One Million Times M: Anniversary M3 in Fire Orange – and the Electric M3 Will Come from Munich.

Oct 5

3 min read

BMW M has built its one millionth vehicle. Fittingly, it's an M3, produced at the Munich main plant. And that is exactly where the next era will begin: the first fully electric BMW M3, based on the Neue Klasse, will also roll off the line in Munich.

An M3 in Fire Orange III as a Milestone

What timing: 40 years after the market launch of the first BMW M3, BMW M GmbH is celebrating the production of its one millionth vehicle – and of all things, it's an M3. The anniversary car wears the BMW Individual special paint finish Fire Orange III and was built at BMW Group Plant Munich.

At a ceremony, plant director Peter Weber handed the car over to Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. A symbolic moment: the plant that builds the M3 hands it over to the brand that develops it.

For BMW M, the million mark is a milestone after more than five decades of company history. Van Meel emphasises that the combination of road and track capability with everyday usability is still what M customers value most today – and that this very brand promise is to be carried over to the fully electric M models.

The First Fully Electric M3 Will Be Built in Munich

The real news lies in the second part of the press release: the fully electric BMW M3 will be produced at the Munich main plant – and exclusively there. It is the first high-performance model based on BMW M Neue Klasse technology.

This makes it the second Neue Klasse model built in Munich, following the fully electric BMW i3. The reasoning is clear: the current M3 generation has been built in Munich since 2020, and the workforce feels a close connection to the car. Accordingly, Peter Weber speaks of the special emotional significance for employees and of wanting to actively help shape the future of this icon.

For the site, the decision is more than symbolic. BMW describes it as a commitment to its traditional home location and as confirmation of its strategic role within the global production network. The main plant has been producing vehicles for more than 100 years.

From 2027: Munich Will Build Only Electric Cars

The backdrop is the plant's consistent transformation. From 2027, the BMW Group will produce only fully electric vehicles in Munich. The conversion was carried out while production continued – no small challenge, given how densely built the plant site is in the middle of the city.

Key facts of the conversion:

On around one third of the plant area, a new body shop and a state-of-the-art vehicle assembly were built
Plus new logistics areas
Total investment: around 650 million euros

Modern production structures, consistent digitalisation and close cooperation with development teams and suppliers are intended to make it possible to build even a high-performance vehicle like the electric M3 efficiently in Munich.

The fact that the millionth car is an M3 is hardly a coincidence. The M3 is the heart of BMW M, and with the model's 40th anniversary, the staging fits perfectly. The choice of Fire Orange III makes a nice contrast to the blue, grey and green shades so often seen on M cars.

More exciting, however, is the look ahead. With the electric M3, BMW M is setting the benchmark for the Neue Klasse in the high-performance segment. The press release does not yet reveal technical details such as output, battery capacity or drivetrain layout – so we can look forward to the coming months.

One question remains open: if Munich builds only electric cars from 2027, where will a combustion-engined M3 be produced in future? BMW does not address this in the press release. We'll stay on it.