- The new BMW 3 Series makes a brief appearance in an official video about the electric i3.
- Codenamed “G50”, the next Series 3 will be launched later this year.
- The disguised prototype is an M Performance model, most likely an M350.
BMW is prioritizing a fully electric i3 over gas-powered sports sedans, but make no mistake: Another 3 Series is on the way. In a new official video detailing the EV’s development, the German luxury brand provided a brief teaser of the ICE-powered vehicle. Codenamed “G50”, the 3er combustion engine only appeared at the very end.
It’s easy to miss, as the car only appears on screen for a few seconds. The real proof that this isn’t an electric i3 are the visible exhausts, with four tips poking through the rear bumper. While some might assume BMW is already teasing the next-generation M3, that’s not the case. For several years, Munich has been installing quad exhausts on M Performance cars, and now the 3 Series is starting to make the switch.
Therefore, we might be looking at a successor to the M340i. It will probably have a different name, as the 2027 M350 has been briefly listed on BMW USA’s website ahead of schedule. A higher number indicates greater strength, while the absence of the “i” is in line with the recent naming change. In future, BMW will reserve the letters for electric cars, dropping the suffix (originally referring to injection) on its gas-powered lineup.
The eighth-generation 3 Series is expected to retain the six-cylinder engine in the top version. This M350 variant is confirmed to use an evolution of the ubiquitous “B58”, a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine that can produce over 400 horsepower. An M Lite derivative should be one of the models launched, given its premature appearance on BMW’s website.
A new gas-powered M3 is also in the works, reportedly carrying the codename “G84”. BMW has confirmed it will retain all six cylinders while hinting at some form of electrification for the “S58” twin-turbo engine. The weight penalty shouldn’t be too significant, as the next M3 will reportedly adopt a mild hybrid setup compared to the M5’s plug-in hybrid system.
The M3 likely won’t arrive next year, as a lesser version is expected to hit the market. A reasonable guess suggests a launch in 2028, possibly with a simplified lineup. While the “G80” currently offers rear-wheel and all-wheel drive, as well as manual and automatic transmissions, the “G84” may come exclusively with xDrive and automatic. However, nothing is official until BMW confirms it.
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Source: BMW
Motorcycle Pickup1: IIt’s reassuring to see BMW remaining committed to the combustion-engined 3 Series. At the same time, it’s exciting that the M Performance variant will likely be available from day one. Whether rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions will be offered as of now remains unclear, but at least we know an M Lite model is on the way.
We’re also curious to see how the i3’s Neue Klasse design language will translate to the 3 Series. It makes sense that the ICE model is expected to have a longer front end to accommodate both petrol and diesel engines. As before, a plug-in hybrid is planned for those not yet ready to switch to fully electric vehicles.
