New BMW 3 Series: petrol engine details, chassis tech and hot M350 model
Here’s all the information on the new BMW 3 Series you need to know before its official reveal.
BMW is about to launch a fundamentally revised petrol-powered 3 Series that’ll be sold alongside its electric cousin.
It’ll arrive with a choice of petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains, including a range of high-performance variants that have proved to be incredibly popular in the current generation. The critical new compact executive saloon is ready to be revealed in a matter of weeks, and this is what we know about it so far.
So what exactly is the difference between a new 3 Series and the i3?
On the face of it, only the powertrains. But the differences between these two models are far more than skin deep, despite BMW’s efforts to make the two models look and feel as similar as possible. For instance, while the new BMW i3 runs on a bespoke BEV platform, the new 3 Series features a heavily modified version of the CLAR architecture used by the current model.
This much is evident just by looking at the proportions of the ICE variant in comparison to the BEV. Not only is the new 3 Series longer than the i3, but it also has a longer bonnet relative to its overall length. That more traditional silhouette is driven largely by the need to fit the iconic straight-six engine, as well as a gearbox, prop-shaft, rear differential and so on.
However, the CLAR architecture is nothing if not flexible, so it will still be able to fit a reasonably large battery pack for the plug-in hybrid models. Lower-specification four-cylinder petrol engines will also be available; however, a new diesel option is unlikely, particularly in the UK.
Will the new 3 Series look like the i3?
Generally speaking, yes. The new 3 Series will pick up the i3’s distinctive new face, with two large illuminated kidney grilles incorporating the main headlight units as well as some lighting graphics that will vary between different models. The extra cooling required by these ICE-powered models will come largely from a lower intake, rather than cutting into the main grilles.
The rear end is even closer to the i3’s, thanks to its wide rear lighting and a short bootlid. The key difference here, of course, will be the exhaust pipes, particularly on the M Performance and M3 models that feature quad outlets.
However, there’s no hiding the different packaging requirements of the ICE-powered models, and the 3 Series’s longer bonnet and more tapered cabin are quite distinct from the chunkier and boxier i3. It’s also physically larger than the previous-generation 3 Series, with a longer wheelbase and wider track both front and rear.
What engines will the new BMW 3 Series have?
BMW has officially revealed details of only one powertrain so far, and it comes from the M Performance range. The M350 will directly rival warmed-through compact executive models such as the Audi S5 and the soon-to-arrive Mercedes-AMG C 53. Like those cars, it features a turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine, in this case the same 3.0-litre straight-six already found in other BMW models.
With a little help from its mild-hybrid system, BMW quotes a peak power figure of 436bhp and 580Nm of torque, giving it the ability to reach 62mph from rest in just 4.1 seconds. This makes it significantly faster than the current M340i that it’ll in effect replace, not to mention those aforementioned rivals.
This model will also feature all-wheel drive, but for the first time in an M Performance model, it will also have a selectable drift mode that’ll give drivers the ability to de-couple the front axle.
Lower down the order, expect BMW to launch entry-level 320 and mid-spec 330 models with a mild-hybrid four-cylinder petrol engine, plus a plug-in hybrid option or two. No official details of those PHEVs have been made available, but we suspect they will be the highest-selling models in European markets, so expect BMW to focus most of all on increasing battery range and overall efficiency on these models.
At the other end of the spectrum, BMW will continue to offer a petrol-powered M3 alongside the electric model. It too will adopt a hybrid system, but unlike the new Audi RS 5 it will have a much smaller and lighter mild-hybrid system to help the existing S58 straight-six pass Euro 7 emissions laws.
What about the interior?
BMW’s new era of interior tech will continue in the new 3 Series, switching from the current twin-screen set-up to the Panoramic iDrive layout seen on the new iX3 and all new BMW models launched since. This is joined by a large trapezoidal touchscreen mounted close to the driver, with a simplified selection of controls and switchgear on the centre console.
By changing how drivers interact with the 3 Series’s functions, BMW is taking a risk, but initial feedback on the new iX3 suggests that customers get used to the new set-up pretty quickly – unlike BMW’s long-winded iDrive application the first time around.
What about the other variants?
BMW has been pretty clear about how it plans to expand the i3 range with a new i3 Touring (estate) and a new i4 Cabriolet and Coupe following that, but this same level of variety in the petrol-powered 3 Series is still to be confirmed. When we spoke with BMW’s top brass in the past, they confirmed that the company will continue to produce a new generation of Touring models in addition to its SUVs, but so far we have only seen evidence of these in electric forms.
However, BMW M’s Frank van Meel has already confirmed that Touring versions of the future M3 are in the plan thanks to their commercial success, suggesting that an estate variant of the new 3 Series petrol is in the works, if not a new petrol-powered 4 Series Coupe or Cabriolet.
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