New BMW 3 Series 2026 and i3: everything we know

All technical data and prices in this article are BMW's provisional figures for the German market. Equipment and figures may differ in Estonia.

Key facts at a glance

Platform: one design, two different bases

According to BMW, more than 18 million 3 Series cars have been sold since 1975. With the new generation, it is important to know that one name and an almost identical look cover two technically different cars.

• The BMW i3 is BMW's second Neue Klasse model after the iX3 SUV. It is built on an architecture designed solely for electric cars: sixth-generation eDrive, an 800 V system, new cylindrical battery cells (46 × 95 mm) and a battery whose housing also forms the car's floor.
• The petrol 3 Series (G50) is a thorough evolution of the previous G20 generation and stays on the CLAR platform. From the Neue Klasse models it has taken the design, the interior, the BMW Panoramic iDrive control system, the Operating System X software and the driver assistance systems.

The different base shows in the dimensions: the i3 has a 2,897 mm wheelbase, the petrol model 2,860 mm. Driving dynamics control differs too. In the i3, the Heart of Joy central computer coordinates the drivetrain, brakes and steering; the petrol models use what BMW describes as a BMW Driving Stack refined over decades.

Avoiding confusion

• The new i3 is not related to the old i3. The BMW i3 built from 2013 to 2022 was a small city car with a carbon-fibre passenger cell. The new i3 is a 3 Series sedan. When looking for a used car, check the model year.
• In 3 Series names, the letter i now only marks the electric car. The petrol models are called 318, 320 and M350 xDrive; in the previous generation they were 318i, 320i and M340i.
• The petrol 3 Series is not going away. The all-electric i3 does not replace it but is sold alongside it. BMW plans to add a plug-in hybrid later.
• There is no diesel at launch. BMW's press materials only mention petrol and electric versions and the upcoming plug-in hybrid.
• China already had an electric i3. An i3 based on the previous-generation long-wheelbase 3 Series (G28) was sold there. BMW calls the new i3 the first all-electric 3 Series based on the Neue Klasse.

Comparison with the previous generation

Previous-generation figures come from BMW technical data and the comparison in the new 3 Series press kit.

Powertrains

Five versions are available at launch: three petrol and two electric. All petrol engines have a 48 V mild-hybrid system that recovers braking energy and, according to BMW, even allows short stretches of purely electric driving.

• BMW 318: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol, 115 kW / 156 hp, 250 Nm, 8-speed Steptronic, rear-wheel drive
• BMW 320: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol, 155 kW / 211 hp, 330 Nm, 8-speed Steptronic, rear-wheel drive
• BMW M350 xDrive: 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol, combined 326 kW / 443 hp, 580 Nm, 8-speed Steptronic Sport, all-wheel drive
• BMW i3 40 xDrive: all-electric, two motors, 275 kW / 374 hp, 520 Nm, 82.8 kWh battery, up to 710 km WLTP, charging up to 300 kW
• BMW i3 50 xDrive: all-electric, two motors, 345 kW / 469 hp, 645 Nm, 108.7 kWh battery, up to 912 km WLTP, charging up to 400 kW

Coming later: a plug-in hybrid (within the next year, according to BMW) and the all-electric i3 M60 xDrive (2027).

Performance

* electronically limited

Unladen weight to DIN, without driver.

Consumption and range (WLTP)

Some observations:

• The quickest is the petrol M350 xDrive (4.1 s), not the most powerful i3 50 xDrive (4.7 s). The electric car has 26 hp and 65 Nm more but weighs 345 kg more.
• Top speed of the electric models is limited to 200 km/h; the petrol models reach 215 to 250 km/h.
• On paper, the 318 and 320 have the same weight and consumption. The 320 has 55 hp more and reaches 100 km/h 2.1 seconds sooner. The price difference in Germany is €5,000.
• The i3 40 xDrive is 2 seconds quicker than the 320 (5.4 vs 7.4 s) but 410 kg heavier. In Germany it costs €5,000 more.
• The new generation is heavier. According to BMW data, the new 320 weighs 185 kg more than the previous 320i, and the M350 xDrive 190 kg more than the previous M340i xDrive (1,860 vs 1,670 kg).
• For towing: the 318 is rated for a 1,300 kg braked trailer, the other versions for 1,800 kg.

