The 2027 BMW 3 Series Is BMW's Biggest Redesign in a Generation. Here Is What Has Changed.

BMW has been on a remarkable run of new launches in 2026: a new X5, a new iX3, the M3 celebrating 40 years at Goodwood, an updated M5, and the Neue Klasse architecture arriving in production form. Among all of that activity, perhaps the most significant announcement has arrived with less fanfare than it deserves. The 2027 BMW 3 Series, codenamed G50, is a ground-up redesign, and it represents the most consequential change to BMW's core product in well over a decade.

A New Platform and a New Design Direction

The outgoing 3 Series (the G20) has served BMW well since 2019, with a facelift in 2022 helping it stay competitive. But the G50 is not a further evolution of that car. It rides on BMW's updated CLAR II platform and adopts the Neue Klasse design language that BMW has been previewing in concept form for the past couple of years. That means a dramatically cleaner exterior: slimmer headlights integrated into a horizontal glass panel at the front, a reduced emphasis on the oversized kidney grille of recent models, and an overall silhouette that reads as more modern and more resolved than the car it replaces.

There is also a parallel electric version: the new BMW i3. This should not be confused with the small urban electric car of the same name that BMW discontinued a few years ago. The new i3 sits on the full Neue Klasse architecture rather than the CLAR II platform used by the combustion G50, and it will be built at a different factory. BMW is effectively running two 3 Series simultaneously: one for customers who want the character of a combustion sport saloon, and one for those moving into battery power. It is an unusual but pragmatic approach for a brand navigating a market in transition.

The M350 Replaces the M340i

Among the specific changes, one stands out for anyone who follows performance variants. The M340i, long the benchmark of the 3 Series range and one of the most satisfying all-rounders in the executive car class, is being replaced by the new M350. Early reports suggest output of at least 400 horsepower from a revised inline-six, making it meaningfully more powerful than the car it succeeds. That positions the M350 considerably closer to the full M3 in outright performance terms, which will raise interesting questions about how BMW positions the two models against each other.

BMW is also dropping the manual gearbox entirely for the first time in the 3 Series' 50-year history. This decision will divide opinion, particularly among buyers who have valued the manual as a defining part of the 3 Series experience, but it reflects the direction of the broader market and the expectations of the majority of buyers in this segment today.

Interior and Technology

Interior quality in the G50 is reported to be a significant step forward from the G20. The new cabin adopts BMW's latest iDrive interface and material choices, moving the 3 Series closer to the standard set by the current 5 and 7 Series. That is a meaningful shift: historically, the gap in perceived quality between the 3 and 5 Series has been noticeable, and narrowing it will make the G50 a more compelling proposition for buyers who spend long hours in the car.

What This Means If You Are Considering a BMW Today

Production of the G50 is scheduled to start at BMW's Dingolfing plant in November 2026, with cars reaching UK customers in early 2027. That means the current 3 Series generation is now entering its final months on forecourts. For buyers who have been considering one, that transition creates a natural moment to either act on the outgoing car or hold out for the redesign.

At Avant Drive, our BMW offering is the BMW 520i M Sport, available for self-drive hire from Bristol with UK-wide delivery. The 5 Series sits a step above the 3 in BMW's hierarchy, delivering a more refined and spacious long-distance experience while keeping the dynamic character BMW is known for. If the arrival of the new G50 has sharpened your appetite for BMW motoring, hiring the 520i is a genuinely good way to experience current BMW standards while the next chapter takes shape. Get in touch to check availability.