BMWBLOG was the first publication to report a year ago about the next-generation 3 Series Sedan, which has been assigned the G50 codename for the sedan and G51 for the wagon. It’s expected to retain the CLAR platform and sit alongside the Neue Klasse-based i3. While the fully electric model has been confirmed to arrive in 2025, the eighth-generation 3er is not due until 2027, thus giving the current G20 model an unusually long life cycle.
A new report from well-known BMW insider ynguldyn includes yet-to-be-confirmed details about the initial versions BMW might offer for the 3 Series G50. In Europe, the luxury sedan will allegedly be offered as 318, 320, 330e, and M350 xDrive models while the US market could only get the 330, 330 xDrive, and M350 xDrive. This is yet another rumor about how the Munich-based automaker intends to drop the “i” for gasoline-fueled cars. Next year’s 1 Series (F70) will lead the way.
Diesel engines are not mentioned in the report, but that doesn’t necessarily mean BMW intends to drop oil-burners altogether. The next-gen 3 Series is still roughly four years away, so a lot could change until then. According to the same source, production is scheduled to commence in November 2026, although the insider points out that it might not be an accurate timeline considering the G50 would overlap with the G20. The latter is apparently scheduled to remain in production until February 2027, so there would be a four-month overlap that seems highly unlikely.
The potential M350 shouldn’t come as a surprise taking into account that we’ve been hearing the same about the M Performance variant of the next-generation X3. It’s too soon to say whether the transition from the M340i / M40i suffix will reflect an increase in power but it might not happen seeing as how the new X5, X6, and X7 M60i are not more potent than the preceding M50i models. Whatever the case may be, the M Lite 3 Series and X3 are presumably getting a quad exhaust system based on the fact the lowly X1 M35i has them already.
Even if this info about potential models is not entirely accurate, it is another sign from a trusted source that BMW intends to give the 3 Series at least one more generation with combustion engines. The Munich-based brand is expected to produce the G50 generation until October 2034. As for the full-fat M3, recent statements from M officials have suggested the goal is to make it purely electric.
Source: Bimmer Post
