Speaking to Australia’s caradvice.com.au at the launch of the revised M2 Competition and the all-new M5 Competition in Spain, Frank van Meel remarked that M electrification will take place before the decade is up, but “step-by-step".

“The important question is the timing question – what's the right time for that? If you're too late then you're too late, but if you're too early then you don't have the 'straight to the point' technology. Look at today's electrification components, they are quite heavy and, for us as a motorsports company, overall vehicle weight and power-to-weight ratio is key," van Meel said.

He also revealed that BMW is working on new so-called “plug-and-play electrification components”, the most prominent being a motor-gearbox known as HEAT, which will more than likely to be used in future M models.

“Without going too deep into details, if we do an M Car in an electrified way, it should still drive like an M Car. If you look at M3, we have had four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and a naturally-aspirated high-revving V8. Now we have a turbocharged six and there is the question; is this the right concept or the right technology, or is there another one,” van Meel continued.

“But the real question from our customers was whether the M3 was driving like an M3. I don't really care if we use a HEAT or another configuration, it should drive like an M3... The basic target is not so much the components of the technology itself. It's more the philosophy”.

Earlier this month, it was reported that while the next generation 3-series would offer more hybrid drivetrains, the M3 will stick to internal combustion motivation with a more powerful version of the current 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six, while also being lighter, have the option of a manual gearbox and remain rear-wheel drive.