The M350 xDrive sits at the top of the regular combustion range beneath the future M3, bringing the straight-six into a dramatically different new generation of 3 Series. But we also get behind the wheel of the 320 prototype, giving us our first taste of how the new G50 actually drives!
Then there’s the i3. Unlike the combustion car, this sits on BMW’s dedicated Neue Klasse EV architecture, bringing Gen6 electric technology, an 800V system, up to 400kW DC charging, dual-motor xDrive and up to 900km / 559 miles of claimed WLTP range.
Despite the completely different architectures underneath, both sides of the new 3 Series family share BMW’s new design direction and Panoramic iDrive interior technology — and both point towards two very different future M3s.
In this video:
New G50 BMW 3 Series design
BMW M350 xDrive first look
Updated B58 engine
M350 Exhaust sound
G50 chassis and suspension changes
M350 vs previous M340i
New BMW i3 Neue Klasse
i3 vs combustion 3 Series
Gen6 battery and 800V charging technology
Heart of Joy and BMW’s new “superbrain” architecture
New M350 interior
BMW M350 prototype first drive
The future combustion and electric BMW M3
The 3 Series has always been at the heart of BMW, but this generation is doing something very different: giving us two fundamentally different architectures while trying to retain the same identity. Having now seen both — and driven the combustion car — has BMW found the right way to take the 3 Series into its next 50 years?
