BMW has revealed the eighth-generation 3 Series, and the version enthusiasts will care about most is the new M350 xDrive. It has a 437-hp inline-six and a new mode called Drift Moment that turns the all-wheel-drive sedan into a rear-driver.
The 3 Series arrives in the US in early 2027, starting at $49,900. It's the gas-powered sibling to the electric i3 that BMW showed six months ago, and the two look nearly identical. After months of spy shots of the car without camouflage, this is the first official look.
The M350 xDrive
The M350 xDrive replaces the M340i at the top of the gas 3 Series lineup. Its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six uses 48-volt mild-hybrid tech and makes 437 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque, up from 386 hp in the car it replaces. An electric motor built into the transmission adds up to 17 hp.
With standard xDrive all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic, BMW quotes 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed limited to 155 mph with sport tires. The M350 also gets adaptive M suspension, variable sport steering, an M Sport differential, and M Sport brakes as standard.
That makes the gas car quicker than the electric one. The 463-hp i3 50 xDrive needs 4.5 seconds to reach 60 mph, and the M350 is almost 800 pounds lighter, Hagerty noted.
Then there's Drift Moment. Activated through the center screen, it sends all of the drive power to the rear wheels, using the car's multi-plate clutch together with stability control switched off. BMW says the feature was previously reserved for its high-performance M models. It won't be ready at launch. Drift Moment arrives during 2027 by software update, including for M350s already delivered.
Below the M350 sit the 330 and 330 xDrive, with a 2.0-liter turbo four making 255 hp and 295 lb-ft. They reach 60 mph in 5.9 seconds.
The Neue Klasse face
The biggest change is the look of the new 3 series. Every new 3 Series wears BMW's Neue Klasse design, with the kidney grilles, twin headlights, and front sensors styled as one wide unit. BMW calls the forward-leaning nose a sharknose and puts the roundel in the "valley" above the kidneys.
The M350 adds a standard rear spoiler, four tailpipes, and optional M Yellow Lights in the front end, which BMW says were inspired by GT race cars and its M Hybrid V8 endurance racer. The Iconic Glow package, which lights up the outline of the kidney grilles, is standard on M Performance models.
Under the skin, the gas car isn't a Neue Klasse model. It uses an updated version of the outgoing car's CLAR platform, while the electric i3 rides on the new Neue Klasse architecture, Carscoops reported. That's why the two differ slightly in size. The gas 3 Series is 187.2 inches long, 72.8 inches wide, and 57.3 inches tall.
Inside, the dashboard is built around BMW Panoramic Vision, a display that runs across the full width of the lower windshield, plus a 17.9-inch center touchscreen angled toward the driver. There's no traditional gauge cluster behind the steering wheel. A 3D head-up display is optional.
Price and timing
BMW's US prices, before a $1,350 destination and handling fee:
330: $49,900
330 xDrive: $51,900
i3 50 xDrive: $61,500
M350 xDrive: $65,900
Gas models will be built at BMW's plant in Dingolfing, Germany. The electric i3 is built in Munich, where the first 3 Series came off the line in 1975. BMW says it has sold more than 18 million 3 Series cars since then.
The M350 sits at the top of the gas lineup until a new M3 arrives. BMW is developing both electric and gas versions of the next M3. You can rate the new 3 Series against the one it replaces on WhipJury.
Sources:
Specs, prices, Drift Moment, design details, interior, and production: BMW Group PressClub USA
Launch timing, lineup, and the i3 comparison: Motor1
Dimensions, the CLAR platform, the M340i replacement, and the i3's reveal six months earlier: Carscoops
The i3's output, acceleration, and weight compared with the M350: Hagerty
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Cam Walsh has been obsessing over cars since before he could drive one. Based out of Atlanta, Cam covers automotive design, car culture, and the eternal debate over which whips actually look the part.
