BMW's New M350 xDrive Makes 443 HP and Gets a Drift Mode That Turns It Rear-Wheel Drive
The next 3 Series' M Performance flagship gets 443 hp, 428 lb-ft, and a 4.1-second run to 62 mph. Its rear-drive Drift Moment arrives in 2027 as an over-the-air update — even for cars already delivered.
BMW has put official numbers on the next 3 Series months before the car is revealed. The headline figures belong to the M350 xDrive, the new M Performance model: 443 hp (326 kW), 428 lb-ft (580 Nm), 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, and a Drift Moment function that sends every bit of engine output to the rear wheels.
The data came out of Munich on September 8, as BMW wrapped up the final summer chassis-tuning drives with camouflaged prototypes at its Miramas proving grounds in southern France. Before that, the same cars had been through winter testing at Arjeplog and lapping at the Nürburgring, according to the automaker.
Every figure comes with a caveat: BMW says the numbers are provisional because they were measured on development prototypes, and WLTP fuel consumption hasn't been published yet.
What the M350 xDrive brings
The M350 xDrive is the only new 3 Series with six cylinders — a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-six with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance. An eight-speed Steptronic automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive are standard, as are the adaptive M suspension, the M Sport differential, and variable sport steering. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h).
The four-cylinder versions get the same 48-volt system, but BMW hasn't released their outputs.
Underneath, the new car runs a double-joint spring-strut front axle and a five-link rear, with a longer wheelbase and wider tracks than the current 3 Series. Newly developed lift-related dampers are standard, adaptive suspension is optional, and BMW says the integrated brake system and the steering ratio have both been revised. For the first time, buyers will be able to order sports tires on a 3 Series: 245/35 R20 up front and 275/30 R20 at the rear.
Drift Moment: 2027, and it works backward
Drift Moment is the feature that will draw the most attention. Activated through the central display, it routes the full drive to the rear axle, working together with M-style control of the multi-plate clutch and DSC switched off. That's a first for an M Performance 3 Series — until now the function has been reserved for full BMW M cars.
The timing is the more interesting part. BMW says Drift Moment will be released "during the course of 2027," and cars delivered before then will get it through a Remote Software Upgrade. Early M350 xDrive buyers won't need to wait for a model-year change to get the feature.
Against the M340i it replaces
In the U.S., the outgoing M340i xDrive is rated at 386 hp and 398 lb-ft from its own 48-volt-assisted inline-six, does 0–60 mph in 4.1 seconds, and starts at $64,300. On paper, the M350 xDrive adds 57 hp and 30 lb-ft. One caution: BMW's 443 hp is a European rating, and the SAE figure the car gets when it's certified for the U.S. could land a little differently.
The acceleration numbers are harder to compare. BMW's new figure is 0–100 km/h, the U.S. spec is 0–60 mph, and both read 4.1 seconds. The real gains are in the chassis: the current M340i xDrive rides on 225/40 R19 tires all around, while the new car can be had with 275-section rears and a stiffer body that BMW says was tuned specifically for the M350.
What's still missing
Production starts in the second half of 2026. BMW hasn't given a reveal date, pricing, or a U.S. on-sale timeline, and it hasn't said whether the M340i name survives in the U.S. lineup or gives way to M350 xDrive here as well.
The combustion 3 Series will sit alongside the fully electric BMW i3, which had its design premiere in March 2026. Both wear the Neue Klasse design language and the Panoramic iDrive interface, BMW says — they differ only in the details dictated by their drivetrains.
