BMW celebrates 50 years of 3 Series with special six-cylinder sedan

2 days ago

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.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
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:
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:
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
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
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.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
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:
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:
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
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
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.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
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:
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:
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
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
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.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
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:
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:
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
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au

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GWM Tank 500, Cannon Alpha owners getting safety system, drivability upgrades

The Advertiser

11 hours ago

The Advertiser

GWM Tank 500, Cannon Alpha owners getting safety system, drivability upgrades

The GWM Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 received key fixes to throttle response and advanced driver assistance systems at the factory earlier this year, and now existing owners are able to have these upgrades applied to their cars. The changes were applied at production level early in 2025, with CarExpert getting the opportunity to test them late last year. GWM says they're now available to existing owners though there's no over-the-air update available, so owners will need to head to one of the Chinese brand's dealerships to receive the update. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. GWM has also confirmed there are no changes for the Cannon ute and Tank 300 off-roader – as they use different programming, the updates made to their larger platform-mates aren't transferable. "We continue to work hard to ensure the voice of our local market is heard and considered," said GWM Australia and New Zealand marketing and communications boss Steve Maciver. "These upgrades reflect recent feedback from our customers across Australia and New Zealand and demonstrate GWM's global commitment to supporting our region and continually refining the product to better suit local drivers. "It's not just about building for the future – we're also focused on delivering meaningful updates and improvements to our existing owners, ensuring their experience continues to strengthen with our brand." GWM says it has improved throttle response and sensitivity in hybrid versions of the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500, while the following changes have been applied to not only these models but also the Cannon Alpha diesel: GWM also says it has "optimised" false triggering alerts on certain road surfaces with the emergency lane-keep assist, and added a Trailer Hitch Track guideline on the touchscreen. In Paul Maric's testing of the old calibration and new calibration back-to-back on the Cannon Alpha Hybrid late last year, he found the throttle was more responsive, the transition between electric and hybrid mode smoother, and the 'sticky throttle' issue had been eliminated. The distraction monitoring changes were also improved, though he noted more work could be done on the accuracy of the lane centring system. GWM recently discontinued the Cannon Alpha Hybrid in Australia, leaving only the diesel and the recently launched plug-in hybrid (PHEV) on sale. The Tank 500 remains hybrid-only in Australia, though a PHEV powertrain is due later this year. GWM quietly moved the Tank 500 Hybrid from a Chinese to a Thai market suspension tune late last year to improve its dynamics. However, it doesn't have a locally developed suspension tune like in more recent models such as the Cannon Alpha PHEV. GWM is working to not only improve the performance of its advanced driver assistance systems in Australia but also how the vehicles drive. To that end, in April it appointed vehicle ride and handling expert Rob Trubiani who was Holden's lead vehicle dynamics engineer for nearly 15 years. These days, an automaker having a dedicated, permanent local engineering and tuning program based in Australia is far from common, and puts GWM in the same company as Kia. The fast-growing Chinese brand has been securing further talent from more established brands of late, with John Kett joining GWM as its chief operating officer earlier this year after holding the same role at Hyundai Australia for more than five years. To the end of June, GWM is also Australia's seventh best-selling brand. It delivered 25,189 vehicles in the first half of this year, up 17 per cent and a new record for the brand, placing it behind only Toyota (120,978), Mazda (48,942), Ford (47,300), Kia (40,750), Hyundai (38,948) and Mitsubishi (33,379) in year-to-date standings. