The BMW 3 Series is still the car every compact luxury sedan is measured against. Fifty years after the first 3 Series, Munich has split the name into two cars that look almost the same and share almost nothing underneath: a petrol G50 on an updated CLAR platform, and an electric i3 on the Neue Klasse architecture. Orders for the new cars opened in Germany on 30 September 2026. In India and the United States, the outgoing G20 is still the car you can buy today.
That split is the story. If you are shopping now, the relevant car is the current 3 Series — in India, essentially the M340i xDrive. If you can wait until 2027, the relevant car is the new one.
What the BMW 3 Series is
The 3 Series is BMW’s compact sports sedan. It sits below the 5 Series, above the 2 Series Gran Coupe, and against the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 / A5, and Genesis G70. Rear-wheel drive, a low seating position and a straight-six at the top of the range are the reasons enthusiasts still default to it.
The current seventh-generation car is the G20, launched in 2018 and facelifted in 2022. Production of that generation ends in October 2026. The eighth-generation G50 petrol sedan starts production at Dingolfing in November 2026. The related electric i3 has been in production at Munich since August 2026.
BMW 3 Series price in India (October 2026)
BMW India currently lists the standard-wheelbase 3 Series as the M340i xDrive only.
| Variant | Engine | Ex-showroom (approx.) | On-road, Delhi (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Series M340i xDrive | 3.0L turbo inline-six, 8-speed, xDrive | ₹77.10–77.80 lakh | ₹84–90 lakh |
List prices moved after GST 2.0, and dealer sites do not all agree. Autocar India had the M340i at ₹77.10 lakh ex-showroom and about ₹89.83 lakh on-road in Delhi at the end of September 2026. CarDekho listed ₹77.80 lakh ex-showroom. Treat those as a band, not a quote, and confirm the live price, festive discount and insurance package with a BMW dealer.
The long-wheelbase 3 Series Gran Limousine (330i and 320Ld) has been part of the India range at a lower price, roughly in the ₹60 lakh ex-showroom class. Several listings now show the diesel Gran Limousine as out of stock. If rear-seat space is the priority, ask the dealer what is actually allocated before you build a comparison around it.
M340i specs on sale in India
- Engine: 2,998 cc B58 turbocharged inline-six
- Output: 374 hp and 500 Nm
- Gearbox: 8-speed Steptronic Sport
- Drive: xDrive all-wheel drive
- 0–100 km/h: 4.4 seconds (claimed)
- Top speed: 250 km/h, limited
- Claimed mileage: 13.02 kmpl
- Fuel tank: 59 litres
- Dimensions: 4,709 mm long, 1,827 mm wide, 1,435 mm tall, 2,851 mm wheelbase
- Kerb weight: about 1,745 kg
Standard kit on the India M340i is the reason the price looks high next to a C-Class. Adaptive M suspension, an M Sport differential, variable sport steering, M Sport brakes, a curved display (12.3-inch cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen), a 16-speaker Harman Kardon system, Vernasca leather sport seats with memory, three-zone climate control, a parking assistant and 19-inch M alloys are all in the car. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included.
2026 BMW 3 Series price in the US
The 2026 model year is a carryover G20. BMW left the car alone while it finished the successor.
| Trim | Engine | MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| 330i | 2.0L turbo-four, 255 hp, 295 lb-ft, RWD | from about $48,000–$48,675 |
| 330i xDrive | same, AWD | about $50,000–$50,675 |
| M340i | 3.0L turbo-six, 386 hp, 398 lb-ft, 48V mild hybrid, RWD | about $62,300–$62,875 |
| M340i xDrive | same, AWD | about $64,300–$64,875 |
Both engines use an 8-speed automatic. The rear-drive 330i is rated around 28/35/31 mpg city/highway/combined. The M340i is close behind at about 27/33/29 mpg, which is the quiet achievement of the 48-volt mild-hybrid B58. Edmunds and U.S. News still rank the car near the top of the luxury small-sedan class. The 330e plug-in hybrid was dropped for 2025 and does not return for 2026.
The new BMW 3 Series: G50 petrol and i3 electric
BMW unveiled the eighth-generation car at the end of September 2026. The petrol models and the electric i3 share a face, a cabin and the 3 Series name. They do not share a platform.
- G50 3 Series (petrol): updated CLAR architecture, related to the current 5 Series and 7 Series. Longer bonnet, traditional dash-to-axle proportion.
- i3 (electric): Neue Klasse platform. Slightly shorter bonnet, longer wheelbase, structural battery in the floor.
