BMW has confirmed that three vehicles will make their world premieres at the upcoming Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, including an “elegantly sporting one-off” and one from the BMW M division, speculated to be the new, all-electric BMW M3.
BMW, which collaborates officially with the concours car event on Lake Como once again in 2025, announced in an official statement that, alongside a “case study in unbridled adrenalin” from BMW Motorrad (expected to be the “sexy” G/S), the Bavarian brand would also bring several BMW M GmbH models to Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, including an unnamed “world premiere.”
Why This “World Premiere” Could Be The New Electric BMW M3
Though no further details were provided, and with the halo M5 having already been released last July, speculation suggests the reveal could be a pre-production version of the upcoming, all-electric BMW M3, testing of an M4-esque version of which is now underway, and images of which were shared late last year. What better way to grab headlines for arguably the most controversial M3 yet than at one of the most famous concours event in North America?
Promising to “set new standards,” the M3 EV, the first all-electric example of BMW M’s most tenured model, features the same ‘Neue Klasse’ styling that will also be featured on the new-for-2026 3 Series, albeit with wider flared fenders, more pronounced front and rear bumpers, and, unsurprisingly, larger brake discs.
“What better way to grab headlines for arguably the most controversial M3 yet than at one of the most famous concours event in North America?”
Though drivetrain details for the camouflaged prototype – dubbed ‘ZA0’ – have not yet been released, the new electric M3 will be underpinned by the Neue Klasse electric-first, 800-volt architecture, capable of longer estimated ranges, faster recharging times, and accommodating battery sizes between 75.0 and 150.0 kilowatt-hours. Plans are apparently afoot to introduce the M3 with BMW’s new quad-motor electric powertrain, capable, supposedly, of a whopping 1,341-horsepower. Admittedly, this biblical output would likely be reserved for the new M5, with the M3 EV pushing a more model-savvy 500-600-horsepower, bearing in mind the internal combustion M3 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Again, however, no official confirmation has been made as to the identity of the M Division’s world premiere. Suggestions that the silks will be pulled from the new i3 first also makes this difficult to say with certainty.
Legendary M1 Goes Up For Auction; 1940 Mille Miglia Winners Reunited
Alongside the M Division surprise, an “elegantly sporting one-off designed to provide motoring pleasure for two” is set to become the latest BMW concept unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on May 23-25. Previous examples include the M1 Hommage, the 328 Hommage, and the Concept Touring Coupé, and Concept Skytop, which debuted at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2008, 2016, 2023, and 2024 respectively.
BMW also revealed that, for the first time in more than eight decades, each of the original variants of the BMW 328 that lined up for the Mille Miglia road-rally race in 1940 – at which BMWs finished 1st, 3rd and took two further spots in the overall top six – will be on display at Villa d’Este. These will include the victorious BMW 328 Touring Coupé, and tellingly-named ‘Trouser Crease Roadster’ Mille Miglia Series 1.
“An ‘elegantly sporting one-off designed to provide motoring pleasure for two’ concept will be unveiled at Concorso d’Eleganza.”
On Sunday, May 25, meanwhile, a 507 Series BMW – did you know Elvis Presley used to own one of those? – from 1958 and the legendary M1, from 1981, will go under the hammer with Broad Arrow Auctions. A lesser-spotted Z8 from 2000 will also be available to bidders in North America.
The weekend’s traditional competition classes will be broken down into eight different categories – Class A through H – and will award prizes to vehicles built as early as the 1920s. This year’s classes include ‘The Evolution of the ‘Money no Object’ Motor Car, 1920-1940,’ the ‘Post-War European Sports Car,’ and the ‘Go Big or Go Home! automotive excesses’ dating between the 1980s and the new millennium.
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