Price slashed for new BMW 3 Series in Australia but i3 is more expensive than outgoing i4

BMW’s new-generation petrol 3 Series lands from $84K in Q1 2027 alongside the electric i3, and both sports sedans have received serious attention under the skin

BMW has today revealed Australian pricing and equipment for its eighth-generation 3 Series, with the new ‘G50’ petrol and ‘NA0’ i3 electric sedans taking very different technical paths under their near-identical sheetmetal.

Pencilled in for an Australian launch in the first quarter of 2027, the local lineup will initially consist of four grades – the four-cylinder 320, six-cylinder M350, and two AWD electrics in the form of the i3 40 and 50 – before a possible expansion later.

Pricing shifts around compared to the outgoing ‘G20’ 3 Series and ‘G26’ i4 lineups, with the cost of entry slashed dramatically by more than $12,000 in petrol form while the electric versions are costlier than the cars they indirectly replace.

Petrol models advance their predecessors’ platform

While the combustion 3 Series uses a modernised adaptation of its predecessor’s Cluster Architecture platform, there are several key hardware changes.

For the new model, BMW has widened the tracks, slightly lengthened the wheelbase, revised the steering geometry and ratio, reworked both axles, and stiffened the chassis mounts.

Unlike their overseas counterparts, Australians will also get adaptively damped M suspension across the range rather than passive dampers. BMW says the revised front and five-link rear axles target better steering feel and ride comfort.

Powered by a 48-volt mild-hybrid 2.0-litre ‘B48’ turbo four-cylinder, the new 320 grade ($83,900 plus on-road costs) makes 155kW/330Nm, meaning it’s not quite a direct replacement for the outgoing 190kW/400Nm 330i that was $12,400 dearer.

This rear-wheel-drive grade picks up 18-inch wheels, M Sport brakes with blue callipers, a panoramic glass roof (without shade), heated and ventilated front seats, BMW’s new Panoramic Vision pillar-to-pillar display, a 17-inch touchscreen, and extensive semi-automated driving functions.

A $3500 Comfort Package adds heated rear seats and steering wheel and Harman-Kardon stereo, glassy CraftedClarity trim, while spending $4200 on an M Sport Pro pack brings sportier seats, red brakes, and black exterior trim.

Then there’s the $128,900 M350 xDrive, which pairs a mild-hybrid ‘B58’ 3.0-litre turbo straight-six (now with 326kW/580Nm) with an M Performance detailing package, 20-inch wheels, stickier tyres, heated rear seats/steering wheel and premium audio. Full-on M Sport seats cost an extra $2000.

A conspicuous absence is a sweet-spot 330 – even though that grade will be offered to US buyers. There’s also no RWD i3…yet.

Clean-sheet electric i3 available at first in two AWD grades

The electric i3 goes further under the skin. Sitting atop the completely new Neue Klasse platform shared with the latest iX3, the battery electric 3 Series gets BMW’s new ‘Heart of Joy’ computer combining drive, braking, regeneration and some steering functions within one controller, promising a 10X boost in reaction times.

The $96,300 i3 40 xDrive uses dual motors to produce 275kW/520Nm, an 82.8kWh NMC battery (with 710km WLTP range and 300kW DC peak charging), while including 19-inch wheels, glass roof, multifunction front seats (only heated, not cooled), H/K audio, heated rear seats, heated wheel and 22kW charging.

Spending $16K more on the i3 50 xDrive sees power boosted to 345kW/645Nm and the battery pack size increased to 108.7kWh, extending range out to 912km (WLTP) while charging speed is also boosted to 400kW. Other spec remains as per the 40 xDrive.

Neither i3 specification is eligible, on paper, for the full Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) waiver – before that benefit is set to change on 1 April next year, as both exceed the Luxury Car Tax (LCT). Whether BMW dealers will discount a 40 xDrive to secure the benefit for early orders is possible but not assured.

But that is unlikely to be the end of the i3’s story. Reporting points to a rear-drive i3 30 being added later, with roughly 200kW/400Nm and potentially a slightly smaller battery.

At the other end will be the now-confirmed i3 M60 xDrive, coming next year, with sources indicating power output of about 470kW and M Performance detailing, making it the EV foil to the petrol six-cylinder M350.