Tag Archives: BMW

News

Next-Gen BMW 3 Series Preview: Engines, Design, and What to Expect in 2026

BMW’s next-generation 3 Series is inching ever closer to production, and with a November 2026 launch on the horizon, the puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place. While much of the hype centers on the Neue Klasse–inspired exterior and a high-tech interior brimming with digital wizardry, the real story lies under the hood.

Sources indicate that BMW is readying the B48TÜ3, the latest evolution of its venerable 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This unit will form the backbone of the upcoming 320, 330, and 330e models, combining efficiency and performance for everyday drivers. At the top of the lineup, a revised six-cylinder—the B58TÜ3—will power the next M350, continuing BMW’s tradition of inline-six excellence. For context, the B58TÜ3 will make its debut in the G70 7 Series LCI next July, delivering 286 horsepower and 295 lb-ft in the 735, and a hefty 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft in the 740. It’s clear this same engine will anchor the sportier M-badged 3 Series replacement.

Early spy shots from 2025 offer a tantalizing glimpse at the G50’s exterior. Even beneath heavy swirly camouflage, the Neue Klasse design language is unmistakable. The grille stretches wider, seamlessly merging with slimmer, laser-like headlights that echo the Vision Neue Klasse concept as well as the upcoming BMW i3. While these lights may still be prototype hardware, the overall shape is expected to carry over to production largely unchanged.

The hood remains long enough to accommodate the six-cylinder engine, which aligns with BMW’s confirmation that the next M3 will retain an inline-six layout. Along the sides, flush door handles and clean, minimalist surfaces signal BMW’s move toward more understated forms. At the rear, temporary taillights obscure many details, but subtle refinements and thinner lighting signatures are visible, complemented by a discreet integrated spoiler. Notably, visible exhaust tips will become increasingly rare outside of M Performance and M models, as BMW shifts toward cleaner aesthetics.

Electrification continues to shape the lineup, with the fully electric i3 (NA0) sharing the same overall silhouette as its gasoline counterpart, save for a shorter front overhang. As BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk noted earlier this year, distinguishing ICE from EV models will soon come down to subtle proportions rather than radical styling differences.

Production plans are already in motion: the G50 3 Series sedan is expected to be built in Dingolfing, while the NA0 i3 electric sedan and the NA1 electric wagon will roll out of Munich. Both ICE and EV variants are slated to begin production simultaneously in November 2026, marking a significant milestone in BMW’s dual-path strategy.

With a Neue Klasse aesthetic, high-tech cabin, and a refreshed engine lineup, the next-generation 3 Series promises to honor its legacy while embracing the future—sporty, efficient, and unmistakably BMW.

Source: BMW

News

BMW’s First Electric M Cars Are Coming—And They’re Not Hiding Anymore

The world didn’t end when BMW put the Ultimate Driving Machine badge on a front-wheel-drive minivan. Nor did the sky fall when the 3-Series briefly flirted with a three-cylinder engine. So forgive us if we’re not clutching our pearls now that BMW’s M division is inching toward its first production EV. Based on new spy footage, judgment day isn’t here—but something big is coming.

Electric M, the Full-Strength Kind

BMW has been selling “M Performance” EVs for a few years now, but a genuine, capital-M electric M car has remained conspicuously absent. That changes soon. Fresh spy video from Tenerife shows a convoy of heavily camouflaged prototypes, including what insiders believe to be the M3 EV and X3 M EV, leading the brand’s upcoming electric assault.

Here’s the interesting part: despite being battery-powered, neither model appears to be adopting the “i” prefix. BMW seems determined to tell the world that these cars are M cars first, EVs second. But with a gasoline M3 continuing alongside the electric version, Munich will still need to find a way to distinguish the two without causing badge chaos. The X3 M, however, has a cleaner runway—BMW has no plans for another gas-powered generation.

Under the Camouflage: Production Shapes and Serious Hardware

Both prototypes look like they’re wearing their production bodywork, just buried under layers of camouflage thick enough to make a winter parka jealous. The headlights seem final on both, while the X3 M EV already carries production taillights lifted from the standard iX3. Oddly, both vehicles have swollen rear bumpers bulging with extra cladding, as if BMW doesn’t want us to know what’s happening back there.

But the wheels tell the real story.

  • M3 EV: 20-inch rear alloys wearing 295/35 ZR20 rubber.
  • X3 M EV: 21-inch fronts with 275/35 ZR21 tires.
    Both are running drilled brake rotors all around—no surprise, considering the mass they’ll have to control when pushing nearly 700 hp.

