2027 BMW 3 Series With Six-Cylinder Engine Spied During Final Testing

BMW’s busy product rollout is in full swing and shows no signs of slowing down. Although it’s only May, we’ve already seen key new models like the i3 and the 7 Series/i7 facelift. Over in China, the long-wheelbase iX3 and i3 have us lusting after larger, better-equipped EVs. The rest of the year will be just as busy, with several premieres in the pipeline.

Aside from the next X5’s confirmed debut this summer, BMW will also pull the wraps off the next 3 Series. The “G50” has now been spotted undergoing final testing at the Nürburgring, flaunting a quad exhaust setup. That’s a telltale sign the camouflaged prototype is an M Performance model, as the full-fat M3 won’t arrive until 2028.

A replacement for today’s M340i, the new M350 certainly sounds like it packs an inline-six engine. It’s the tried-and-tested “B58,” but reportedly with more punch. The latest reports suggest the turbocharged 3.0-liter unit will produce well over 400 horsepower. On the flip side, it’s unclear whether the rear-wheel-drive variant will survive into the next generation. BMW may simplify the lineup and stick exclusively with xDrive. Similarly, we wouldn’t expect a successor to the M340d.

Will The New 3 Series Get A Regular Sunroof?

Beyond the technical specs, there’s a noticeable change up top. The next 3 Series appears to feature a panoramic glass roof that, unfortunately, no longer opens. It could be the “Skyroof” option recently seen on the electric i3 sedan. Ideally, BMW will still offer a conventional sunroof, but that adds cost and complexity. In general, automakers are moving toward large, fixed glass panels that don’t open to let fresh air into the cabin.

The M350 will be the only 3 Series with visible exhaust tips until the M3 arrives a couple of years later. Once the camouflage comes off, expect styling cues similar to the electric i3, albeit with a longer nose to accommodate gasoline and diesel engines. Although it lacks the aggressive M mirrors, the 2027 M760e and i7 M70 have introduced a new design language likely to trickle down to lesser M Lite models.

While the spy video only shows a sedan, BMW has already confirmed that another 3 Series Touring is coming. So far, only the electric “NA1” has been announced, but the automaker has said it’s at least open to building the combustion-engine “G51” as well, without making a firm commitment.

We won’t have to wait much longer to see the M350 sedan. It’s reportedly among the launch models for the eighth-generation 3 Series Sedan. Production will begin in Dingolfing late this year. BMW has already confirmed that, for the first time since its 1975 debut, the 3er will no longer be built in Munich.

Video: Carspotter Jeroen / YouTube