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BMW's next M3 will have a manual transmission and optional all-wheel drive, report says

The 2020 G80 M3 may also get a lower-cost entry-level trim aimed at driving super enthusiasts.

Kyle Hyatt Former news and features editor
Kyle Hyatt (he/him/his) hails originally from the Pacific Northwest, but has long called Los Angeles home. He's had a lifelong obsession with cars and motorcycles (both old and new).
Kyle Hyatt
2 min read
2019 BMW 3 Series Sedan
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2019 BMW 3 Series Sedan

The new M3 will probably look like the G20 3 Series if it took some of those weird supplements that Joe Rogan advertises.

BMW

If you were one of the countless car enthusiasts who bemoaned the lack of a manual transmission option in the newest-generation 3 Series, then I have some good news for you. The forthcoming 2020 G80 M3 will be available with three pedals.

I'll pause while you celebrate like the Ewoks at the end of Return of the Jedi.

Now, there's more good news, according to a report published Friday by Car Magazine. Unlike the M5, the M3 will still be available as a rear-wheel drive vehicle. That said, those who want a little more stability in their German hot rod can opt for all-wheel drive, though BMW's engineers will likely add a RWD switch just like the M5's, you know, for extra silliness.

The 2020 M3 will -- according to BMW -- share the new S58 engine that will first see duty in the X3M and X4M sport crossovers. The S58 is once again a turbocharged straight-six engine, and it can be had with either 480 horsepower, or 510 if you're feeling extra sporty and go for the Competition trim.

But wait, there's more. According to Car's report, BMW is also planning a lower-powered, entry-level, more stripped-back version of the M3 called the M3 Pure. That naming convention seems to have been borrowed from BMW Motorrad's experiments with making a lower-cost version of its wildly popular R Nine T motorcycle.

This "Pure" version would -- in theory -- have around 450 horsepower and will be the only way to get that sweet, sweet manual transmission we mentioned earlier. This seems, to us anyway, like a fantastic move for BMW. Its M cars have been drifting further and further away from the original mission of the sub-brand and a return to form would be killer.

As far as the rest of the car, we don't know much other than that we really liked the G20 3 Series in its more plebeian trim levels so hopefully a 'roided-up version will be more of a good thing. We also sincerely hope that the S58 engine sounds better than the S55 in the current car and that it makes its way over to the land of the rising sun for duty in the Toyota Supra.

Fingers crossed.

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