After 51 years, the BMW 3 Series enters its eighth generation with the G50, marking a radical overhaul for Munich’s most important model. It’s set to be sold alongside the i3 EV, with both sharing their styling and 3er classification, but they are otherwise unrelated.
You see, while the NA0 i3 is built on the dedicated Neue Klasse platform, the G50 continues to use the preceding G20‘s Cluster Architecture (CLAR), albeit the updated CLAR II version shared with the G60 5 Series and G70 7 Series.
Despite this, the new 3 Series looks nigh-on identical to its electric sibling – that is, until you look down the side and spot the much longer bonnet to house the engine. The longer dash-to-axle ratio gives the benchmark sports sedan more traditionally BMW proportions, disguising the fact that it’s actually almost the same size as the visually compact i3.
Measuring 4,765 mm long, 1,850 mm wide and 1,455 mm tall, the 3 Series is five millimetres longer, 15 mm narrower and 25 mm lower than the i3, adding to the lankier look. Its 2,860 mm wheelbase, on the other hand, is 37 mm shorter, despite needing to fit an engine and five adults. Next to the G20, the new car is 56 mm longer, 23 mm wider and 13 mm taller and has a nine millimetre longer wheelbase.
On the outside, the 3 Series inherits the i3’s polarising Neue Klasse styling, with twin gloss black front panels housing the quad LED headlights, diagonal daytime running lights and various driver assist sensors, separated by a bonnet “valley” that nestles the BMW roundel. Concentric imprinted lines approximate the outline of the traditional double-kidney grille.
The flat nose is a little at odds with the long-bonnet look, although the rest of the car does exhibit some rather nice detailing. The side surfacing has been cleaned up, dispensing with the G20’s myriad of lines and introducing deliciously muscled shoulders (emphasising the significantly wider tracks) and a subtle rising crease in the flanks. You also get new flush pop-out door handles, another i3 carryover.
Elsewhere, the Hofmeister kink has been made even sharper, although its now rendered in black plastic on the body rather than in the rear quarter light window – presumably to prevent the door’s trailing edge from poking people in the chest. The rear end features slim L-shaped taillights (again with a “valley” in between), sitting above a wide number plate recess. Wheel options measure between 18 and 20 inches in diameter, one inch smaller than the i3’s.
The latest M Performance model, the M350, sports the usual M Sport package with a large downturned air intake, a diffuser-like rear valance and L-shaped bumper corners. Unique touches include bespoke tricolour door mirrors with winglets (without the trademark twin-arm design, which must rankle the M faithful) and an aggressive boot lid lip spoiler.
Also fitted are the M Yellow Lights first seen on the M5 CS, which turn white in DRL mode to conform with regulations (unless you live in the US, in which case it’s the other way around). It’s a cool look, although purists will no doubt bemoan a hitherto CS-exclusive design cue being extended to a model that isn’t even a “regular” full-fat M car.
Inside, the 3 Series once again takes after the i3, boasting the Panoramic iDrive display concept. Dispensing with the iDrive control knob, this consists of a 17.9-inch parallelogram infotainment touch screen and the Panoramic Vision projection display that spans from pillar to pillar at the base of the windscreen.
Similar to other applications in recent BMWs, the said display is claimed to work with polarised sunglasses thanks to a special coating; officials at the embargoed reveal back in March advised owners tinting their windscreens to cut the film above the display area at the black frit line. A 3D head-up display is available as an option.
The whole shebang runs on the latest Android-based BMW Operating System X, featuring a more intuitive interface, upgraded voice control with Amazon Alexa+ generative AI support, and TiVo video integration (including Amazon Prime Video) that can be watched when the car is parked. One downside of the tech-forward approach is that the air vent controls have been moved – together with the air-con controls, of course – to the touchscreen, Tesla style.
Elsewhere, the lack of a conventional instrument cluster has enabled BMW to fit a steering wheel with a top central spoke. It continues to divide opinion, although buyers can opt for a more conventional M Sport wheel with bottom spokes, which is standard on the M350. Both have generous thumb rests and indented crystalline capacitive touch controls.
Meanwhile, the centre console houses the latest Qi2 wireless charger based on Apple’s MagSafe, with a magnetised puck enabling faster charging for iPhones. Other available features include triple-zone auto air con, ventilated front seats (which the i3 oddly lacks) and a Harman Kardon sound system. A panoramic glass roof comes standard, with a heat-insulating coating but no sunshade, meaning that the cabin will be baking hot in our harsh sunlight.
