The new BMW 3 Series will arrive in 2027

Specialist sources have reported that the G20 generation of the BMW 3 Series will have a longer lifecycle than planned. Although it recently received a substantial update for the 2023 model year, rumours suggest the sports saloon will be replaced by a completely new generation in 2027.

This is somewhat unusual, as the Bavarian brand replaces its models every seven years. If we believe the latest rumours, we could expect the G20 to remain current until it reaches nine years of age. However, why would the carmaker break its own seven-year lifecycle rule? Well, one reason may be that BMW is planning to launch the new 3 Series on two separate platforms: a dedicated all-electric variant that will use the Neue Klasse architecture, and a variant powered by combustion engines based on the acclaimed CLAR platform.

The current BMW 3 Series will remain in production until 2027

Earlier reports suggested the 3 Series would fully embrace electrification and abandon combustion engines altogether. While this is entirely possible, it is hard to imagine the Munich-based brand alienating so many customers by choosing an electric-only route. In fact, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse has said the Neue Klasse platform can support both combustion and electric vehicles. Perhaps the new 3 Series will use just one platform and offer multiple powertrain options.

Zipse has also said he believes the combustion engine ban is not entirely real, so it would be a surprising move if the next 3 Series were offered only with a battery. “We are warning against this [ban] too early and without giving [enough time] for the transformation [to happen] in [other] markets,” he said earlier this year.

However, he has also said that BMW will offer something for everyone around the world. “We will be ready for the combustion engine ban. If a region, a city, a country has the idea of banning combustion engines, we will have an offer.” This is evidenced by the reveal of the i3 in China only, a fully electric G20 series.

It would make sense to launch the new 3 Series (expected to use the codenames G50/G51) with a mix of combustion, hybrid and electric engines. We have already seen that the new X3 will be available with a plug-in hybrid derivative, so we can expect the same with the G50/G51.

For now, it is unclear how BMW will approach the future lineup. Perhaps the more developed regions suited to electric vehicles (such as Europe) will receive only the electric variant, while markets such as North America will receive both combustion and electric variants. This would leave the cheaper, more conventional models (think 320i, 330e) for developing markets such as Brazil, India and South Africa, all of which are strong markets for BMW.

The first vehicle underpinned by the Neue Klasse platform will roll off the production line in 2025 at the company’s Debrecen plant in Hungary, with German production expected to begin a year later. Meanwhile, BMW fans can expect the G20 3 Series to receive another update in 2024, to keep its rival to the C-Class as fresh as possible.

Technical specifications of this car

SedanBMW Serie 318 versions · from 50,200 €