A more affordable model underneath the M3 is reported to be the current priority of BMW, which has been looking to attract new customers to the brand. According to highly placed sources from inside the firm’s M division who spoke with Autocar, this new car was chosen over a BMW supercar. The new car, which will be based on the next-gen 1-series, will have a design intended to introduce younger customers to new M cars. With pricing that starts from $50,000, the new car is meant to rival the next-generation Audi S3. The source added that BMW is aware that existing customers are gravitating towards larger and more expensive models such as the X5/X6 M. BMW believes this entry-level model would be a good counter to that trend. Reportedly, one of the car’s biggest supporters is BMW M division boss Kay Segler. Asked whether BMW’s M division was thinking of putting a sports car against the R8, Mercedes SLS and Porsche’s 911 Turbo, the source said that such a project would “fit nicely” with its operations and would get the acceptance of engineers but that the new model is the priority.
