BMW reveals petrol eighth-generation 3 Series with 326kW M350 xDrive as diesel era ends

Petrol 3 Series revealed as BMW completes the combustion line-up

BMW has revealed the petrol-powered core of its eighth-generation 3 Series in the form of two models: a four-cylinder rear-drive 320 and a six-cylinder all-wheel-drive M350 xDrive. Chasing Cars reports the pair are likely for Australia, with local pricing and specifications expected to be released soon and the 320 and M350 xDrive expected to form the core combustion range locally. The reveal follows the electric i3 50 xDrive shown earlier in the year and, per Chasing Cars, represents a doubling-down on BMW's 'Power of Choice' approach of selling combustion and electric versions side by side. ¹

The announcement was preceded by BMW's confirmation of M350 details after summer driving dynamics testing at its Miramas facility in France, with Autocar India reporting in early September that the car had entered the final phase of series production development and was expected to be available internationally by the end of 2026. WardsAuto notes the new sedan is set for a 2027 arrival, with US launch timing and pricing not yet revealed. ³⁴

M350 xDrive: 443hp straight-six replaces the M340i

The M350 xDrive serves as the range-topping model of the eighth-generation sedan and replaces the outgoing M340i. Autocar India reports a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 443hp and 580Nm — 69hp and 80Nm more than the M340i — paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, an eight-speed automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive as standard. Chasing Cars, writing in local units, quotes the same car at 326kW/580Nm with a 4.1-second 0-100km/h time; BMW claims the acceleration figure on a provisional basis. Top speed is limited to 250km/h (about 155mph). ³¹⁴

Some overseas outlets carry slightly different output figures. Car and Driver's prototype drive, as aggregated by Ground News, describes a 437hp inline-six with 428 lb-ft of torque, while WardsAuto and Autocar India both quote 443hp and 580Nm. The 0-100km/h claim of 4.1 seconds is consistent across these reports, but the horsepower discrepancy between the 437hp and 443hp figures remains unresolved in the source material. ⁵⁴³

The headline party trick is the Drift Moment function, which sends all drive to the rear wheels and is a first for any 3 Series M Performance model — previously such modes were reserved for full M cars. WardsAuto reports the function is activated through the central display, works with the all-wheel-drive system's multi-disc clutch and with stability control switched off, and will become available during 2027, including via a Remote Software Upgrade for cars delivered before its introduction. Chasing Cars describes it as an M3-like touch that temporarily locks the car in rear-drive mode. ³⁴¹

320 four-cylinder anchors the range; a 330i gap remains

At the other end of the combustion range, the rear-drive 320 uses an updated version of BMW's B48 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, producing 155kW/330Nm through an eight-speed ZF torque-converter automatic, according to Chasing Cars, which quotes a 7.4-second 0-100km/h time. The same outlet notes there is currently no replacement for the well-liked 190kW/400Nm 330i of the outgoing G20 generation. ¹

Neither petrol model is a plug-in hybrid. Chasing Cars reports that a PHEV 3 Series will follow overseas next year, though it may not reach Australia. BMWBLOG says the plug-in hybrid, based around a petrol engine, is coming later in 2027, and that the combustion line-up launches with four-cylinder 318 and 320 versions alongside the six-cylinder M350 xDrive. ¹²

Diesel dropped — but outlets conflict on what BMW confirmed

A BMW spokesperson confirmed in an email to BMWBLOG that the new 3 Series sedan will be offered exclusively with petrol engines, either on their own or as part of a plug-in hybrid setup. BMWBLOG notes this makes the G50 only the second diesel-free 3 Series generation after the original E21 of 1975, and says BMW has not given a specific reason, with the outlet's own analysis pointing to Euro 7 regulations and declining European diesel demand as likely factors. ²

That account conflicts directly with WardsAuto, which reports that BMW confirmed to it the new 3 Series line-up would continue to offer petrol, plug-in hybrid and even diesel drivetrains well into the next decade. The two outlets attribute opposite positions to BMW within days of each other, and the available reporting does not resolve the discrepancy; readers should treat the diesel question as unsettled pending official clarification. ⁴²

Shared Neue Klasse styling, separate platforms, and new i3 variants

Chasing Cars reports the new petrol 3 Series rides on BMW's CLAR platform, while the electric i3 uses a newer dedicated architecture — a split the outlet says senior BMW sources justify on efficiency and packaging grounds for the EVs. The exterior styling is near-identical between the two, though the combustion car is slightly longer, lower and narrower than the i3, with dimensions of 4765mm long, 1850mm wide and 145mm tall. Both adopt a cleaner, reductive design with a subtler kidney grille, flush door handles and slimmer lighting. ¹

Inside, the outgoing dual-screen layout is replaced by a Panoramic iDrive system with a pillar-to-pillar display and a 17.9-inch central touchscreen running BMW Operating System X, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — the same interface the i3 uses, per Chasing Cars. WardsAuto adds that the new sedan gains a longer wheelbase and wider front and rear tracks than its predecessor, an upgraded braking system, an altered steering ratio, and adaptive dampers among the performance options. ¹⁴

BMW has also detailed chassis hardware: Autocar India reports steel suspension as standard with a double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle, adaptive and adaptive M suspension as options, and optional sports tyres (245/35 R20 front, 275/30 R20 rear) offered for the first time on the nameplate. The same outlet notes other 3 Series models are expected to use four-cylinder engines with 48V mild-hybrid tech, with updated B48 petrol and B47 diesel versions anticipated — a statement that predates and sits uneasily with the no-diesel confirmation reported by BMWBLOG. ³²

The reveal also expanded the electric side of the range. Chasing Cars reports a new i3 40 xDrive joins the previously revealed i3 50 xDrive as a dual-motor all-wheel-drive model with 275kW/520Nm, a 5.4-second 0-100km/h time, an 82kWh battery (against 105kWh in the 50), 710km of range and 300kW DC charging that can add 337km in 10 minutes. The i3 50 xDrive produces 345kW/645Nm and charges at up to 400kW. ¹

What comes next: timing, the M3 and Australia

On timing, the evidence spans a narrow window: Autocar India reported the car was expected internationally by the end of 2026, WardsAuto describes a 2027 arrival with US pricing still to come, and Ground News notes M350 production begins later in 2026 ahead of a 2027 launch. Chasing Cars says Australian pricing and specifications are expected to be released soon, but no local launch date, pricing or confirmed variant list has been published. ³⁴⁵¹

The combustion line-up is not the end of the performance story. WardsAuto reports a new M3 is under development with six-cylinder power, which would leave it and the M350 as the only six-cylinder members of the next 3 Series range, while Chasing Cars says BMW's dual-track strategy is widely tipped to extend to the incoming M3 in both electric and non-plug petrol six-cylinder guises. ⁴¹