- New M350 xDrive makes 51 hp and 30 lb-ft more than the M340i.
- Drift Moment sends engine power exclusively to the rear wheels.
- Four- and six-cylinder ICE models get 48V mild-hybrid tech.
BMW isn’t ready to let the combustion-powered 3-Series disappear quietly into the electric night. While the new i3 will handle the EV side of the family, the next-generation 3-Series will continue with four- and six-cylinder engines, and the hottest version revealed so far has a particularly entertaining party trick. The brand is testing it now and wants everyone to know about it.
More: BMW’s Facelifted 5-Series Wagon Is Getting A Neue Klasse Transplant
That car is the new BMW M350 xDrive, which replaces the familiar M340i xDrive at the top of the regular combustion-powered range. Under the hood sits a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six paired with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, producing a combined 437hp (326 kW / 443 PS) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm). That’s a nice increase of 51 hp and 30lb ft respectively over the outgoing car.
An eight-speed Steptronic automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive are standard. BMW claims the M350 can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds before reaching an electronically limited 155 mph (250 km/h), which is the same as the current M340i x Drive. However, those numbers remain provisional while development continues. That said, the real party trick here is “Drift Moment.” What a name.
How Drift Moment Works
Activate it through the central display, and the M350 sends the engine’s output entirely to the rear wheels. Combined with M-specific control of the multi-disc clutch and DSC switched off, it effectively gives drivers a way to turn their all-wheel-drive 3-Series into a rear-drive machine when the mood strikes.
There’s an odd catch. Drift Moment, the big ‘news’ of the day… won’t be available immediately. BMW says it’ll arrive sometime during 2027, including through an over-the-air Remote Software Upgrade for M350s that have already been delivered. In other words, you could buy your AWD BMW and have its factory-sanctioned sideways mode show up later.
BMW is currently conducting final driving-dynamics testing at its Miramas proving ground in southern France after previously putting prototypes through winter testing in Arjeplog and laps of the Nürburgring. All of the next generation of 3-Series will share the same Neue Klasse design language regardless of powertrain.
Also: BMW’s Next M3 Loses Its Grille But Keeps Its Six, And Maybe The Clutch Too
That’s good news for pretty much all interested parties. They can get the 3-Series they want regardless of whether it’s an EV, a hybrid, or a gas-only drift machine… provided you’re willing to wait for the mode to go live in 2027.
