclimated to it. It’s the mere exposure effect. The G8x seems to still be disliked by a ton of people which isn’t the norm.
I'm an E90 owner and I've always liked the G80 styling, but if I owned one I'd get the GT3 style front bumper with the big open grille, I think the more aggressive styling suits it far better.
From what I've seen the G80 styling is not too popular among non-car people, but it's a car that only car people buy. If a rich guy just wants to throw money at the top trim on the lot, they're getting a 7 or X7. The 7 series does quite well though, although some car nerds are pretty upset about that design too.
Personally I think this new M3 looks better than the G80.
Everyone always complains that the new designs are ugly, then grow to like them. I'm sure this is going to happen again but I really don't see it right now.
Whatever, it'll probably end up being well received in 2 years.
They weren't wrong. But this is what happens when things keeps getting worse every generation. Now the worse thing seems significantly less worse several generations of enshittification later.
You see it across enthusiast spaces online, and you're right. It's an *incredibly* predictable cycle of "new thing X terrible, old model good" only for opinion to swing around eventually in many (not all) cases.
I respect that they're trying to overhaul the design...But these designs are just not even remotely close to their identity. Hopefully the electric line is much more different than the combustion engine lines. Looking forward to the M350i designs.
It looks... unfinished?
literally all they have to do is to give it small visually distinct kidneys in the center and this is a home run though. it would invoke things like e30 atp
Honestly, it’s not as bad as the buck teeth and I think this is the beginning of a new design language. I have a little bit of hope, but I’m not a huge fan of how the car currently looks.
It's not bad, it seems like we've averted the trend of BMW's kidney grille getting bigger and bigger. Unless they're saving some unholy abomination of a snout for the gas M3 or the M4.
tbh I like the G80 in the M form. I think this new one will be cool too, albeit less recognizable as a BMW. Yes ik it looks like the E30 and its generation, but BMWs haven’t looked like that in ages and those still had the kidney grilled between the headlights
Electric M3? I wonder how it will sell, I can’t imagine well. I think if you can spend M3 money you want a bit more exciting driving experience. Electric cars are near silent whereas previous M3/M4’s had I6’s or V8’s.
Have you ever driven an EV? A Model 3 Performance isn’t an M3, but it’s stomach-turning fast and handles pretty damn well with the low center of gravity.
Makes me think of Sofyan from Redline Reviews - “I have to admit, the new front fascia is growing on me, I mean it appears to be growing every time I look at it.”
Haha fair enough. I do like it quite a bit, it's a weekend car of mine though I kick myself every time over not getting the manual. The power delivery so exciting and I think the overall experience just makes you smile every time. Though if you have an Aston I feel like they'll overlap quite a bit in experience, they're both GT cars.
They would definitely overlap and it’s totally overkill but I think the desire comes from the aftermarket. The Supra is so moddable with the B58 and there’s also so much you can do to the exterior to personalize it. I also think the current Supra and the Vantage have some of the best looking rear ends of any production cars.
I agree, definitely supra is your car if you want one to modify. You can do so much with these cars. I've thought about wide bodying mine in the future when I get bored with it.
I noticed the aston in your flair so took a look at your profile. Looks like you just got it. Congrats man, its beautiful. And I hope for no more misfires in the near future 🙂
Tbh I only hate the bottom front by the wheel wells. The rest looks like a modern take on a firebird. Not very BMWy but better than the current beaver front end. I’d be more worried about the rest of the car based on the new X3 and its globbishness.
Looks like the white Power Ranger and Pontiac Aztek had a baby.
…That could just be me wanting the Rocket League E30 M3/Power Rangers pack to be secret foreshadowing though
Eh they already showed this style for the new i3 so wasn’t this expected?
This is typical BMW shitty styling. Even when you ignore the pig nose of the current gen, it’s still horribly designed. There’s curves, there’s sharp angles, none of the likes compliment each other or flow together.
This new vehicle suffers from the same. Smooth curves for the grill, square auxiliary lights. Lines and curves starting and ending in random places.
Their recent designs wouldn’t get a passing grade in an undergraduate course.
The fact that it looks like a Kia/Fisker/Tesla knockoff just adds insult to injury.
At the same time I’m almost positive it will drive and perform better than anything in its class.
I might be too optimistic, but this doesn't look like the real [spy shots](https://media.autoexpress.co.uk/image/private/s--X-WVjvBW--/f_auto,t_content-image-full-desktop@1/v1768324090/autoexpress/2026/01/BMW%20iM3%20spyshots%202026.jpg) we've seen of the electric M3.
I don't understand what everybody is freaking out about. I'm not in love with it or anything, but it's a massive step up from any g chassis car. They finally are moving away from the massive ugly grill.
People will be pining for the good old days when the G80 was the ugliest thing they released. That Simpsons “so far” meme is getting more and more relevant.
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