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2027 BMW 3 Series Revealed

BMW has revealed the eighth-generation 3 Series, bringing a new generation of petrol-powered executive saloon designed to sit alongside the fully electric BMW i3. Leading the range is the new BMW M350 xDrive, which produces 437bhp and can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.1sec.

The new BMW 3 Series is scheduled to arrive in the UK in early 2027, with production beginning in November. The saloon will launch first, followed by a BMW 3 Series Touring estate later in 2027.

Although the new 3 Series and i3 share BMW’s latest design language and much of their electronic architecture, the two cars are built on fundamentally different platforms. The electric i3 uses BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, while the combustion-engined 3 Series continues with an evolution of the company’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform.

That distinction is significant because BMW is attempting to make its petrol, hybrid and electric models feel increasingly like members of the same family rather than separate generations of technology.

BMW M350 xDrive becomes the new 3 Series performance flagship

The headline model at launch is the BMW M350 xDrive, priced from £66,785 in the UK.

Under its bonnet is a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six petrol engine supported by a small electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission. Combined output is 437bhp and 428lb ft of torque.

The petrol engine itself produces 420bhp and 388lb ft, while the integrated electric motor contributes an additional 17bhp.

That represents a substantial step forward compared with the outgoing BMW M340i xDrive. The previous model developed 369bhp and 369lb ft, meaning the new M350 gains 68bhp and 59lb ft.

BMW says the M350 xDrive can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.1sec, while its top speed is electronically restricted to 155mph.

Interestingly, the petrol-powered M350 xDrive is actually quicker to 62mph than the more powerful four-wheel-drive BMW i3 50 xDrive. The electric model produces 463bhp and 476lb ft from its two electric motors, but requires 4.7sec to reach 62mph.

The difference comes down largely to weight, with the combustion-engined 3 Series carrying considerably less mass.

The M350 therefore occupies an interesting position in BMW’s performance line-up. It is more powerful than the previous-generation M3 and, at least in straight-line acceleration, gets close to the performance offered by the range-topping electric i3.

A new version of BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system is also introduced, with a Drift Moment function scheduled to become available during 2027. The system will be capable of sending the engine’s power exclusively to the rear wheels, giving the M350 a more playful rear-drive character when conditions and circumstances allow.

The M350 will remain the most performance-focused version of the new 3 Series until the arrival of the next-generation full BMW M3.

New BMW 320 expected to be the UK volume seller

While the M350 xDrive grabs the headlines, BMW expects the rear-wheel-drive 320 to account for the majority of UK sales.

Priced from £44,975, the BMW 320 uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with mild-hybrid assistance.

It produces 208bhp and 243lb ft and is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. BMW quotes a 0-62mph time of 7.4sec and a top speed of 149mph.

A 318 with 154bhp and 184lb ft will also be offered in European markets, although the exact UK range will be more restricted.

Diesel versions remain part of the broader European 3 Series line-up, but they are unlikely to return to Britain after BMW withdrew diesel versions from the UK market in 2024.

A plug-in hybrid version is also planned and will arrive in 2027, adding another powertrain option to BMW’s increasingly diversified 3 Series range.

BMW 3 Series adopts Neue Klasse-inspired styling

Although the new petrol-powered BMW 3 Series does not use the Neue Klasse platform, its styling has been heavily influenced by the electric i3.

BMW has created a much closer visual relationship between its combustion-engined and electric models. The new 3 Series features a broad horizontal front-end graphic incorporating the traditional BMW kidney grille and twin headlights.

The result is a more unified appearance across BMW’s next generation of cars.

The new car also adopts flush-fitting door handles, traditional cab-back proportions, pronounced rear haunches and slim horizontal rear lights.

The dimensions have increased slightly compared with the outgoing G20-generation 3 Series.

The new combustion-engined 3 Series measures:

  • Length: 4,765mm
  • Width: 1,850mm
  • Height: 1,455mm
  • Wheelbase: 2,880mm

It is therefore 52mm longer than its predecessor, while the wheelbase has increased by 9mm.

The electric BMW i3 is subtly different in its proportions. It is slightly shorter but 15mm wider and 25mm taller, while its wheelbase is also marginally longer.

Despite the differences beneath the skin, the visual similarities between the two models are deliberate. BMW wants customers to immediately recognise both cars as members of the same 3 Series family.

M350 xDrive gets distinctive exterior details

BMW has given the M350 xDrive several visual features designed to distinguish it from the standard 3 Series range.

The performance model gets distinctive yellow daytime running lights, a subtle boot-lid spoiler and four exhaust tailpipes.

Customers choosing less powerful versions can still give their cars a more aggressive appearance through BMW’s M Sport packages.

The M Sport package adds redesigned bumpers, side skirts and a rear diffuser, along with blue M Sport brake callipers.

The M Sport Pro package takes the visual treatment further, adding black mirror caps, a black rear spoiler and red M Sport brakes.

