Eighth-generation BMW 3 Series sedan will debut on September 29 topped by M350 xDrive

The eighth generation of the BMW 3 Series, internally known by the G50 codename, is set to make its official world debut on the evening of September 29 in the United States and early in the morning on September 30 in Europe. The redesigned sports sedan ushers in dramatic styling changes inspired by the Neue Klasse design language and introduces a radically overhauled cabin that borrows heavily from the fully electric i3, prioritizing digital displays and eliminating most physical controls.

Despite visual similarities inside and out, the combustion-powered 3 Series and the battery-electric i3 ride on completely separate foundations. While the zero-emission i3 shares its dedicated Neue Klasse platform with the iX3, the conventional 3 Series continues to utilize BMW's long-running CLAR architecture. Because of this mechanical layout, the gas-powered sedan will be slightly tighter in the rear passenger compartment than the electric version, as it still requires a center floor tunnel to accommodate the driveshaft and exhaust plumbing, unlike the flat floor of the i3.

The initial premiere will not include the flagship M3, but BMW is introducing an M Lite performance variant in the form of the quad-exhaust M350 xDrive. Replacing the outgoing M340i xDrive, the M350 features a more potent inline-six engine and an electronically switchable rear-wheel-drive mode, which will be activated via an over-the-air software update in 2027. This will be the sole six-cylinder 3 Series outside of the full M3, marking the end of Europe's diesel-powered M340d. The rest of the range will rely on four-cylinder gasoline engines alongside plug-in hybrid options, while traditional diesel variants face an uncertain future. A manual transmission will not be offered, and even the next M3 is expected to come strictly with an automatic gearbox. A wagon variant will follow under the internal codename G51.

BMW has also announced that recycled materials will make up 25 percent of the new 3 Series' construction. Furthermore, production of the combustion-powered model will move away from BMW's historic Munich facility to Dingolfing, representing the first time in the nameplate's history that a gas 3 Series is not assembled at the headquarters plant.