The crossover is almost certainly AWD. The sedan? Likely RWD to start, because BMW knows its audience.

How Much Power? Plenty.

BMW hasn’t released numbers yet, but logic—and a few leaks—paint a clear picture. The current iX3 50 xDrive tops out at 470 hp. Rumor has the iX3 M60 coming with about 620 hp, leaving room for the full M version to reach into the high-600s, maybe more.

With more motors on board, the X3 M EV may actually out-gun the M3 EV on paper. Whether it will out-gun it in the corners is another question entirely.

Gasoline Isn’t Dead Yet

Interestingly, not all prototypes caught in Tenerife were electric. BMW is also testing the next-gen 3-Series with combustion engines, and despite mixing ICE and EV platforms, the brand’s Neue Klasse design language keeps them visually aligned.

One camouflaged test car sported quad exhausts, but don’t call it an M3. That’s actually the upcoming M Performance model, likely to be renamed M350, powered by an updated six-cylinder B58 packing over 400 hp. The proper S58-powered M3 will follow later with more than 500 hp, a mild-hybrid assist, and likely an automatic-only, xDrive-only setup.

The Roadmap

Here’s how the timeline shakes out:

  • 2026: Next-gen 3-Series debuts, right after the new i3 sedan.
  • 2027: Electric M3 EV arrives first, followed by the X3 M EV.
  • 2028: The new combustion M3 bows as the last ICE hero from M division.

BMW’s electric M future isn’t a matter of if—it’s already on the roads, wrapped in swirls of black-and-white vinyl. And while purists may mourn the quieting of the M3’s signature bark, these prototypes make one thing clear: Munich isn’t entering the electric era timidly. It’s coming in hot, heavy, and with the kind of numbers that make even skeptics raise an eyebrow.

Let the new era of M begin.

Source: NCars via YouTube

NEW CARS

BMW Gives Mexico an Electrified Birthday Gift: The 330e “50 Jahre Edition”

BMW has been in a celebratory mood all year long, and for good reason. The brand’s most important model—the 3 Series—turns 50, and Munich has been rolling out birthday presents in the form of special editions for markets around the world. The latest candle on the cake lands in Mexico, where BMW is launching a limited-run 330e 50 Jahre Edition, adding an electric twist to the festivities.

This isn’t just a sticker-and-badge job. Built at BMW’s San Luis Potosí plant, the 50 Jahre Edition is based on the rear-wheel-drive 330e but dresses up with some of the prettiest hardware in the catalog. The car rides on 19-inch two-tone Individual wheels, internally tagged “1038”—a design that first appeared on last year’s refreshed 4 Series. Add in the M Sport Pro Package, a blacked-out kidney grille, and the whole thing looks more shadowy and aggressive than your average plug-in 3er.

BMW Mexico didn’t stop there. The mirror caps and window surrounds get the blackout treatment, while red M Sport brake calipers pop loudly against the bodywork. A trunk-lid spoiler and standard sunroof round out the exterior tweaks. Open the door and the birthday theme continues with “3 Series 50 Jahre Edition” sill plates, complete with M-colored accents.

Inside, the enhancements are tasteful rather than tacky. There’s carbon-fiber trim across the dashboard, power-adjustable front seats, and 3-zone climate control to keep the cabin civilized. A wireless charging pad and a special commemorative plaque on the center console—right atop the cupholder cover—remind you why this car exists in the first place.

Mechanically, however, BMW leaves the candles unblown. The powertrain is unchanged: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four paired with an electric motor for a combined 289 horsepower and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft). That’s still enough to shove the plug-in 3er to 62 mph in 5.9 seconds, with a 143-mph top speed. In EV mode you’re capped at 87 mph, which is probably enough to stay ahead of traffic while feeling smugly efficient.

A 19.5-kWh usable battery provides up to 53 miles (85 km) of WLTP-rated electric range. Plug it into a 7.4-kW wallbox, and you’re looking at about 2.5 hours for a full recharge—just enough time for a long lunch break.

BMW dealers in Mexico have already started taking orders. If you want this electrified birthday edition, you’ll need MXN $1,439,900, or roughly $78,300. That’s a steep price for a plug-in 3 Series, but hey—turning 50 only happens once, and BMW clearly wants the party to last.

Source: BMW