This means the new 3 Series can be configured with a relatively understated appearance or given a much more aggressive look without stepping up to the M350.

BMW focuses heavily on chassis improvements

The biggest changes to the new 3 Series are not necessarily visible from outside.

BMW has extensively reworked the chassis, giving the petrol-powered model its own front suspension geometry and a revised five-link rear suspension.

The rear suspension also benefits from increased wheel camber, while BMW has stiffened the chassis mounting points and revised the anti-roll-bar mounting arrangement.

The objective is to improve the car’s combination of steering response, body control, ride comfort and high-speed stability.

Adaptive suspension will be available as an option, as will adaptive M suspension. Both systems use electronically controlled dampers capable of continuously adjusting their response at each wheel.

The changes should help the new 3 Series retain the dynamic character that has traditionally been central to BMW’s compact executive saloon, while accommodating the changing requirements of modern electrified powertrains.

BMW 3 Series and i3 take different technical routes

The most interesting aspect of the new BMW 3 Series is perhaps what lies beneath its familiar body.

The petrol model continues to use BMW’s CLAR architecture, while the electric i3 is built on the company’s Neue Klasse platform.

That means BMW has not simply converted the electric platform to accept an internal-combustion engine. Instead, the two cars have been engineered independently while being brought significantly closer together in terms of styling, interior presentation and electronic architecture.

This approach allows BMW to maintain combustion-engine technology while simultaneously accelerating its electric-car programme.

It also gives the company a way to keep the 3 Series name relevant across different powertrain technologies.

New BMW 3 Series Touring coming later in 2027

The new 3 Series will initially be launched as a saloon, with UK deliveries scheduled for early 2027.

A BMW 3 Series Touring estate will follow later in the year, continuing one of the most important body styles in the model’s history.

The Touring is likely to broaden the appeal of the new generation significantly, particularly among buyers looking for the driving characteristics of a BMW 3 Series combined with additional luggage capacity and everyday practicality.

Source: BMW

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BMW’s Neue Direction: The Next 3 Series Takes Shape

“BMW reinvents itself.” That’s how the Vision Neue Klasse was described when it first broke cover at the 2023 IAA Mobility show in Munich. Two years later, that bold declaration is starting to feel less like marketing and more like prophecy. The concept didn’t just preview BMW’s next design language — it effectively mapped the future of the brand’s most important car: the 3 Series.

We haven’t seen the final product yet — the eighth-generation 3 Series (codename G50) is still a year away — but the camouflage is thinning, and the spy shots are telling. Test prototypes are now running around with full production bodies and what appear to be their final headlights. Naturally, digital artists have connected the dots, producing speculative renderings that likely aren’t far off the mark.

A Familiar Face, Reinvented

The Vision Neue Klasse hinted at a wide, horizontal kidney grille that flows seamlessly into a new interpretation of BMW’s signature twin headlight layout. That theme looks set to carry over to the production 3 Series. Unlike BMW’s SUVs — which will retain their vertical “kidneys,” as seen on the upcoming iX3 — the sedan’s face emphasizes width, giving it a sportier, more planted stance.

But Neue Klasse isn’t just about reshaping the front end. It’s a full-on design reset — one that strips away years of increasingly busy surfacing. Expect cleaner bodywork, fewer creases, and smoother, more organic forms. It’s a design direction that feels both futuristic and a return to form, echoing the timeless simplicity of BMWs from the E30 and E46 eras.

Digital Dreams vs. Production Reality

One rendering currently making the rounds envisions a muscular M Sport variant, complete with quad exhaust tips and a charging port. That combination, though, seems unlikely to reach showrooms. BMW insiders suggest that while the new 3 Series will offer both internal-combustion and electrified variants, the M Performance versions won’t be plug-in hybrids.

The current M760e wears the plug-in M badge for now, but the rumored M350 — expected to replace the M340i — will probably stick to a mild-hybrid powertrain, mirroring the setup planned for the next M3 (G84). Still, even without a plug-in punch, the next-gen 3 looks set to deliver plenty of performance credibility, especially when dressed in an M Sport Package like the one imagined in renderings.

Design Déjà Vu: The i3 Connection

Here’s an interesting twist: before the G50 3 Series makes its official debut, we’ll effectively see its design language in the new BMW i3 sedan — not to be confused with the old hatchback of the same name. Despite riding on different platforms (Neue Klasse for the EV, CLAR for the ICE), the two cars will be visual twins.

Spy photos reveal nearly identical styling, with the i3 sporting a slightly shorter front section and a subtly different beltline. According to BMW Group Head of Design Adrian van Hooydonk, that similarity is intentional. “I think you will be hard-pressed [from a distance] to tell which one is the electric one and which one is the combustion engine,” he told us earlier this year. “It’s going to be that close.”

