SPY PICS: Best look yet at 2020 BMW M3

New photos of the bahn-storming new sixth-generation BMW M3 confirm the car is well and truly nearing sign-off before its global premiere at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show in September.

Tipped to arrive in Australia in 2020, the new BMW M3 super-sedan follows in the footsteps of the five M3 generations before it, including the E30, E36, E46, E90 and F80 model designations.

But the new 2020 BMW M3, codenamed G80, has a new party trick – a wagon version! Actually a new four-door BMW M4 Gran Coupe derivative is more likely, but the new gizmo that'll have tongues (and dynamometers) wagging is water injection.

We're not talking about a water spray onto the intercooler like a Mitsubishi Evo, but a development of the water injection system seen in the circa-$300,000 BMW M4 GTS, in which distilled water is sprayed into the intake manifold to reduce induction air temperature (allowing higher turbo-boost pressures).

The result? Big power.

As you can see from the spy images, the trademark quad-outlet exhaust system returns – with an even bigger collector – along with massive brakes and low-slung aero bodywork all designed to help facilitate the flow of between 339kW and 375kW of power, depending on the M3 model.

De rigueur bonnet bulges and blistered wheel-arches will return for active duty as well -- but there's no giant rear wing... yet. Wait for the M4 GTS model in another five years if you want visual bling.

Powered by the BMW M division's latest and greatest 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline six-cylinder engine, dubbed S58, the entry-level M3 Pure model grade will pump out around 339kW and 600Nm. Rear-wheel drive M3 Pure models will also be offered with a six-speed manual. Purists rejoice!

Standard or Core models will do closer to 354kW and deliver all-wheel drive (and potentially a tyre-shredding drift mode with the help of a rear Active M Differential).

Top-spec 'Competition' models will belt out up to 375kW or close to 500hp, but all models are expected to deliver 600Nm of torque via an eight-speed automatic -- as is the case in the recently-outed X3 and X4 M Competition models, which debuted the new M powertain.

By that measure the new BMW M3 will have the Audi RS4's 331kW turbo V6 output covered – although both have the same 600Nm torque output.

The Mercedes-Benz C 63 S, which has proven very popular with customers in Australia, will still be the king of the hill – just – by generating the same 375kW as the new M3 Competition but with more torque (700Nm) from its bigger 4.0-litre biturbo V8.

With such firepower at its disposal, the new M3 should improve by a few tenths on the current car's 0-100km/h time of 3.9 seconds, particularly as the M3 (and M4) cars are tipped to be around 65kg lighter.

Prices are expected to rise slightly over the current M3 models, which are pegged between $130,000 for the M3 Pure up to $146,529 for the M3 Competition, but the extra spondoolies will land you loads of new tech.

Expect all the goodies from the well-received BMW 3 Series (G20), including a digital cockpit, lots of commute-improving semi-autonomous driver aids and adaptive suspension, not to mention M-specific sports stuff like seats, steering wheel, pedals and big wheels – up to 20-inches in diameter.