BMW has unveiled the new 3 Series, and it looks determined to make it a car from the future while reminding everyone why people fell for this model in the first place.
Outside, it follows the new Neue Klasse design language. Inside: huge screens, artificial intelligence, and an almost fully digital instrument panel. Under the hood of the range-topping M350 xDrive sits a 3.0-liter inline-six with 443 hp.
And that is not all. The all-wheel-drive system gets a Drift Moment mode that can cut drive to the front axle and send the sedan into a controlled slide.
Yes: even a regular 3 Series can now drift from the factory.
The most powerful 3 Series M Performance yet
On the European market the new 3 Series starts with the 318. Next comes the 320, and the peak of the gasoline lineup is the M350 xDrive.
The base 318 uses a four-cylinder turbo with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The stronger 320 follows the same idea but makes 259 hp.
The real reason to look at the new 3 Series is the M350 xDrive. Under the hood is a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with a 48-volt starter-generator. In European spec it makes 443 hp and 580 Nm. The sedan reaches 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds.
Top speed is traditionally limited to 250 km/h. That makes the M350 xDrive the most powerful 3 Series M Performance version in the model's history.
BMW still offers rear-wheel-drive versions lower in the range. Munich is not ready to abandon the classic 3 Series recipe just yet.
BMW finally redrew the 3 Series
The new 3 Series looks as if it arrived from the future ahead of the rest of BMW's lineup.
It is built in the Neue Klasse style first seen on the electric i3. Unlike that EV, the gasoline sedan keeps a traditional kidney grille.
The headlights look visually thinner, the door handles sit flush with the body, and the flanks shed extra decorative trim. Depending on the version, it rides on 18-, 19-, or 20-inch wheels.
The rear is especially close to the electric i3: the same basic taillight outline and the same new body architecture.
On the M350 xDrive everything is more aggressive: its own bumpers and side skirts, black exterior trim, a rear spoiler, quad exhaust outlets, and blue M Sport brake calipers.
Still, the most interesting part of the new BMW is not on the outside.
The cabin turns into one big screen
BMW is gradually saying goodbye to the cabin we have known for years. In front of the driver sits Panoramic iDrive: a wide digital panel that stretches across almost the full width of the front cabin. It puts speed, navigation, and other car functions right in the driver's line of sight.
In the center is a 17.9-inch touchscreen. The voice assistant runs on Amazon Alexa tech and can control car functions with ordinary spoken commands.
My Modes lets you change display graphics and cabin atmosphere. When the car is parked, passengers can watch films and series through the built-in video service.
There is no separate front-passenger screen of the kind BMW offers on some larger models.
The steering wheel has changed too. It gets a new center spoke and touch buttons. The M350 xDrive will have its own M Performance wheel with M Mode and Boost switches.
The real headline: it can drift
All those screens and voice assistants only matter until you hear about Drift Moment.
It is a new system for the M350 xDrive that can cut drive to the front axle. That lets the driver send the rear into a controlled slide. For M Performance, it is a first.
BMW is not turning the car into a full-time rear-drive machine. This is a special mode built so the driver can play a little.
There is a catch. Drift Moment will not be available right after purchase. BMW plans to unlock the feature with a software update during 2027.
So the hardware is already ready to drift. BMW simply chose to keep that ability in reserve.
How much the new 3 Series costs
In Germany, orders for the new BMW 3 Series open on September 30, 2026, and the first cars reach dealers in early 2027.
Prices start at €49,900 for the BMW 318. The 320 starts at €54,900. The M350 xDrive costs at least €80,900.
That sets up a curious comparison. At the same time BMW is launching the electric i3 50 xDrive, which in Germany starts at €65,900, about €15,000 less than the M350.
It is a very BMW 2027 choice: for less money you can get a fully electric Neue Klasse car. Or pay more for a 443 hp inline-six that knows how to drift.
BMW has not decided which future we should live in. So it is offering both.