A Glimpse at the Future

If that’s true, the next 3 Series will stand as BMW’s bridge between eras — a car that connects the tactile, driver-focused heritage of the brand with the streamlined efficiency of its electric future. The Neue Klasse isn’t just a new design language; it’s BMW’s new identity.

For enthusiasts, that might sound ominous — fewer lines, more screens, and maybe less noise — but if these early glimpses are any indication, BMW hasn’t forgotten what made the 3 Series great in the first place. It just wants to redefine what driving pleasure looks like in the 2030s.

Source: @kelsonik via Instagram

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Petersen Museum Celebrates 50 Years of BMW 3 Series Motorsport Legacy

BMW of North America, in collaboration with the Petersen Automotive Museum, has unveiled a thrilling tribute to one of the most iconic model lines in motorsport history—“The Ultimate Racing Machine: 50 Years of the BMW 3 Series in Motorsports.” The exhibit, housed in the newly reimagined James H. Frank Family Vault’s Phil Hill Legends Room, is a celebration of performance, engineering, and endurance, showcasing BMW’s motorsport DNA across seven generations of 3 Series excellence.

“For 50 years, the 3 Series has embodied the spirit of competition and innovation that drives the automotive world forward,” said Terry L. Karges, Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. “This exhibit offers visitors a rare look at how BMW’s motorsport DNA has evolved—both on the track and on the street.”

Thomas Plucinsky, Head of BMW Group Classic USA, echoed this sentiment. “The original BMW 3 Series and now the BMW 3 Series with its ‘fraternal twin,’ the 4 Series, are the core of the BMW brand. ‘The Ultimate Racing Machine’ exhibit brings together seven of the most successful and important race cars—one from each generation.”

A Journey Through Seven Generations of Motorsport Engineering

The exhibit showcases a comprehensive look into the evolution of BMW’s 3 Series in motorsport, beginning with the first-generation E21 320i Group 5 car—a featherweight racing weapon with an M12/7 engine derived from Formula 2—and ending with the cutting-edge 2023 G82 M4 GT4, which represents the future of customer racing programs. Each generation in between is represented by a historic race car that helped shape BMW’s legacy on circuits around the world.

E30 M3: The Birth of a Legend

Of particular interest to motorsport purists is the 1990 E30 M3 DTM, a homologation masterpiece that laid the foundation for BMW’s touring car dominance. Driven by Steve Soper for Team Bigazzi, the E30 brought home multiple wins and finished 9th overall in the fiercely competitive 1992 DTM season.

E46 M3 GTR: America’s V8-Powered Outlaw

One of the crown jewels of the exhibit is the 2001 BMW M3 GTR—both in race trim and the exceedingly rare Straßenversion (street version). The race car, built to dominate the American Le Mans Series, famously won the 2001 Petit Le Mans with its patriotic “Stars and Stripes” livery. Powered by a 444 hp P60 V8 engine, the M3 GTR is revered as one of BMW Motorsport’s most radical and successful creations.

E92 M3 GT: ALMS Domination

The 2011 BMW M3 GT further solidified BMW’s stateside prowess. Developed with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, the car swept the American Le Mans Series Driver, Team, Manufacturer, and Michelin GreenX Challenge titles in 2011, showing that performance and sustainability can indeed go hand in hand.

F82 M4 DTM Class 1: The Final Chapter of a Formula

The 2020 BMW M4 DTM Class 1, with its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, carbon fiber chassis, and Formula 1-style technologies like DRS and push-to-pass, closed an era of DTM racing before the series transitioned to GT3 specs. This race car, driven by Timo Glock, represents the zenith of BMW’s DTM engineering.

G82 M4 GT4: Track Tech for Tomorrow’s Champions

The newest entry in the exhibit, the 2023 BMW M4 GT4, showcases the latest in customer racing technology. With up to 550 hp, advanced electronics, and a robust racing pedigree, this model is a testament to BMW’s ongoing commitment to grassroots and pro-level racing alike.

Not Just Race Cars—Road Legends Too

Adding depth to the motorsport focus, the exhibit also features three street-going 3 Series cars that highlight how racing technology trickled down to everyday driving. Among them: a pristinely preserved 1983 BMW 320i, a rare 1995 M3 Lightweight (LTW) built for showroom-stock racing, and one of only three surviving M3 GTR Straßenversion examples—a road-legal V8-powered marvel cloaked in motorsport mystique.

BMW in America: A 50-Year Journey

The exhibit also coincides with the 50th anniversary of BMW of North America, a company that has grown from a small importer into a pillar of the U.S. automotive landscape. With its Spartanburg, South Carolina plant now serving as BMW’s largest production facility worldwide, and a presence in 12 states, BMW’s footprint in North America reflects its global ambitions and motorsport heritage alike.

For any motorsport enthusiast or BMW devotee, “The Ultimate Racing Machine” is a rare chance to witness how one nameplate redefined racing across decades—and continues to push the envelope today.

Source: BMW North America