All-new BMW 3 Series officially unveiled
We've seen plenty of the Neue Klasse i3 already - here's everything you need to know about the petrol 3 Series
While BMW has changed pretty drastically over the past decade or so (name a car company that hasn’t, in fairness), the role of the 3 Series has continued unaltered. It’s the core BMW sports saloon, an aspirational four-door that’s always set the standard for driving dynamics in its class. You’ve owned plenty, we’ve owned plenty. BMW has sold more than 18 million. The 3 Series is as important as the Golf is to VW and the 911 is to Porsche. Maybe more so.
So while the focus has been on the electric i3 of late, there was always going to be a traditional 3 Series offering for the eighth generation. “The 3 Series is not complete without combustion” was the rather poetic phrase used when given a sneak peak at this M350 alongside the i3 six months ago. While the initial offering in the UK will be limited - a 320 and an M350 xDrive - it does mean that a straight-six 3 Series lives on, a figurehead of the range all the way back to those very earliest E21s. So that’s nice.
It’s a handsome straight six 3 Series that lives on, too, PH having seen it in the metal alongside less good-looking stuff (like the new iX5) and pored over the pics. It’ll take a keen eye (or ear) to tell the M350 apart from an i3 50, though, the Neue Klasse revolution applied to every 3 Series variant. Look for exhausts and those strange-looking new BMW badges to identify a 3 with an engine, basically (plus the yellow racecar lights for the M Performance machine).
Petrol and electric 3 Series will now be like petrol and diesel once were, which is to say virtually indistinguishable; the same long wheelbase, short overhangs and chunky arches are found whatever the power source. As are the dramatic new treatments for each end, with the reinvented kidney grille arrangement and the horizontal rear lights that ‘exude both technical progress and precision.’ It’s bold, for sure, even the ready-salted 320 looking pretty dramatic, but with some style to it as well. And not just bold for bold’s sake, as some BMWs seem to have been lately. Wheels are anything between 18 and 20 inches for the petrol 3 Series.
With so much having been lavished on the Neue Klasse interior reinvention - ‘a fundamental rethink of BMW’s customary driver orientation and user experience’, no less - it should come as no surprise to find that the 320 and M350 interior is identical to the i3. There isn’t even a revcounter to identify the new models as ICE-powered. So best get used to BMW Panoramic Vision, BMW Head-Up Display, the 17.9-inch Central Display and the multifunction wheel that is going to look fiendishly complex for a while yet (however logical BMW says it is).
Collectively they make up BMW Panoramic iDrive, underpinned by BMW Operating System X (built from the Android Open Source Project) with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant… it all sounds a lot. But we’re promised ‘flawless ergonomics and intuitive operation’, so let’s see - BMW does tend to do this stuff fairly well. Once upon a time, iDrive was deemed a disaster for all car-kind, and now look. The new approach has worked pretty well in the iX3 - fingers crossed as much attention has been paid to the quality as in integrating the tech.
Meaning that, really, the major difference between i3 and 3 Series will be the obvious one: under the bonnet. For the moment, there is no plug-in hybrid option, though that will follow (as will a rear-drive i3 and M60 rocketship); launch models in the UK are the 320 and M350, alongside the 374hp i3 40 and 469hp i3 50 xDrives. The entry-level petrol is 211hp strong, thanks to mild-hybrid boosted 2.0-litre; it reaches 62mph in 7.4 seconds, 149mph flat out, and will return 37.7mpg with 169g/km. Clearly, it’s the M350 xDrive that’s of most interest, though; you can see here for the full details previewed by BMW, but the important numbers are 443hp, 428lb ft, 187g/km and 34.5mpg. Impressive numbers that a mild hybrid straight six (with crank-driven starter generator) can now conjure. The triple test with an S5 and the incoming C53 can’t come soon enough.
