Next gen G50 BMW 3 Series to only debut in 2027, CLAR platform to continue, same engines
Hans · Sep 15, 2023 02:00 PM
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When BMW debuted its Neue Klasse concept earlier this month, it was clear that it previewed the upcoming fully electric 3 Series. Drawing parallels between the BMW 7 Series and i7, we concluded that the Neue Klasse concept previews the next generation combustion engine 3 Series as well, except that we now know that it’s wrong.
According to the latest information coming out of BMWblog, the next generation BMW 3 Series, codename G50, will not be related to the Neue Klasse platform i3, which will be launched in 2025. Instead, the current generation G20 3 Series will continue to soldier on until 2027, after which it will be replaced a new model, but it will sit on the current 3 Series’ CLAR platform.
In other words, the fully electric 2025 BMW i3 sedan will be completely unrelated to the next generation G50 2027 BMW 3 Series.
The CLAR-platform combustion engine BMW 3 Series will continue to be offered with plug-in hybrid powertrains as well.
Despite the increase in demand for BEVs, BMW doesn’t believe in a BEV-only future, and expects the combustion engine 3 Series to contribute significant sales volumes well into the 2030s.
By keeping the Neue Klasse platform BEV i3 separate from the combustion engine 3 Series, BMW is safeguarding one of its most important sales volume contributors from unnecessarily risky bets, and yet still allows the brand to satisfy the widest possible groups of buyers.
M350 will replace M340i, B series engines to continue
Interestingly, BMWblog says that the current range topping M340i variant will by the next G50 generation, be redesignated as the M350, dropping the lower case i letter.
It will still be powered by the same B58 six-cylinder turbocharged engine.
'i' suffix will be dropped in the next generation of BMW combustion engine models
The lower case 'i' (which originally meant to say 'fuel injection,' for its petrol engine cars) will be dropped from combustion engine models to avoid confusion with its electric-only BEV models, all of which start with i – the iX, iX1, iX3, i4, i5, i7, and soon the i3.
The 320i will be redesignated as 320, 330i as 330, while plug-in hybrid models like the 330e will maintain its 'e' suffix.
Two very different 3 Series designs
With two different platform underpinning two diferent sub-families within the 3 Series range, the Neue Klasse platform i3 will certainly look very different from the CLAR platform G50 3 Series.
BMW has already said that the Neue Klasse concept is intentionally styled to skip one generation of BMW sedan design. The 3 Series, being the company’s bread-and-butter model, will most likely continue to adopt a more conservative ‘evolution rather than revolution’ approach.
The current G20 generation BMW 3 Series was launched in late 2018. It went on sale in Malaysia in January 2019. The facelifted (LCI) upgrade was introduced in January 2023.
BMW Malaysia sells 7 variants of the 3 Series, all locally assembled (CKD) in Kulim, including the engines.
Over 15 years of experience in automotive, from product planning, to market research, to print and digital media. Garages a 6-cylinder manual RWD but buses to work.
