BMW reinvents the petrol 3 Series for the Neue Klasse era – but there’s a price
BMW is betting on two horses in the same race, as it is about to introduce the high-tech, all- electric i3 saloon – an electric 3 Series in all but name – with its 900km range and ultra-fast charging, while simultaneously recreating the petrol-powered 3 Series for a longer life, investing a claimed €2 billion as it does so. In spite of the clamour for SUVs, the 3 Series remains totemic for BMW , and even though the X1 SUV is now the brand’s biggest seller, a 3 Series is still what most people think of when they think of a BMW. Which is why Munich is spreading its bets when it comes to the conversion to fully electric power. While the conflict-driven price shock in the cost of fuel has triggered a greater take-up for electric cars this year, both here in Ireland and around the world, BMW knows that enough of its potential 3 Series buyers are conservative enough that they may not be yet ready to make the EV leap. So keeping a combustion-powered car on sale is critical. Even so, both the electric i3 and this heavily updated 3 Series will now share the same sharp-suited look. The new 3 Series essentially copies the bodywork of the i3, with cleaner lines than the outgoing model, and the same broad, slim grille at the front, from where the two cars appear more or less identical. However, look at the boot and they’re a bit more distinct – this new petrol 3 Series appears to be a touch taller and bulkier compared with the shrink-wrapped i3, which is doubtless an outfall of having to find space for a boot, a fuel tank and an exhaust system. The first new 3 Series to be shown most definitely has an exhaust system, with sporty quad exhausts no less, because it’s the range-topping M350 version with a turbocharged straight-six 3.0-litre petrol engine, developing 443hp, which can shove this roomy saloon to 100km/h in just 4.1 seconds. How does that compare with the i3? Well, the equivalent electric version is the i3 M50, which has slightly more power – 469hp – but which is also a chunk heavier. It can accelerate to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds. Being more than half a second slower would once have seemed like a death knell for any sporty BMW saloon, but now perhaps the goalposts have shifted. BMW’s official release quotes an 8.2 litres per 100km fuel economy figure for the M350. That means the 230km trip from Dublin to Cork would cost you about €37 in petrol money at today’s pump prices. By contrast, the i3 M50 could potentially do the same journey for as little as €14 if you charge up at home before leaving. Who would want the petrol model in those circumstances? Equally, it’s now the case that petrol power is more expensive to buy. BMW Ireland has announced an entry price of €71,935 for the new 320, and €111,585 for the M350. Whereas the new i3 M40, with a smaller battery and a range of 710km, is a comparative bargain at €60,285 while the more powerful 900km range i3 M50 costs €67,215. Of course, it’s not that straightforward. Some drivers simply cannot shift to electric power yet, as they have no access to home charging, and BMW will be introducing other, much less consumptive, versions of the new 3 Series. Already we have confirmation of a new mild-hybrid petrol powered 320 model, and there will certainly be a replacement for the long-range plug-in hybrid 330e too, which may have enough battery capacity for 150km of electric motoring on one charge. BMW will make diesel versions of this new 3 Series for some global markets, but they’re unlikely to come to Ireland. Inside, the new 3 Series again copies the homework of the i3, gaining the full-width ‘panoramic view display’ instrument panel that spans the entire width of the windscreen, along with a rhombus-shaped touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard that’s angled slightly towards the driver, in the manner of classic 1980s BMW cabins. The German carmaker is also at pains to point out that this updated 3 Series – in spite of the new bodywork and cabin, it rides on the same basic mechanical CLAR package as the exploring G20 3 Series – is still a German-made car. While the electric i3 goes into production in BMW’s headquarters factory in Munich, the petrol (and plug-in hybrid) 3 Series will be made around the corner in Dingolfing. “We are investing in value creation, competitive production and job security in Germany. The new BMW 3 Series is the proof. We are in control of the transformation – from development to industrialisation and high-efficiency production in Munich and Dingolfing. “The new high-voltage battery plant in Irlbach-Strasskirchen illustrates how we are bringing key electromobility technology back to our home base. We are making our contribution. Conditions that enable investment, innovation and competitiveness are essential if industrial value creation is to enjoy continued success in Germany,” said Raymond Wittmann, BMW’s head of production. That statement, though, comes against the backdrop of continued turmoil for the German car industry. BMW is not immune from falling sales in China and encroaching Asian competition in Europe. While the BMW Group (which includes Mini and Rolls-Royce ) saw a €2.8 billion profit for the first half of this year, sales fell overall, by 4.2 per cent across the group and by 6.2 per cent for BMW itself, while that profit was considerably down on 2025’s numbers. The company had previously warned that margins were tightening and profits were under threat thanks to a combination of Chinese sales and competition and US tariffs. Overall turnover fell by 8 per cent, and the margin BMW makes on its car sales has narrowed by 2 per cent this year, falling to 6.5 per cent. Noting that the headwinds in the global car industry were only partially offset by a hefty round of cost-cutting (BMW has slashed its costs by €2.5 billion in the past year, largely by making as many as 9,000 job cuts between now and 2035), Milan Nedeljković, the company’s chair of the board, said: “The automotive industry is faced with rapidly escalating challenges – intense global competition, increasing regional regulatory requirements and the implications of geopolitical conflicts will shape our business model in the years ahead. That’s why it’s important to be lean and agile. We are working to reshape our organisation and processes, thereby positioning the company to stay competitive going forward.” New BMW iX3 proves there’s life and joy in electric driving Electric cars are a Munich bright spot, though. The BMW iX3 electric SUV – an Irish Times car of the year – raced to 100,000 orders with some dispatch, and the i3 saloon is looking set for similar success. How much hedge-betting with petrol power will actually be needed remains to be seen.