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom MORE: Explore the GWM Tank 500 showroom Content originally sourced from: The GWM Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 received key fixes to throttle response and advanced driver assistance systems at the factory earlier this year, and now existing owners are able to have these upgrades applied to their cars. The changes were applied at production level early in 2025, with CarExpert getting the opportunity to test them late last year. GWM says they're now available to existing owners though there's no over-the-air update available, so owners will need to head to one of the Chinese brand's dealerships to receive the update. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. GWM has also confirmed there are no changes for the Cannon ute and Tank 300 off-roader – as they use different programming, the updates made to their larger platform-mates aren't transferable. "We continue to work hard to ensure the voice of our local market is heard and considered," said GWM Australia and New Zealand marketing and communications boss Steve Maciver. "These upgrades reflect recent feedback from our customers across Australia and New Zealand and demonstrate GWM's global commitment to supporting our region and continually refining the product to better suit local drivers. "It's not just about building for the future – we're also focused on delivering meaningful updates and improvements to our existing owners, ensuring their experience continues to strengthen with our brand." GWM says it has improved throttle response and sensitivity in hybrid versions of the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500, while the following changes have been applied to not only these models but also the Cannon Alpha diesel: GWM also says it has "optimised" false triggering alerts on certain road surfaces with the emergency lane-keep assist, and added a Trailer Hitch Track guideline on the touchscreen. In Paul Maric's testing of the old calibration and new calibration back-to-back on the Cannon Alpha Hybrid late last year, he found the throttle was more responsive, the transition between electric and hybrid mode smoother, and the 'sticky throttle' issue had been eliminated. The distraction monitoring changes were also improved, though he noted more work could be done on the accuracy of the lane centring system. GWM recently discontinued the Cannon Alpha Hybrid in Australia, leaving only the diesel and the recently launched plug-in hybrid (PHEV) on sale. The Tank 500 remains hybrid-only in Australia, though a PHEV powertrain is due later this year. GWM quietly moved the Tank 500 Hybrid from a Chinese to a Thai market suspension tune late last year to improve its dynamics. However, it doesn't have a locally developed suspension tune like in more recent models such as the Cannon Alpha PHEV. GWM is working to not only improve the performance of its advanced driver assistance systems in Australia but also how the vehicles drive. To that end, in April it appointed vehicle ride and handling expert Rob Trubiani who was Holden's lead vehicle dynamics engineer for nearly 15 years. These days, an automaker having a dedicated, permanent local engineering and tuning program based in Australia is far from common, and puts GWM in the same company as Kia. The fast-growing Chinese brand has been securing further talent from more established brands of late, with John Kett joining GWM as its chief operating officer earlier this year after holding the same role at Hyundai Australia for more than five years. To the end of June, GWM is also Australia's seventh best-selling brand. It delivered 25,189 vehicles in the first half of this year, up 17 per cent and a new record for the brand, placing it behind only Toyota (120,978), Mazda (48,942), Ford (47,300), Kia (40,750), Hyundai (38,948) and Mitsubishi (33,379) in year-to-date standings. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom MORE: Explore the GWM Tank 500 showroom Content originally sourced from: The GWM Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 received key fixes to throttle response and advanced driver assistance systems at the factory earlier this year, and now existing owners are able to have these upgrades applied to their cars. The changes were applied at production level early in 2025, with CarExpert getting the opportunity to test them late last year. GWM says they're now available to existing owners though there's no over-the-air update available, so owners will need to head to one of the Chinese brand's dealerships to receive the update. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. GWM has also confirmed there are no changes for the Cannon ute and Tank 300 off-roader – as they use different programming, the updates made to their larger platform-mates aren't transferable. "We continue to work hard to ensure the voice of our local market is heard and considered," said GWM Australia and New Zealand marketing and communications boss Steve Maciver. "These upgrades reflect recent feedback from our customers across Australia and New Zealand and demonstrate GWM's global commitment to supporting our region and continually refining the product to better suit local drivers. "It's not just about building for the future – we're also focused on delivering meaningful updates and improvements to our existing owners, ensuring their experience continues to strengthen with our brand." GWM says it has improved throttle response and sensitivity in hybrid versions of the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500, while the following changes have been applied to not only these models but also the Cannon Alpha diesel: GWM also says it has "optimised" false triggering alerts on certain road surfaces with the emergency lane-keep assist, and added a Trailer Hitch Track guideline on the touchscreen. In Paul Maric's testing of the old calibration and new calibration back-to-back on the Cannon Alpha Hybrid late last year, he found the throttle was more responsive, the transition between electric and hybrid mode