New BMW 3 Series Debuts Sept. 29: What America Gets and When

BMW will reveal the eighth-generation 3 Series on September 30 at 12:01 a.m. Central European Summer Time, according to BMWBlog. In the U.S., that's 6:01 p.m. Eastern on September 29. It will be the first gas-powered BMW sedan to wear the Neue Klasse design that debuted on the electric iX3 and i3.

For American buyers, the biggest change is already official. The M340i is going away, replaced by the M350 xDrive, and BMW of North America has put numbers on it: 437 hp, 428 lb-ft, and standard all-wheel drive.

What BMW Has Already Confirmed

The new car will carry the look BMW first showed on the electric i3 in March: a new take on the brand's four-eyed face, a long wheelbase, short overhangs, and what BMW calls a 2.5-box profile. BMW says the gas 3 Series and the i3 differ only in details dictated by their drivetrains.

Inside, the 3 Series adopts Panoramic iDrive with BMW Operating System X, the display-and-software setup that reached U.S. showrooms this month in the iX3.

Every engine gets 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance. BMW has confirmed four- and six-cylinder versions but hasn't released outputs for the four-cylinder cars.

Underneath, BMW kept a double-joint spring-strut front axle and a five-link rear, but stretched the wheelbase and widened both tracks compared with the outgoing car. Lift-related dampers are standard, adaptive suspension is optional, and for the first time a 3 Series can be ordered with staggered 20-inch sport tires: 245/35 R20 in front and 275/30 R20 at the rear.

The M340i Becomes the M350 xDrive

The M350 xDrive is the only new 3 Series with six cylinders. Its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six works with the 48-volt system for a combined 437 hp and 428 lb-ft, according to BMW's U.S. release. BMW quotes 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds and a 155-mph top speed. An eight-speed automatic, xDrive, adaptive M suspension, an M Sport differential, and variable sport steering are all standard.

The outgoing U.S. M340i makes 386 hp and 398 lb-ft, so on paper the new car adds 51 hp and 30 lb-ft.

Rear-drive purists get a compromise rather than a rear-drive model. BMW lists xDrive as standard and hasn't announced a rear-drive M350. Its answer is Drift Moment, a mode that sends all engine output to the rear wheels with stability control switched off. It won't be ready at launch: BMW says the feature arrives during 2027 and will be added to cars already on the road through a Remote Software Upgrade. We covered the M350's numbers and Drift Moment in more detail earlier this month.

It Looks Like the Electric i3. Underneath, It Isn't

The gas 3 Series and the i3 share a design but not a platform. The i3 rides on BMW's dedicated Neue Klasse EV architecture and is built at Plant Munich. The gas car uses an evolution of BMW's existing CLAR platform, according to BMWBlog, and its production reportedly moves to Dingolfing starting in November.

The two cars were developed under the same emissions program. BMW says it cut supply-chain CO2e emissions by about 30% for the gas 3 Series and 37% for the i3 during development; we broke down where those savings come from.

The timing matters for shoppers torn between gas and electric. According to InsideEVs, BMW of North America has told people who registered on its website that U.S. pre-orders for the i3 50 xDrive open September 29, the same day as the gas car's reveal. That i3 pairs two motors for 463 hp, and BMW estimates up to 440 miles of EPA range.

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When Can You Buy One in America?

BMW says M350 xDrive production starts in the second half of 2026. Motor1 has reported that Europe gets the car first, with U.S. sales following in 2027. BMW of North America hasn't announced a U.S. on-sale date.

What We Don't Know Yet

• U.S. pricing. BMW hasn't announced an MSRP for any version of the new 3 Series or for the i3.
• Fuel economy. There are no EPA ratings yet, and BMW hasn't published European WLTP consumption figures either.
• U.S. trims. BMW hasn't said which four-cylinder versions come to America or what they'll be called here.
• A rear-drive M350. xDrive is listed as standard; Drift Moment is the only rear-drive mode BMW has announced.
• Other versions. BMWBlog reports that a plug-in hybrid is planned, but BMW hasn't said whether it's coming to the U.S. BMW also hasn't detailed a Touring wagon or an M3 based on this car.

What's Next

The reveal on the evening of September 29 should answer the design and four-cylinder questions. U.S. pricing, trims, and EPA ratings will come from BMW of North America. We'll update this story after the reveal.