Petrol production starts at Dingolfing in November 2026. US sales of the 330, 330 xDrive and M350 xDrive are scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. US prices had not been announced at unveil; German prices are the best public guide.
German prices at order opening
| Model | Powertrain | Power | Torque | 0–100 km/h | Top speed | Germany |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 318 | 2.0 petrol mild hybrid, RWD | 154 bhp | 250 Nm | 9.5 s | 215 km/h | €49,900 |
| 320 | 2.0 petrol mild hybrid, RWD | 208 bhp | 330 Nm | 7.4 s | 240 km/h | €54,900 |
| M350 xDrive | 3.0 petrol mild hybrid, AWD | 437 bhp | 580 Nm | 4.1 s | 250 km/h | €80,900 |
| i3 40 xDrive | Dual motor, AWD | 369 bhp | 520 Nm | 5.4 s | 200 km/h | €59,900 |
| i3 50 xDrive | Dual motor, AWD | 463 bhp | 645 Nm | 4.7 s | 200 km/h | €65,900 |
At the September 2026 exchange rate those German starting prices convert to roughly ₹54.4 lakh for the 318 and ₹65.3 lakh for the i3 40 xDrive, before Indian duties. Landed India prices, once BMW announces them, will be substantially higher.
A plug-in hybrid and an i3 M60 xDrive are due later, the M60 in 2027. There is no diesel. BMW has confirmed the new 3 Series sedan will be petrol, petrol mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid only — the first 3 Series without a diesel since the original E21.
Dimensions
| G50 petrol | i3 electric | Outgoing G20 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,765 mm | 4,760 mm | 4,713 mm |
| Width | 1,850 mm | 1,865 mm | 1,827 mm |
| Height | 1,455 mm | 1,480 mm | 1,448 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,860 mm | 2,897 mm | 2,851 mm |
| Boot | 450 litres | 420 litres + 31 litres under the bonnet | about 480 litres (sedan) |
The petrol car is 56 mm longer and 23 mm wider than the G20, on a wheelbase only 9 mm longer. The i3 trades 30 litres of boot space for a frunk and a longer wheelbase.
Electric range and charging
BMW’s Gen6 drive uses cylindrical cells (46 × 95 mm) and an 800-volt architecture. The company claims about 30 percent more range and 30 percent faster charging than the previous generation of its electric hardware.
| i3 40 xDrive | i3 50 xDrive | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery (net) | 82.8 kWh | 108.7 kWh |
| WLTP range | 566–710 km | 729–912 km |
| Peak DC charging | 300 kW | 400 kW |
| Range added in 10 minutes | up to 337 km | up to 423 km |
| 10–80 percent DC | 21 minutes | 21 minutes |
| Unladen weight | 2,090 kg | 2,205 kg |
AC charging is 11 kW as standard, 22 kW optional. Bidirectional charging covers vehicle-to-load at up to 3.7 kW and vehicle-to-home or grid at up to 11 kW with a DC wallbox. Drag coefficient on the i3 is 0.21.
US figures published around the unveil put the i3 50 xDrive at 463 hp, a 0–60 mph time of about 4.5 seconds and a claimed range of up to 468 miles, with 208 miles added in 10 minutes on a 400 kW charger.
The M350 xDrive, and why it matters
The M350 replaces the M340i as the six-cylinder flagship until the next M3 arrives. Output is 437 bhp and 580 Nm — a clear step up from the 369–386 hp of the car it replaces, depending on market tune. Claimed 0–100 km/h is 4.1 seconds. US timing is 3.9 seconds to 60 mph, or 3.6 seconds with rollout.
Hardware carries over in spirit: adaptive M suspension, M Sport differential, variable sport steering, M Sport brakes and the 8-speed Steptronic Sport. The party trick is Drift Moment, a rear-biased mode that arrives as a software update in 2027 and is switched on from the central screen. It is the first time BMW has put that kind of party mode in a non-M 3 Series.
The four-cylinder US cars keep a familiar number. The 330 and 330 xDrive use a 2.0-litre turbo four with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft, and a claimed 5.9 seconds to 60 mph. Every petrol engine is a 48-volt mild hybrid and is approved for E20 fuel.
Design and cabin
The look is Neue Klasse, not a facelift of the G20. Kidney grille and headlights merge into one light panel, daytime running lights run diagonally, door handles sit flush and pop out on unlock, and the tail is a thin horizontal light bar. On the petrol car the bonnet is longer and the grilles are darker, so the two cars are not quite identical once you walk around them.
