- The next-generation 3 Series will initially be announced as an EV.
- The i3 debuts on March 18, when we see the design of the electric sedan.
- The new 3 Series with a combustion engine will arrive in 2026.
When BMW discontinues the i3 in 2022, it doesn’t retire the name. Instead, the moniker was reused for the 3 Series electric sedan built and sold in China with a longer wheelbase. Now, the i3 will enter the global market, but it won’t be the same sedan. Rather, it is a new development and part of the company’s reborn Neue Klasse product range.
The i3 sedan is the second model from the Neue Klasse portfolio and will join the iX3 introduced last year. Before its launch on March 18, the i3 showed a very different front fascia compared to its crossover version. It eschews a vertical grille in favor of wide kidneys that blend into the headlights. This is the look we have seen in the Vision Neue Klasse 2023 concept.
What about the regular 3 Series? Luxury sedans with combustion engines will likely look nearly identical. However, we believe the car’s proportions will be different, given the need to accommodate the engine under the hood. BMW has announced the inline-six engine will remain in the M3, and recent leaks have also revealed that the M350 will also be coming, possibly with a 3.0-liter engine as well.
The ICE-powered 3er isn’t far behind either. We’ll see the eighth-generation model later this year with a mix of petrol and diesel engines as well as a plug-in hybrid. Rival Mercedes will do the same by giving the C-Class a facelift while introducing its fully electric sibling. Audi is also not standing still, because the electric A4 will sooner or later join the gas-powered A5.
BMW is in no rush to replace ICE models with EVs. These two flavors of the 3 Series will coexist peacefully throughout the generations, so that both will last until the 2030s. This is the best decision an automaker can take considering the uneven adoption of electric cars. Continuing to share designs between electric and gas cars is also a smart move, as it offers a cohesive look across the range.
While the 3 Series and i3 will look similar inside and out, BMW has confirmed that they will be different cars. The evolution of the CLAR platform will support the CLAR platform, while the CLAR platform will use a special electric car platform inherited from the iX3. The crossover’s technical specifications should largely apply to its sedan sibling, although the i3 may have a longer range due to its more aerodynamic shape.
