BMW let journalists loose with the still-camouflaged 2027 M350 xDrive at its proving ground near Miramas, France, and the numbers tell a clear story. The new M Performance 3 Series sedan, internally coded G50, sprints to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds, shaving three-tenths off the European-spec M340i xDrive it replaces.
That improvement comes from a seriously upgraded B58 engine now making 437 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic. The outgoing European M340i had been detuned to meet stricter emissions rules, so the gap between markets should narrow this time around.
In North America, BMW quotes the same 4.1-second figure but measures to 62 mph rather than the traditional 0-60 benchmark. The old M340i did 0-60 in 4.1 seconds stateside. Reading between the lines, a 4.0-second flat run for the new car seems plausible here, though cracking into three-second territory is probably wishful thinking.
BMW acknowledges the G50 is a larger car, which means added weight eating into those power gains.
The more interesting development is what shows up on the 17.9-inch iDrive X touchscreen when you want to use launch control. BMW built a dedicated tutorial page that walks drivers through the activation process step by step, displaying real-time criteria like steering angle, brake pedal force, and accelerator pedal position. Meet all the conditions, lift off the brake, and the car fires off the line.
It is a telling move. Launch control has long been buried in owner’s manuals and YouTube videos. Putting it front and center on the infotainment screen signals that BMW wants casual buyers, not just track enthusiasts, engaging with the car’s performance hardware.
Whether that cheapens the experience or democratizes it depends on your perspective.
BMW was cagey about which drive modes and traction settings are required, citing the car’s prototype status. But the company did confirm something that will get enthusiasts talking. The all-wheel-drive M350 xDrive will offer a rear-wheel-drive-only mode, borrowing the “Drift Moment” feature straight from the M3’s toolkit.
That is a first for an M Performance sedan, blurring the line between the M Lite cars and full-blown M products in ways BMW has historically been careful to avoid.
There is a catch. Drift Moment will not ship with the car at launch. BMW plans to deliver it as an over-the-air software update sometime in 2027.
As for a dedicated rear-wheel-drive model to succeed the M340i, BMW’s answers were vague enough to qualify as a soft no. The company would not commit to one, and the inclusion of a 2WD mode in the xDrive variant reads like a consolation prize for purists who wanted the simpler drivetrain.
The G50 should officially break cover in late September, with European deliveries expected by year’s end or early 2027. BMW is still keeping the bodywork under wraps, but the mechanical picture is coming into focus. More power, more tech, more weight, and a tutorial to make sure you know how to use it all.
The 3 Series has always been the car BMW cannot afford to get wrong. This generation is betting that putting performance instructions on a touchscreen is the way to keep drivers connected to the machine rather than just along for the ride.
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