BMW has introduced the new-generation 3 Series, bringing the brand’s Neue Klasse design and technology into its core executive sedan range.
The biggest change is that the 3 Series is now available with a fully electric drivetrain in the form of the new BMW i3, while petrol and 48V mild-hybrid variants continue to cater to buyers who prefer an internal combustion engine. A plug-in hybrid version is also planned for the coming year.
New look, familiar 3 Series proportions
The new 3 Series adopts BMW’s latest Neue Klasse design language while retaining the familiar proportions of the sport sedan.
It gets a longer wheelbase, short overhangs, a set-back glasshouse, pronounced wheel arches and flush-fitting door handles. At the front, the kidney grille and twin headlights are visually integrated into a single unit, while the rear features a horizontal lighting arrangement and a wider-looking stance.
Wheel sizes range from 19 to 21 inches for the fully electric i3, while combustion-engine 3 Series models can be fitted with 18- to 20-inch wheels. M Sport and M Sport Pro packages are also available.
A completely new interior
Inside, the new 3 Series gets a significantly more digital cabin built around BMW Panoramic iDrive. The system combines BMW Panoramic Vision, an optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display, a 17.9-inch central display and a redesigned multifunction steering wheel.
The central screen is angled towards the driver, while Panoramic Vision projects key information into the driver’s line of sight.
The system runs on BMW Operating System X and supports touch, haptic and voice controls. BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant is also integrated, with Amazon Alexa+ AI technology being progressively introduced to expand its voice-based functions.
The cabin can be specified with four interior themes, while optional features include multifunction and M Sport seats, rear-seat heating and Harman Kardon audio systems.
The electric BMW i3 is the big story
For the first time, the 3 Series family includes a fully electric model. The BMW i3 uses BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, featuring new cylindrical-cell batteries, more efficient electric motors, an 800V electrical architecture and bidirectional charging capability. BMW says the new system provides longer range and significantly faster charging than its predecessor technology.
Two versions will be available initially – The BMW i3 50 xDrive produces 345 kW (469 hp) and 645 Nm, with a 0-100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds. It uses a 108.7 kWh battery and offers up to 912 km of WLTP range. With DC charging of up to 400 kW, BMW says 10 minutes of charging can add up to 423 km of WLTP driving range under the specified test conditions.
The BMW i3 40 xDrive produces 275 kW (374 hp) and uses an 82.8 kWh battery, with a maximum WLTP range of 710 km. BMW also plans to introduce the i3 M60 xDrive M Performance in 2027.
The petrol-powered flagship is the M350 xDrive
For buyers who still want a six-cylinder BMW, the new 3 Series range gets the M350 xDrive.
It uses a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system, producing 326 kW (443 hp). It can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, while top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.
Two four-cylinder petrol variants will also join the range, with all petrol engines using BMW’s latest TwinPower Turbo technology.
The M350 xDrive also introduces a new Drift Moment function, which allows the driver to send engine power to the rear wheels through the vehicle’s central display. Adaptive M suspension is standard on the M350 xDrive.
More advanced driver assistance
The new 3 Series also receives a substantial upgrade in driver assistance technology.
BMW says the range will offer enhanced SAE Level 2 assistance and active safety functions, together with BMW Symbiotic Drive. The Motorway Assistant can enable hands-free driving at speeds of up to 130 km/h in specified markets, while additional navigation-guided partially automated urban driving functions are planned from 2027.
What’s the big change?
In short, the new BMW 3 Series is no longer just an evolution of the existing model. It brings BMW’s Neue Klasse design, Panoramic iDrive, new software architecture, sixth-generation EV technology and more advanced driver assistance systems into one of BMW’s most important model lines.
At the same time, BMW is keeping its traditional petrol-powered four- and six-cylinder options, while adding a plug-in hybrid variant to the range in the near future.
That gives the new 3 Series a much wider drivetrain choice than before, from the long-range BMW i3 40 xDrive and i3 50 xDrive to the six-cylinder M350 xDrive.
