BMW will not build a new super sports car in the foreseeable future

(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) - BMW was close to building a new version of the iconic M1. This potential i16, a successor to the i8, was based on the 2019 Vision M Next concept car (see images). However, the project was halted at the last minute, and it's unlikely BMW will build a new supercar anytime soon.

BMW M boss Frank van Meel told BMW Blog that the company "doesn't want to lose focus on its high-performance models, even though we always dream of a new M1 -like supercar." However, the company needs to "find the right time window in which we have the capacity to work on such a car."

BMW is preparing to launch its New Class architecture , which will support both electric and combustion engine versions of the highly anticipated next M3 .

It isn't expected to launch until late 2026 or early 2027, and the project will likely consume a significant amount of engineering resources before launch. The new internal combustion M3 will feature a gasoline engine different from the S58, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six that powers the current model.

The new M1, aka i16 , that BMW was reportedly working on would have been a 600 hp plug-in hybrid with a four-cylinder engine. BMW worked on the project during the COVID-19 epidemic, but officials opted for the XM instead.

It's probably not a question of if, but when, BMW decides to build a new supercar—it simply has to happen at the right time. One reason the company chose the XM over a new M1 was the belief that today's customers want SUVs over sports cars. However, the XM isn't selling well, and a new BMW supercar is now on hold.

M-Power yesterday and today:

Driving through Munich in a BMW M1: M1ami White BMW M5 Touring G99 (2025) in review: Better than a station wagon

Source: BMW Blog