It’s October 1, so that can mean only one thing… it’s BMW Day!

A day we completely made up because, well, we can.

Although we have nothing to do with BMW, our past experiences with the company have, to put it mildly, been a pain in the arse. Nevertheless, in the spirit of journalism — which actually has never existed — we’ve dedicated two articles to the pain in the arse that is BMW.

BMW Day!

BMW has finally done the inevitable: it has electrified the 3 Series. But before you start writing an obituary for the traditional BMW saloon, there’s some good news. The new 3 Series still has a straight-six.

The eighth-generation car brings the company’s Neue Klasse technology to the heart of the range, with the fully electric BMW i3 joining two petrol-powered models. And this is not merely an electric car wearing a familiar badge. BMW has gone properly ambitious.

The i3 50 xDrive produces 469 hp and 645 Nm, with a claimed WLTP range of up to 566 miles. Its 108.7kWh battery supports charging at up to 400kW, potentially adding 263 miles of range in just ten minutes. Assuming, naturally, that you can actually find a charger capable of delivering the necessary firepower.

There’s also an i3 40 xDrive with 374 hp and up to 441 miles of range. Then we reach the interesting bit.

The BMW M350 xDrive gets a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, producing 443 hp and 580 Nm. It will reach 62 mph in just 4.1 seconds before running into its electronically limited 155 mph top speed.

And BMW has remembered that driving is supposed to be entertaining. During 2027, the M350 will gain a feature called Drift Moment, which sends power exclusively to the rear wheels, allowing controlled oversteer. Yes, BMW has put a drift function in a 3 Series.

Inside, the new car gets BMW Panoramic iDrive, a 17.9-inch central display, optional 3D head-up display and the company’s latest driver-assistance technology.

Production of the electric i3 has already begun in Munich, with petrol models following from Dingolfing.

Pricing And Availability

UK orders are now open. The electric BMW i3 40 xDrive starts at £47,925, while the i3 50 xDrive costs from £53,425. First i3 customer deliveries are due in autumn 2026.

The petrol range starts with the BMW 320 at £44,975, while the 443 hp M350 xDrive starts at £66,785. Petrol-powered 3 Series models are due to arrive in the UK in January 2027.