2025 BMW 3 Series, M3 Debuted; Slight Revisions In and Out

The BMW 3 Series sedan is getting a light revision for the 2025 model year, including the performance spec’d M3 variant which sees more power added to Competition xDrive models.

For the most part, you’ll be hard pressed to spot the differences between a ‘24 and ‘25 3 Series; not necessarily a bad thing, though the more exciting changes start under the hood. There, a 3.0-liter inline-six powers both the M340i and M340i xDrive models. Together with a bolstered 48-volt mild hybrid system, total system output is now rated at 386 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque– increases of 4 HP and 29 lb-ft. With power sent through an eight-speed automatic, 0-60 sprints end in just 4.4 seconds or 4.1 seconds with xDrive, BMW’s all-wheel-drive system, added on. In either case, top speed is electronically halted at 155 mph.

The 330i’s powertrain, a 2.0-liter i4 engine paired to a 48V mild hybrid system, is rated at the same 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, though there are some refinements made to various components, such as the intake and combustion chambers, and strides in various engine systems. All-wheel drive can still be added on.

According to BMW, the work didn’t stop there, as engineers worked on updating the chassis for a refined “blend of sporting flair and ride quality.” Take that as you will, but the mention of said updates, including stiffer mounts for the rear dampers, for example, do point in that direction.

Beyond that, there aren’t too many major differences. For 2025, two new colors, Arctic Race Blue metallic and Vegas Red metallic, have entered the palette. The 330i can be optioned with the M Sport package for a little extra flair, including new 19-inch M alloy wheels; the M340i comes standard with M Sport and said wheels. The interior is also altered slightly depending on packaging; those 330i models without M Sport will come with a two spoke steering wheel, while all the rest come with a three-spoke, flat-bottomed design with a top center stripe. Either model features some flashy interior lighting effects, and the screens come loaded with BMW Operating System 8.5 with an updated home screen and widgets.

Similarly, changes made to the M3 are sparse, but appreciated. This sixth-gen M3 continues to burn rubber with a high-revving turbo inline-six engine, cranking out 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque and sending it to the rear wheels through either an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual (the latter only available on rear-wheel drive, non-Competition spec models). Competition models are ramped up to 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft. Both of these figures are unchanged; however, the M3 Competition with xDrive all-wheel drive raises the bar to 523 horsepower (and the same 479 lb-ft), an increase of 20 ponies achieved by what BMW refers to as “optimized configuration of the engine management system.”

In this most potent form, 0-60 runs are finished in a brisk 3.4 seconds. All M3s are still limited to 155 mph unless the optional M Driver’s Package is added on, raising that to 180 mph.

Transmogrifications inside and out are so minor that they’re barely worthy of the word “transmogrification,” but there are some changes being made to the M3’s veneer. New LED headlights spearhead the front end, still mounted to either side of the wide-open grille. Forged M alloy wheels have also been added onto the online configurator, though these bright silver-finished rims are not standard. The cabin remains mostly intact, though a new three-spoke, flat-bottomed steering wheel, finished in leather and topped off with a red center marker, is the main difference. Fans of Alcantara can opt for a wheel finished in the likes instead. And like the 3 Series, BMW Operating System 8.5, now with M-specific graphics, comes standard.

The 2025 BMW 3 Series is set for a global launch in August 2024, with US-destined models to be produced at the BMW Group Plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The base 330i, with destination, starts at $46,675, with xDrive adding on an additional $2,000. The M340i starts at $60,775, xDrive again costing two grand extra.

All 2025 M3s, however, are to be built in Munich, Germany, launching in July 2024 and starting at $77,175. The M3 Competition kicks things up to $81,375, with the top-dog Competition xDrive starting at $86,475.