Inside, the instrument cluster is gone. Panoramic Vision projects driver information across the base of the windscreen. A 17.9-inch central screen is angled toward the driver and runs BMW Operating System X, built on Android Open Source Project. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto remain. An optional 3D head-up display sits above the panoramic strip. The steering wheel is new, with a central spoke and thumb rests.
Driving Assistant Plus, a Level 2 system, is standard in the launch markets. Motorway Assistant — hands-free up to 130 km/h, with lane changes confirmed by a glance — is planned for 21 countries by the end of 2026. India is not on that list. A City Assistant for urban navigation starts in Germany in 2027.
How the generations compare
| Generation | Code | Years | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | E21 | 1975–1983 | The original. No diesel. |
| Second | E30 | 1982–1994 | The car that made the name. First diesels. |
| Third | E36 | 1990–2000 | Multi-link rear axle, the modern 3 Series template. |
| Fourth | E46 | 1997–2006 | The enthusiast benchmark. 330i and M3. |
| Fifth | E90 | 2004–2013 | Bigger, first turbo sixes late in the run, 335d. |
| Sixth | F30 | 2011–2019 | Turbo fours become the default. Gran Turismo added. |
| Seventh | G20 | 2018–2026 | Lighter CLAR shell, curved display from the 2022 LCI. Last 3 Series with a diesel, and the last regular 3 Series offered with a manual (Europe only, gone by 2022). |
| Eighth | G50 / NA0 i3 | 2026– | Petrol on updated CLAR. Electric twin on Neue Klasse. No diesel. No manual. |
Rivals
Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The default cross-shop in India and the US. Quieter, more traditional luxury, usually a little less keen on a bad road. In India the C-Class undercuts the M340i on price because BMW is selling the six-cylinder car, not a four-cylinder 320i.
Audi A4 / A5 and Genesis G70. The Audi is the comfort and tech play. The G70 is the driver’s alternative in the US and undercuts the 3 Series on equipment. Neither has the straight-six heritage of the M340i or M350.
BMW i4 and the new i3. Until the i3 reaches a given market, the i4 is BMW’s electric answer in this size. The i3 is the closer match on shape, and its 400 kW peak and 900 km-class WLTP claim put it in a different charging conversation from the cars it replaces.
Who should buy which one
Buy the current M340i in India if you want the B58 now, can use xDrive in the monsoon, and do not want to wait an unknown number of quarters for the G50. It is the quickest BMW sedan on sale in the country, and the 4.4-second claim is the number that matters in that sentence.
Buy a 2026 330i in the US if the brief is a daily luxury sedan around $50,000. Step to the M340i only if the six-cylinder is the point. Both are end-of-line G20s. That is a reason to negotiate, not a reason to avoid the car — the platform is proven and the mild-hybrid six is the best version of this generation.
Wait for the G50 or i3 if the cabin technology is the priority, or if you specifically want the M350’s 437 bhp and Drift Moment. Do not wait if you need a diesel. That option is gone.
FAQ
What is the BMW 3 Series price in India?
The M340i xDrive is listed around ₹77.1–77.8 lakh ex-showroom as of early October 2026, and roughly ₹84–90 lakh on-road in Delhi depending on the source. Confirm with a dealer after GST 2.0.
Is the new BMW 3 Series electric?
Both. The G50 petrol 3 Series and the Neue Klasse i3 were unveiled together in September 2026. They look alike and are built on different platforms.
What is the range of the BMW i3?
The i3 50 xDrive is rated at 729–912 km WLTP from a 108.7 kWh battery. The i3 40 xDrive is rated at 566–710 km from 82.8 kWh.
When does the new 3 Series reach the US?
BMW has said the 330, 330 xDrive and M350 xDrive go on sale in the US in the first quarter of 2027. Prices were not announced at the September 2026 unveil.
Does the new 3 Series have a diesel?
No. BMW has dropped diesel from the 3 Series for the first time since the E21.
What engine is in the India M340i?
A 2,998 cc turbocharged inline-six with 374 hp and 500 Nm, an 8-speed automatic and xDrive. Claimed 0–100 km/h is 4.4 seconds.
Verdict
The 3 Series name now covers two ideas. One is the G20 you can buy this month: in India, a single well-equipped M340i; in the US, a 255 hp 330i or a 386 hp M340i, both mild hybrid, both still among the best small luxury sedans on sale. The other is the car BMW unveiled on 30 September 2026 — a bigger petrol sedan with a windscreen for a dashboard, a 437 bhp M350, and an electric twin that claims more than 900 km and a 400 kW charge rate.
Buy the current car if the straight-six and a known dealer experience are enough. Wait if you want the new cabin, or the i3, and you can live with a 2027 delivery.
