2027 BMW M350 xDrive spied without any camouflage before debut – G50 generation looks similar to NA0 i3 EV

A Reddit user has posted images of what is supposedly the upcoming eighth-generation (G50) BMW 3 Series without any camouflage. Spotted at a BMW facility in Munich, the car in question is said to an M350 xDrive, which is the M Performance variant that succeeds outgoing G20-generation M340i xDrive.

Unsurprisingly, the design of the latest 3 Series echoes that of the fully electric NA0 i3 that made its global debut back in March this year. The images only show the vehicle’s rear, which looks nigh identical to the electric vehicle (EV) with its slim and wide L-shaped taillights that meet at a “valley” housing the BMW roundel.

We also spot the same number plate recess, pop-out door handles and a rear bumper design with a blacked-out portion that points upwards at the corners. The only difference from the i3 is the quartet of exhaust outlets, with a pair on either side of the central diffuser element.

While it is styled to mimic the NA0 i3, the G50 3 Series will reportedly have a slightly shorter wheelbase but achieve a similar overall length through longer overhangs. Compared to the older G20, the new-generation car has been confirmed by BMW to have a longer wheelbase as well as wider front and rear tracks.

For context, the i3 measures 4,760 mm long, 1,865 mm wide and 1,480 mm tall, which makes it 47 mm longer, 38 mm wider and 40 mm taller than the G20, while its 2,897 mm wheelbase is 46 mm longer. The interior of the new 3 Series should match that of the i3, with the full-width Panoramic Vision display and 17.9-inch Free Cut parallelogram infotainment touchscreen.

In M350 xDrive guise, the 3 Series will sport a 3.0 litre turbocharged inline-six petrol engine making 443 PS (437 hp or 326 kW) and 580 Nm of torque. That’s a gain of 56 PS (55 hp or 41 kW) and 80 Nm from the G20 M340i xDrive.

With the added grunt, the 0-100 km/h sprint is accomplished in 4.1 seconds (0.3 seconds faster than our M340i xDrive) and the top speed is 250 km/h. The updated B58 in the M350 xDrive is accompanied by an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system.

New for the M Performance car is Drift Moment, a drift mode that sends all of the engine’s output to the rear wheels, which isn’t unlike full-fat M cars. Adaptive M suspension, an M Sport differential and variable sport steering all come as standard.

GALLERY: 2027 G50 BMW 3 Series prototype

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