smoother, and the 'sticky throttle' issue had been eliminated. The distraction monitoring changes were also improved, though he noted more work could be done on the accuracy of the lane centring system. GWM recently discontinued the Cannon Alpha Hybrid in Australia, leaving only the diesel and the recently launched plug-in hybrid (PHEV) on sale. The Tank 500 remains hybrid-only in Australia, though a PHEV powertrain is due later this year. GWM quietly moved the Tank 500 Hybrid from a Chinese to a Thai market suspension tune late last year to improve its dynamics. However, it doesn't have a locally developed suspension tune like in more recent models such as the Cannon Alpha PHEV. GWM is working to not only improve the performance of its advanced driver assistance systems in Australia but also how the vehicles drive. To that end, in April it appointed vehicle ride and handling expert Rob Trubiani who was Holden's lead vehicle dynamics engineer for nearly 15 years. These days, an automaker having a dedicated, permanent local engineering and tuning program based in Australia is far from common, and puts GWM in the same company as Kia. The fast-growing Chinese brand has been securing further talent from more established brands of late, with John Kett joining GWM as its chief operating officer earlier this year after holding the same role at Hyundai Australia for more than five years. To the end of June, GWM is also Australia's seventh best-selling brand. It delivered 25,189 vehicles in the first half of this year, up 17 per cent and a new record for the brand, placing it behind only Toyota (120,978), Mazda (48,942), Ford (47,300), Kia (40,750), Hyundai (38,948) and Mitsubishi (33,379) in year-to-date standings. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom MORE: Explore the GWM Tank 500 showroom Content originally sourced from: The GWM Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 received key fixes to throttle response and advanced driver assistance systems at the factory earlier this year, and now existing owners are able to have these upgrades applied to their cars. The changes were applied at production level early in 2025, with CarExpert getting the opportunity to test them late last year. GWM says they're now available to existing owners though there's no over-the-air update available, so owners will need to head to one of the Chinese brand's dealerships to receive the update. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. GWM has also confirmed there are no changes for the Cannon ute and Tank 300 off-roader – as they use different programming, the updates made to their larger platform-mates aren't transferable. "We continue to work hard to ensure the voice of our local market is heard and considered," said GWM Australia and New Zealand marketing and communications boss Steve Maciver. "These upgrades reflect recent feedback from our customers across Australia and New Zealand and demonstrate GWM's global commitment to supporting our region and continually refining the product to better suit local drivers. "It's not just about building for the future – we're also focused on delivering meaningful updates and improvements to our existing owners, ensuring their experience continues to strengthen with our brand." GWM says it has improved throttle response and sensitivity in hybrid versions of the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500, while the following changes have been applied to not only these models but also the Cannon Alpha diesel: GWM also says it has "optimised" false triggering alerts on certain road surfaces with the emergency lane-keep assist, and added a Trailer Hitch Track guideline on the touchscreen. In Paul Maric's testing of the old calibration and new calibration back-to-back on the Cannon Alpha Hybrid late last year, he found the throttle was more responsive, the transition between electric and hybrid mode smoother, and the 'sticky throttle' issue had been eliminated. The distraction monitoring changes were also improved, though he noted more work could be done on the accuracy of the lane centring system. GWM recently discontinued the Cannon Alpha Hybrid in Australia, leaving only the diesel and the recently launched plug-in hybrid (PHEV) on sale. The Tank 500 remains hybrid-only in Australia, though a PHEV powertrain is due later this year. GWM quietly moved the Tank 500 Hybrid from a Chinese to a Thai market suspension tune late last year to improve its dynamics. However, it doesn't have a locally developed suspension tune like in more recent models such as the Cannon Alpha PHEV. GWM is working to not only improve the performance of its advanced driver assistance systems in Australia but also how the vehicles drive. To that end, in April it appointed vehicle ride and handling expert Rob Trubiani who was Holden's lead vehicle dynamics engineer for nearly 15 years. These days, an automaker having a dedicated, permanent local engineering and tuning program based in Australia is far from common, and puts GWM in the same company as Kia. The fast-growing Chinese brand has been securing further talent from more established brands of late, with John Kett joining GWM as its chief operating officer earlier this year after holding the same role at Hyundai Australia for more than five years. To the end of June, GWM is also Australia's seventh best-selling brand. It delivered 25,189 vehicles in the first half of this year, up 17 per cent and a new record for the brand, placing it behind only Toyota (120,978), Mazda (48,942), Ford (47,300), Kia (40,750), Hyundai (38,948) and Mitsubishi (33,379) in year-to-date standings. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom MORE: Explore the GWM Tank 500 showroom Content originally sourced from: