BMW M350 xDrive Gets 437bhp and Switchable RWD

Unlike the i3 and its dedicated electric platform, the new saloon retains a revised form of the outgoing 3 Series’ CLAR architecture, yet little remains of the old car. Known as the G50, the eighth-generation 3 Series features a wider track and a 9mm longer wheelbase. It also adopts 48V mild-hybrid powertrains across the board, all mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic.

King of the hill is the new M350 xDrive, still packing a turbocharged B58 straight-six. Output jumps significantly from the M340i’s 387bhp and 369lb-ft of torque to 437bhp and 428lb-ft. Performance follows suit, with the 0–62mph sprint cut by 0.2 seconds to 4.1s, while top speed remains limited, as ever, to 155mph. Revised ECU mapping and improved cooling are responsible for the newfound power.

Even bigger news is the fact the M350 will offer switchable RWD for the first time, technology previously the reserve of full-fat M cars. Called Drift Moment, it will be made available over the course of 2027, despite production beginning in late 2026. BMW promises the software will be activated remotely, including on cars already delivered to customers. Just like on the M3, rear-wheel-drive mode will only be accessible with DSC fully deactivated.

As reported by BMWblog, the M350 has been developed in response to customer feedback. M Sport+ keeps the character of the old car’s Sport+, while the other two modes shift the needle further towards everyday comfort and security. Facilitating this are adaptive damping, variable steering and an M Sport differential on the rear axle.

Camber, suspension and anti-roll bar settings will all be unique to the M350. Two tyres are in development: a touring option in the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 and a UHP Bridgestone Potenza Sport. Both will wrap around sizeable 20-inch alloy wheels, with the latter set to be an optional extra that boosts the rears from 255-section to 275-section. Both options will run 245 fronts.

With the Neue Klasse ‘Heart of Joy’ super processor designed for electric vehicles, the G50 gets its own ICE equivalent, dubbed BMW Driving Stack. It ties together stability control management, powertrain systems and the dynamic all-wheel-drive software to cut latency, improving reaction times.

Styling-wise, the G50 takes after the i3, but keeps a more classic three-box silhouette with an elongated bonnet lending the 3 Series a lower, sleeker appearance than its electric cousin. The prototype works hard to disguise the M350’s more aggressive front bumper, but it cannot hide the four exhaust tips, another trait borrowed from M GmbH. Look closely and you’ll also spot a discreet lip spoiler lurking beneath the camouflage.

Inside, the G50 is set to adopt the i3’s cabin architecture, including the wraparound panoramic HUD that replaces traditional dials. The steering wheel also gains a dedicated M button, a first for an M Performance 3 Series.

If you’ve already clocked the missing i suffix, you’ll have gathered the M340d has been axed – despite its engine remaining in production in the X5 for continental Europe – making the M350 the sole six-cylinder model. Four-cylinder petrols will form the core of the range, although Munich is yet to divulge any details of the line-up, or whether any diesel models will be included.

One thing’s for certain: with the M350 xDrive set to offer F80 M3-matching power alongside switchable all-wheel drive, the forthcoming M3 will have to work harder than ever to ward off its understudy.