New BMW 3-series revealed – M3 power for the M350 Audi S5 rival
On top of being as fast and powerful as an F80 M3, the new M350 will come with a drift mode too
The SUVs are the big sellers and we’re told the EVs are the future, but it’s the new BMW 3-series and its induction into the Neue Klasse era that indicates this transformation has reached critical mass. The small executive saloon is arguably BMW’s definitive model and one that can trace its direct lineage back to the 02 of 60 years ago – the very family of cars that rang in the original post-war New Class for BMW, tasked with saving the company.
The new 3-series doesn’t have that weight on its shoulders. As above, the volume onus falls to the SUVs and actually, it’s arriving as a derivative rather than an all-new model, with the new-generation 3-series actually kicking off with the introduction of the i3. But this is the first Neue Klasse makeover real core BMW enthusiasts will care about and that makes it very important indeed.
2027 BMW 3-series – M3 power and drift mode
The big news for the 3-series for this generation, besides the visual makeover, is what’s going on under the bonnet, as leading the introduction of the new 3-series is the M3-fast M350 variant. It features BMW’s ubiquitous B58 turbocharged 3-litre straight-six, now featuring 48-volt mild hybrid tech and good for a potent 437bhp and 428lb ft.
Those with an encyclopedic knowledge of M3s will know that’s more power and torque than the 425bhp F80 M3. That means the new M350 will match a DCT F80 to 62mph in 4.1sec and beat a manual M3, on the way to its limited 155mph top speed. The bump in potency comes primarily from new turbochargers, with BMW also tweaking the intake system, combustion chambers, timing, ignition and exhaust systems.
> 2027 BMW M3 – everything we know about M’s Audi RS5 rival
The similarities with the F80 end here, however, though there’s much that’s familiar to the outgoing M340i. Namely, the ubiquitous eight-speed automatic transmission and BMW’s superb rear-biased xDrive all-wheel-drive system. How the M350 differs is that it borrows the ability to decouple the front axle and switch to rear-wheel drive that was until now exclusive to full-fat M cars.
The new 3-series will also be available in more sensible 320 form, featuring a mild hybrid version of the B48 four-cylinder turbocharged engine, good for 208bhp and 243lb ft. The rear-drive-only model is good for 0-62mph in 7.4sec. No diesel as yet or likely ever but expect BMW to plug the gap between the 3-series and the i3 with plug-in variants that improve on the already-impressive 60-mile electric range of the current models. The touring will also be along in good time, as will the 4-series coupe and eventually, M3 and M4 variants with BMW M’s new Euro 7-compliant S58 twin-turbo straight-six with clean and efficient ‘M Ignite’ pre-chamber combustion tech.
2027 BMW 3-series – chassis and handling
The new 3-series uses a development of the CLAR underpinning of the existing model, albeit with some choice tweaks to move it along for the new generation. It’s wider at its new axles and has a longer wheelbase, with a revised steering ratio. Steering feel, feedback and body roll is also supposed to be improved with stiffer chassis mounts, new anti-roll bars increased caster and revised kinematics, as well as reduced camber at the front, while the rear axle’s five-link set-up gets increased camber and increased positive caster. There are revised lift-related dampers as standard.
The M350 gets additional struts at the front, with a tower-to-strut design at the front and stiffer anti-roll bar mounts make it both torsionally and vertically stiffer. The M350 comes as standard with adaptive M dampers (with Personal, M Sport and M Sport Plus My Mode settings) and with performance-spec wheels, will wear a monster 275-section rear tyre.
It also gets the sport variable ratio steering and M Sport differential, which as above, can now be tasked with delivering power only to the rear wheels in ‘Drift Moment’ mode. BMW says that the M Sport Plus setting on the suspension is ‘ideally suited to use during track days at race circuits’. Not very ‘M-lite’...
2027 BMW 3-series – design and interior
What do you think of the way it looks? It’s clear this new 3-series shares much of its underpinning with the outgoing car, so in ways all the signature Neue Klasse design language sort of looks draped over the top. The proportions are a bit odd, which the 10mm longer wheelbase within the massive 52mm longer overall length could have something to do with. There’s a bit of a big forehead look at the front and contrary to what you might have expected, the redesigned kidney grilles are like on the i3, not intakes. All the breathing happens lower down.
At the rear the slim lights, much like those seen on the i3 and M Concept, sit on a very tall-looking tail end. The M350 gets a more aggressive M5-style lower intake at the front, CS-style yellow DRLs when the headlights are on and quad pipes set within a more aggressive diffuser at the rear.
Inside, the new 3-series is what you’d now call familiar Neue Klasse. That means a weird two-spoke steering wheel that we’re still not used to, trapezoidal 17.9-inch Panoramic iDrive infotainment screen and a panoramic display at the base of the windscreen. Being a combustion car, there’s more of what you’d call a central tunnel through which the prop shaft spins, plus shift paddles for actual gears, highlighted in red in the M350.
The whole software set-up gets quite a loud red and blue M theme in addition to a nice front view of the original M1 on the M350’s screen. Nice and sharp-looking in a studio, that will likely feel overbearing in the real world if it’s anything like as punchy as the M5’s, that makes the Blackpool Illuminations look like a selection of candles in jam jars.
New tech includes the ability to tell the car to change lanes by itself, simply by checking the mirror – another box to untick in the submenus, then.
BMW 3-series price and availability
The next BMW 3-series will go on sale in the UK towards the middle of next year from £44,975 for the 320. That’s a decent jump from the current 320 which is for now listed on BMW’s configurator in Sport trim, from £41,945.
The current M340i is a £62,475 proposition as standard. While you might expect the M350, being a not-so-lite M-lite, to get a bump in price commensurate with its bump in performance and aggression, it’s only up to £66,785.
Audi’s S5 is priced from £65,905 on the road, rising to over £73,000 in fully loaded Vorsprung trim. The M350 will also have Mercedes-AMG’s forthcoming C53 to contend with, which is set to arrive next year with a turbocharged straight-six and over 440bhp.
The new combustion BMW M3 will be along before too long, though not before the introduction of the electric variant next year. Likewise the 3-series Touring, 4-series and crucially, M3 Touring and M4 are all expected to return too.