BMW i3 50 xDrive in detail

• BMW's second Neue Klasse model, sixth-generation (Gen6) eDrive technology
• Two electric motors: an electrically excited synchronous motor at the rear (240 kW / 326 hp) and an asynchronous motor at the front (123 kW / 167 hp), electric all-wheel drive
• System output 345 kW / 469 hp, torque 645 Nm
• Net battery capacity 108.7 kWh, nominal voltage 698.9 V; cylindrical cells fitted directly into the battery housing without modules
• WLTP range 729 to 912 km, consumption 13.4 to 18.0 kWh/100 km, motorway (WLTP Extra High) 16.7 to 22.0 kWh/100 km
• DC charging up to 400 kW, 10 to 80% in about 21 minutes; according to BMW, 10 minutes add 320 to 423 km of range. Maximum power requires a charger able to deliver it
• AC charging 11 kW, optionally 22 kW; a full charge takes 11 hours at 11 kW and 5.5 hours at 22 kW
• Bidirectional charging: the car can power external devices (up to 3.7 kW, optional) and, according to BMW, also a home and the grid (up to 11 kW); availability depends on market and infrastructure
• Boot 420 l plus a 31-litre compartment under the bonnet
• Drag coefficient Cd 0.21
• Soft Stop: according to BMW, in everyday driving the car brakes almost entirely by recuperation and stops without a jolt
• 0–100 km/h in 4.7 s, top speed 200 km/h, weight 2,205 kg, towing up to 1,800 kg

BMW M350 xDrive in detail

• 3.0-litre straight-six (313 kW / 426 hp) plus a 48 V electric motor integrated in the transmission (13 kW / 18 hp), combined 326 kW / 443 hp and 580 Nm
• Compared with the previous M340i, output rose from 374 to 443 hp, partly thanks to new turbochargers according to BMW
• xDrive all-wheel drive, M Sport differential and 8-speed Steptronic Sport
• Standard adaptive M suspension, variable sport steering, M Sport brakes (four-piston at the front) and 19-inch wheels, with 20-inch wheels optional
• Also standard: Harman Kardon sound system, yellow M Yellow Lights elements at the front and four tailpipes
• Drift Moment: a mode activated from the central display that sends all drive to the rear wheels. According to BMW, it arrives during 2027 and will also be added to already delivered cars by software update
• 0–100 km/h in 4.1 s, top speed 250 km/h (limited), weight 1,860 kg
• WLTP fuel consumption 7.5 to 8.2 l/100 km, CO₂ 171 to 187 g/km

Transmission

The petrol models use an 8-speed Steptronic automatic, the M350 xDrive its Sport version. BMW's press materials do not mention a manual gearbox. Gear ratios are the same across the petrol models; only the final drive differs: 2.929 for the 318 and 320, 3.077 for the M350. The all-electric i3 uses a single-speed reduction gear on each motor.

Chassis

• Petrol models: double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle. According to BMW, the front axle geometry has been revised, the mounts are stiffer and the standard chassis has new lift-related dampers. The tracks are wider and the wheelbase longer than before.
• Wheels: the outer wheel diameter has grown from 654 mm to 680 mm. 18-inch wheels are standard, with 19- and 20-inch mixed-width options (245 mm front, 255 mm rear). With 20-inch sports tyres, the rear tyres are 275 mm wide.
• Adaptive suspension: optional adaptive suspension or adaptive M suspension (the M version with the M Sport package), both only in combination with sport steering. The M350 xDrive has adaptive M suspension as standard.
• i3: double-joint spring strut front axle and a new five-link rear axle, with lift-related dampers as standard. Adaptive M suspension is available with the M Sport packages. Wheels from 19 to 21 inches.
• Turning circle: 11.7 m for the 318 and 320, 12.1 m for the M350, 12.2 m for the i3.

Safety and driver assistance

The driver assistance systems are SAE Level 2, so the driver always remains responsible.

• Driving Assistant Plus is standard in Germany: speed and distance control plus lane-keeping assistance.
• BMW Symbiotic Drive: the driver can steer, accelerate or brake without switching the assistance system off.
• Motorway Assistant allows hands-free motorway driving up to 130 km/h and lane changes confirmed with a glance. According to BMW, it will work in 21 countries by the end of 2026. Estonia, the other Baltic states and Finland are not among them.
• Urban assistance from 2027: navigation-based, partially automated assistance for turns, roundabouts and lane changes. The rollout starts in Germany and will expand gradually.
• More active safety as standard: emergency brake assist with evasion assistant, enhanced emergency steering intervention, lane change warning, side collision warning with steering intervention and crossing traffic warning with emergency braking.
• According to BMW, all cars come with the full driver assistance hardware, and functions can be activated later.