The seats are upholstered in either Econeer recycled PET fabric, Veganza faux leather, M PerformTex microfibre or Merino leather. This extends to the dashboard and door cards, and on the latter the trim almost appears to be glued on, which looked horrific on the preview unit shown to us at the March event. The M350 gains M Sport seats (optional elsewhere) with a central hole, lifted from BMW’s compact front-drive models.
Open the boot and you’ll find 450 litres of luggage space, which is actually 30 litres less than before; we’ll chalk it up to the presence of the mild hybrid battery (we’ll get to it shortly). Still, that’s more than what you get in the i3, which musters a measly 420 litres.
From launch, the new 3 Series will be available in two cooking petrol variants, the 318 and 320 (note the lack of the “i” suffix and diesel options). Both continue to utilise the 2.0 litre B48 turbo four-cylinder engine, now running on the Atkinson cycle and coming with a 48-volt mild hybrid system consisting of an 11 PS/25 Nm belt-driven starter-generator (BSG). In the 318, it makes the same 156 PS and 250 Nm of torque as before.
Of more importance to us Malaysians is the 320, which has received a welcome 27 PS/30 Nm boost, finally breaching the 200 PS mark at 211 PS from 4,900 to 6,500 rpm and 330 Nm between 1,500 and 4,400 rpm. This brings it halfway towards the old 258 PS 330i that has yet to return; despite this, it still takes 7.4 seconds to get from zero to 100 km/h.
From there, the range steps straight up to the M350, which replaces the much-loved M340i. The venerable 3.0 litre B58 turbo straight-six remains, but it now makes an M3-worrying 426 PS from 5,600 to 6,500 rpm and 540 Nm between 1,980 to 5,400 rpm. With an crankshaft-driven integrated starter-generator (ISG) providing an extra 18 PS/200 Nm of accelerative boost, total outputs swell to 443 PS and 580 Nm – 56 PS and 80 Nm more than before.
Still fitted with xDrive all-wheel drive, the M350 completes the century sprint three tenths of a second quicker, taking just 4.1 seconds. That’s only two tenths slower than the rear-drive M3 Competition, for those keeping score.
All models come with ZF’s ubiquitous eight-speed auto, with the M350 also gaining what BMW rather awkwardly calls Drift Moment – a first for a halfway-house M Performance model. Available as part of a software update coming next year, this locks out the front axle and sends all power to the rear wheels – just like on a real M3 AWD – allowing you to disappear sideways in a cloud of your own tyre smoke. A plug-in hybrid variant will be offered later on.
Under the skin, the new 3 Series takes advantage of the wider track and longer wheelbase with a revised steering ratio, a brake-by-wire system and redesigned suspension. The front double-jointed MacPherson struts have increased positive caster, reduced camber and new kinematics, while the five-link rear axle gets more camber and modified negative caster.
All these changes, together with the preloaded anti-roll bars, stiffer chassis mounts and revised frequency-selective dampers, are aimed at improving ride comfort, sharpening the steering and honing the 3 Series’ already excellent handling. The car can also now be had with adaptive dampers in standard and M flavours, with the M350 getting the latter on top of variable steering, front strut braces, new anti-roll bar mounts and an M Sport rear differential.
The new 3 Series is the first to offer highly-automated city and highway driving functionality. The latter allows for hands-free driving in 21 countries, while the urban driving feature will be enabled in Europe once the continent legalises the system next year.
Other markets can spec the car with the Driving Assistant Plus, delivering regular Level 2 semi-autonomous driving capabilities. As per the i3, the 3 Series’ systems have been developed with BMW’s Symbiotic Drive philosophy in mind, allowing the systems to assist the driver unobtrusively. For instance, lane keeping assist will provide steering assistance only if the car is at real risk of leaving the road or causing a collision.
Most of the other systems have also been upgraded, such as autonomous emergency braking, evasive steering assist and the door opening warning; the latter will now prevent the doors from opening into traffic. Last but not least, park assist has been improved with new visualisation that eases parking spot selection.
So that’s the long and short of the new BMW 3 Series, which will surely split opinion on the way it looks inside and out. Which side are you on – do you love it or hate it, and has BMW now firmly left the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in the dust? Let us know in the comments.
GALLERY: 2027 BMW 320
GALLERY: 2027 BMW M350 xDrive
