The 3 Series has been a linchpin of the BMW lineup for 50 years, and the German auto brand is celebrating this milestone with a special edition.

The BMW 3 Series 50 Jahre Edition is based on the flagship M340i xDrive – powered by a turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine – and priced at $127,600 before on-road costs.

Just 50 examples of the 50-year edition are coming to Australia, appropriately enough, with first local customer deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

For context, the standard M340i xDrive is currently priced at $127,752 drive-away for buyers in New South Wales.

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BMW says the special edition has specifications unique to the Australian and New Zealand markets, including BMW Individual Anthracite Metallic exterior paint and a limited-edition build plate on the centre console.

Other specification highlights include:

• 19-inch jet black M light alloy wheels
• Carbon-fibre interior trim
• M Sport Package Pro
  • M Sport brakes in red high-gloss
  • M Lights Shadow Line
  • M seat belts
  • Black Sapphire M rear spoiler

As it’s based on the M340i xDrive, that means a 3.0-litre inline turbo-six can be found under the bonnet, producing 285kW of power and 500Nm of torque.

It’s mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system as standard, and the M340i xDrive’s claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time is 4.4 seconds.

Standard equipment for the M340i xDrive includes:

• Adaptive M suspension
• M sport differential
• Adaptive LED headlights
• Power boot-lid
• Sunroof
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• BMW Operating System 8.5
• Heated, power-adjustable M sport seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Wireless phone charger

The 3 Series is now in its seventh generation, and BMW says it’s the brand’s highest-selling model on a local level since records began.

More than 191,000 registrations of the 3 Series have been recorded since official VFACTS records began, keeping the mid-size luxury car ahead of the X3 and X5 overall despite the surge in popularity of SUVs this century.

The first 3 Series – the E21 – was introduced in 1975 as a replacement for the 2002. Six-cylinder power arrived in 1977, but the E21 only ever came with two doors. A four-door 3 Series wouldn’t arrive until 1983 with the subsequent E30 generation.

The E30 also brought the first M3, the first Touring wagon, and the first 3 Series with all-wheel drive. Those options remain available today, and the latest, seventh-generation lineup is the first to combine all three.

The previous F30 generation was the first to offer plug-in hybrid power, while the current G20 is offered with electric power only in China (as the i3).

The upcoming eighth-generation 3 Series range is set to include not only new internal combustion engine (ICE) variants, but also an electric version that will be based on BMW’s dedicated electric Neue Klasse platform yet will closely resemble its ICE sister model.

MORE: Explore the BMW 3 Series showroom

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