The BMW 3 Series is celebrating its 50th birthday, with more than 18 million vehicles rolling off the production line during that time.
Beginning life in Munich in 1975 as a two-door coupe, BMW expanded 3 Series production to 18 plants across 13 countries in the years following, with the popular model eventually available as a convertible, sedan, hatchback, and wagon.
Known as the E21, the first 3 Series launched in 1975, with almost 1.37 million cars being produced up until late 1983.
But it was arguably the E30 that really cemented the 3 Series within the automotive zeitgeist, with nearly 2.4 million vehicles made between 1982 and 1994 not only in Germany but also South Africa – with production continuing many years after its successor launched to the world.
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It was the E30 that also saw the launch of the M3, with its laser-sharp handling, which would end up becoming one of the most iconic performance cars of all time – in part, thanks to its hugely successful campaign in touring car categories and tarmac rally.
The E36 was a big step change for the 3 Series, with the model growing in size, while becoming more luxurious and featuring technology usually seen on much larger limousines – and production growing to 2.7 million. It’s thus far the only 3 Series to have been produced in the US, alongside Germany and South Africa.
With this new generation came the E36 M3, which saw the introduction of a straight-six engine for the first time in the high-performance model, offering similar performance to some Porsche 911s of the same period – but costing approximately 30 per cent less.
The success of the 3 Series continued to rise in the late 1990s, with the E46 – and particularly the M3 – critically praised for its ride, handling, build quality, and powertrains, resulting in more than 3.2 million vehicles produced over nine years in Germany and South Africa.
The 3 Series continued to evolve, with the E9X being the first generation to see the introduction of a turbocharged petrol engine with the 225kW/400Nm 335i and the first to be produced in China alongside existing German and South African production.
Meanwhile, the E9X became the first and only M3 to be fitted with a naturally aspirated V8, producing more than 309kW and 400Nm at launch.
The sixth-generation saw many firsts, being the first 3 Series to depart from the ‘E’ designation – being the F30 sedan and F31 wagon, among others – and the first with available plug-in hybrid power.
It was also the first without a coupe, which was spun off along with the convertible under the 4 Series nameplate. Production continued in Germany, South Africa and China.
Unveiled in 2018, the G2X is the latest 3 Series generation on sale and is produced in Germany, China and Mexico.
BMW plans to introduce a new 3 Series-sized i3 electric vehicle (EV) on its ‘Neue Klasse’ architecture in the second half of 2026 – marking a shift for the German automaker in terms of styling, technology, and platforms – though it’ll be sold alongside an overhauled combustion-powered model with similar styling.