Interior and digital features

• BMW Panoramic iDrive consists of four elements: Panoramic Vision (a display band across the full width of the lower windscreen), an optional 3D Head-Up Display, a 17.9-inch central display angled towards the driver and a new multifunction steering wheel. The M350 xDrive has an M steering wheel.
• Operating System X is based on the Android Open Source Project. New functions are added through software updates.
• Voice assistant: BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. According to BMW, Amazon Alexa+ AI will be added gradually, starting with Germany and the USA.
• Standard in Germany: electrically adjustable front seats with memory, front seat heating, two-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, a 205 W seven-speaker sound system, DAB radio and a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot.
• Options: three-zone climate control, rear seat heating, multifunction seats (with massage in the i3), M Sport seats and Harman Kardon sound systems with Dolby Atmos.
• The rear seat backrest splits 40:20:40. Four interior designs are available.
• Flush door handles extend automatically when the car is unlocked.

Dimensions

The petrol model is 52 mm longer and 23 mm wider than the previous generation, but boot capacity has dropped from 480 to 450 litres. The i3 is 25 mm taller and 15 mm wider than the petrol model.

The BMW 3 Series in the Estonian market

In August 2026, the BMW 3 Series was the most popular model in the Estonian used-car market, but in September it did not make the top 10 premium models among new-car registrations. The statistics are based on Estonian Transport Administration data and Autoportaal listings.

Used cars

In August 2026, 407 BMW 3 Series cars changed owners in Estonia, more than any other model.

A total of 8,594 used passenger cars changed owners in August, so the 3 Series accounted for 4.7% of transactions. BMW was the leading brand with 1,212 transactions, up 24.7% year on year. The 3 Series did not make the top 10 models among cars up to 10 years old; the only BMW there was the 5 Series (82 transactions). The used 3 Series market is therefore dominated by older cars.

Diesel cars made up 48.3% of used passenger car transactions in August, and BMW led the diesel segment with 820 transactions. The new 3 Series launch line-up includes no diesel.

New cars

In September 2026, 94 new BMWs were registered in Estonia, compared with 44 a year earlier. BMW led the premium segment, but the growth came from the X3 (30) and X5 (17) SUVs. The 3 Series did not make the top 10 premium models: tenth place went to the all-electric BMW iX3, the first Neue Klasse model, with 7 registrations. A total of 1,670 new passenger cars were registered in September, 41% more than a year earlier.

Listings on Autoportaal

As of 6 October 2026, Autoportaal had 281 BMW 3 Series listings. There were 1,426 BMW listings in total, so the 3 Series accounted for almost a fifth of them.

Sources: Estonian Transport Administration (Transpordiamet), used passenger car ownership changes (August 2026) and first registrations of new passenger cars (September 2026); Autoportaal.ee listing data as of 6 October 2026.

Prices in Germany

Prices include German VAT. Estonian prices are available from dealers.

When and where

• Presentation: the all-electric i3 50 xDrive was shown in March 2026, the whole model family including the petrol versions in September 2026.
• Production: the i3 has been built at BMW's Munich plant since August 2026, and the petrol models will be built in Dingolfing from November 2026. Key engine and electric drive components come from the Steyr plant in Austria. Batteries for the i3 currently come from the Debrecen plant in Hungary and later from the new Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant in Bavaria.
• Orders: opened in September 2026.
• In Estonia: the new 3 Series and i3 are already presented on BMW Estonia's website, and quotes are available from dealers.
• Later: plug-in hybrid (within the next year), i3 M60 xDrive (2027), Drift Moment for the M350 xDrive (2027) and urban driver assistance (from 2027, starting in Germany).
• Currently for sale: BMW 3 Series listings on Autoportaal (281 listings as of 6 October 2026), including the outgoing G20 generation.

In short, the new 3 Series is not one car but two. The petrol G50 continues on the familiar CLAR platform, and all its engines are 48 V mild hybrids. The all-electric i3 is BMW's second Neue Klasse model, with 800 V technology, up to 912 km of WLTP range and charging at up to 400 kW. They look almost identical but are technically different.

For drivers, the most interesting comparison is between the top models. The petrol M350 xDrive reaches 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and is quicker than the more powerful but 345 kg heavier i3 50 xDrive. The M350 gets Drift Moment in 2027. At the same time, the new generation is about 190 kg heavier than its predecessor, and the petrol model's boot has shrunk by 30 litres.

For Estonia, it matters that the 3 Series was the most popular used-car model in August, while new BMW sales are driven by SUVs. There is no diesel at launch, and Estonia is not currently on the list of countries for hands-free driving. All figures are BMW's provisional data for the German market; real-world consumption and range will become clear in test drives.

See also: BMW 3 Series listings · all BMW listings