Whether you’re on team gasoline or electric, BMW has you covered. The next 3 Series will offer something for everyone, including customers interested in plug-in hybrids and even diesels. Two distinct flavors of the luxury sedan have been caught going all out at the Nürburgring. The fabled German track is where the new models, codenamed “G50” and “NA0,” undergo intense testing.
You can tell how strikingly similar the prototypes look. Obviously, the camouflaged sedan with quad pipes is the gas model. No, it’s not an M3 but the M Performance version. We’ve heard BMW is changing the car’s name from M340i to M350 to reflect a power bump to an unconfirmed 417 hp. That would represent a 31-hp increase over the current U.S. model and a 17-hp bump compared to the European version.
The purely electric i3 has a shorter front section, though that’s harder to see in this dynamic footage. The easiest way to spot the zero-emission model is by its license plate ending in “E” and the yellow high-voltage sticker on the top-left corner of the rear glass. There’s no beating around the bush – the car seems heavy, and there’s noticeable body roll. However, it’s best not to judge a car this early in its testing phase.
After all, the i3 isn’t set to launch until sometime next year, when the eighth-generation 3 Series is also programmed to arrive. M versions of both models are already in the pipeline as the “ZA0” and “G84,” respectively, though they won’t arrive until later this decade. When the disguise comes off, the M3 and whatever name BMW gives the M-branded i3 will look nearly identical. That’s not speculation; it comes from an official statement by Neue Klasse program boss Mike Reichelt.
The 3 and i3 will also share “digital features,” with the new iDrive system as the centerpiece. Expect a 17.9-inch central touchscreen and minimal physical switchgear. A dashboard-wide projection (Panoramic Vision) at the base of the windshield will be standard across the lineup. An optional 3D head-up display is also planned, partly to make up for the removal of the traditional instrument cluster.
BMW will build the i3 in Munich, where it has been producing the 3 Series since the E21 launched half a century ago. However, the new 3er will likely be manufactured in Dingolfing, as the historic Munich plant will switch entirely to EV production starting in 2027. Video: Carspotter Jeroen / YouTube