Details of Next-Gen 3 Series Emerge, Including 500-Horse M3

2015 BMW M3 Sedan (Credit: © BMW)

The 3 Series is long overdue for a complete overhaul, as Mercedes and Audi are starting to pull away from the luxury stalwart in terms of premium features and styling. According to a report from Car Magazine, this redesign is coming as early as 2018 and Bimmer has codenamed the project G20.

The first thing that Car mentions is that the styling simply needs to change for the ol’ 3er. Sure, a BMW 3 Series will always be recognizable, but look for harder bodylines, deeper cuts, an aerodynamic greenhouse, and a wider stance than before.

Also, look for the cabin to undergo some serious revamping. I am not saying that Bimmer interiors are cheap by any means, but it is time to upgrade to higher-end materials and construction. Car claims that new, higher-quality carpets will help the look and feel of the cabin, while updated rubber seals will help create a more serene driving environment.

The under-hood bits are also set for some upgrades, as Bimmer will launch a new three-cylinder engine to get CO2 emissions below the 100 g/km threshold. Also available will be a 136-horse 1.5-liter engine in the 316i and a 122-horsepower diesel from the Mini Coper D. U.S. buyers can forget about these three engines, as they will almost certainly be exclusive to Europe.

The American lineup will feature a smattering of 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines, with the volume-selling 328i getting a 260-horsepower version – a bump if 20 horsepower over the current 328i. There is no mention of the 320i, but to keep things consistent, look for a bump to 200 horsepower. The 3.0-liter engine will also get a healthy overhaul to the tune of a 30-horsepower and a 22-pound-feet increase.

According to Car’s sources, the biggest news for the 3 Series will be the re-engineering of the M3. The report claims that the M3 will move to e-turbocharging and water injection to push its output to an outrageous 500 horsepower. This will ring true for the M4 as well.

The final bit of drivetrain news is the addition of two plug-in hybrid models. One version will use a 1.5-liter engine with a 60kW motor, while the other will use a 2.0-liter engine paired with a 90 kW motor. These will reportedly result in 30- and 50-mile ranges, respectively.

There will also be a few tech changes, according to the report, as the G20 3 Series will inherit Park Assist via a remote control and semi-autonomous driving at speeds up to 40 mph.

As expected, there is no confirmation from BMW on any of these claims, so stay tuned to find out if BMW will push the 3er to a new level in 2018.