Whether you’re a lover or a hater, the 3 Series from BMW is the automaker's best-selling model and a firm favorite among many gear heads.
It’s a 46-year old model line now, ranging from 1975 until today, and has slowly been refined and updated since, with the change from circular headlights to integrated units being one of the biggest cosmetic differences – that is, until the updated M3 and M4 arrived around 2020 with the divisive grills in place.
In a changing climate though, literally and figuratively, the 3 Series will need to change on the surface and under the skin to stay competitive and green enough.
The BMW 3 Series Will Be Updated In Just A Few Months
Although it is going to be updated, this will be primarily a midlife facelift as it’s called, with exterior updates and changes inside.
According to BMW Blog, the car will get a dual-screen setup and iDrive 8, following in the footsteps of the i4.
The online source says that the screens will be 14.9” and 12.3”, the smaller one is for the instrument cluster and it will curve, to give the optimum view to the driver – as everyone knows, BMWs, like other premium cars, are made with a significant focus on the driving experience.
There could be an improvement to the electric range on the hybrid model which only offers 23 miles or so but otherwise, the engines will likely stay the same, a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder in different states of tune and 3.0-liter 6-cylinder, which features in the M340i, making 382 hp and 369 lb-ft, which is enough for a 0-60 mph dash in 4.2 seconds.
The BMW 3 Series Will Be Replaced Soon
On the whole, the automaker shows no signs of slowing in its success, in 2021, BMW M GmbH was the global market leader in the performance car and high-performance car segment for the third year running.
When the all-electric 3 Series replacement comes in 2025, the NK (Neue Klasse), it will be on a bespoke platform and so the sedan as we know it will be reborn.
For the moment we have the 2-liter turbocharged hybrid which offers 201/248 hp and 258/310 lb-ft of torque which is the greenest way to motor in your 3 Series.
The new electric model for 2025 will potentially have more than 400 miles of range, which seems reasonable for another three years, as we’re already seeing 300 miles of range in some EV sedans.
Before then, we have the LCI (Life Cycle Impulse) facelift to look forward to with the very-welcome multimedia interface upgrade – but that’s not all for the sporty sedan.
There’s the recently-teased M3 Touring wagon which will be coming this year and was seen in a short video 2 weeks ago camouflaged and drifting in snow, painting 2022 in the powder on the ground.