While the M350 benefits from its own dedicated, sportier setup, there’s plenty about the standard chassis to be encouraged by. BMW says ‘significant modifications’ have been incorporated, with a longer wheelbase and broader tracks aiming to improve stability; weight distribution is ‘almost perfectly balanced’, as 3 Series tradition dictates. The integrated braking system is said to offer improved pedal feel, with a new steering ratio helping to create ‘an exceptionally precise and nimble car.’ Little has been left untouched in the pursuit of making another great driving 3 Series, with stiffer chassis mounts, increased positive caster trail up front (and modified negative at the rear) plus new dampers - which can be upgraded to adaptive items as needed. Wheels have been made wider to increase the contact patch, that sort of thing. BMW can still be BMW when it wants to be, seemingly.
While not losing track of the future, of course. As we move into the world of software-defined vehicles, so the 3 Series comes with more gadgets and gizmos than ever before. BMW Digital Premium is another new feature you’ll hear plenty about, bringing entertainment, security and nav under one umbrella package. Plenty of the entertainment options will be designed with charging breaks in mind, but they should work equally well for traffic jams. So the AirConsole app brings ‘world-famous classics that have been specially adapted for the in-car gaming experiences’ - including Uno - with even Forza available through the Boosteroid app from the BMW ConnectedDrive Store. Amazon Prime Video is even coming soon, which will no doubt work a treat with the integrated Amazon Alexa+ AI to ensure you never actually ever have to leave your new 3 Series for anything. Just be sure to spec the Harmon Kardon to take full advantage, of course.
Speaking of which, we should probably get to trim levels. In the UK, we'll get a standard 3 Series and i3, an M Sport and an M Sport Pro, with the M350 as its own dedicated model. For fear of driving everyone crazy, we’ll deal with just the combustion specs for now. Standard kit includes electric heated front seats, 18-inch wheels, BMW Digital Premium, smartphone mirroring and even split-fold rear seats - truly it is a new era. The upgrade to M Sport brings blue calipers, a sports steering wheel, a smattering of M badges and upholstery in Veganza/MPerformTex. Sounds like a terrible fusion restaurant, but also an upgrade from the standard Econeer offering (and Veganza is meant to be like leather). M Sport Pro brings adaptive LED lights, 10-way electric seats, the BMW Iconic Glow grilles and an M steering wheel - expect it to be popular. The M350 is the only new 3 Series to come as standard with 19-inch wheels.
To the prices, finally - well done for making it this far. The G50 3 Series will arrive in January, priced from £44,975 OTR for the 320. The M350 xDrive starts at £66,785, which compares pretty well with the 367hp, £65,905 Audi S5. As for the EVs, the i3 40 xDrive kicks off at £47,925, the 50 is £53,425. The 489hp C-Class Electric is from £57,995. And don’t forget colours when thinking about spec: Alpine White, Sapphire Black, Space Silver, M Brooklyn Grey, Eucalyptus Green, M Le Castellet Blue, Mineral White, Fire Red, Polarized Grey and Ocean Wave Blue are available from launch.
“The Neue Klasse is about far more than a single car. With the BMW iX3 we demonstrated for the first time how our new design language could blend the sixth-generation of BMW eDrive technology, BMW Panoramic iDrive and the Heart of Joy into a unique overall experience. Scalable and global, the Neue Klasse innovations are now being rolled out across our entire model range. And with the new BMW 3 Series, we are bringing them to the core of the brand for the first time,” said Dr Mike Reichelt, Head of Neue Klasse, BMW Compact and Midsize Class. Expect to see a new 3 at a motorway services near you soon!
But apart from that, I think the cars alright. It'll probably be the last non-PHEV/EV sporty 6cyl 3 series, so might as well enjoy it as long as we have it for.
Merc are going to wipe the floor with them.
Not much else I like though. Why put the screen that looks like an afterthought in the middle? Is it for a classic Mini/Morris Minor look? I can't see a manual gearbox option - why not? Why is the 350i X-drive?
No thanks.
k I just zoomed in on the wheels. What the heck is even that.And the only reason of the recent 'new klasse' love in is because people expected the designs to be worse.
Having said that, it's not like Audi or Mercedes are much better at the moment!
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