BMW 3 Series Sedan Series/Models Timeline, Specifications and Pictures

2022 - Present

After a little over three years on the market, the seventh generation of the BMW 3 Series received an update, or LCI (Life Cycle Impulse), as the carmaker named it. The 3 Series was the most successful model in BMW's history, selling over 16 million of them between 1975 and 2021 in seven generations. Moreover, between October 2018, when the seventh generation was introduced at the Paris ...

2018 - 2022

BMW has sold over 15 million 3 Series since introducing the nameplate back in 1975, meaning its the most successful model of the Bavarian carmaker. Codenamed G20, its seventh generation was unveiled in the flesh at the 2018 Paris Motor Show only in sedan guise, with other body variations to be launched in the future. The G20 is a lot larger than its F30 predecessor in almost every way, making it...

2016 - 2018

For 2016, BMW's most popular compact sedan got a refresh, building upon the well-known recipe: coupe shape with four doors for practicality, front-engine, rear-wheel drive and a happy driver in between. With the LCI version, the 2016 BMW 3 Series got new bumpers with revised air intakes and integrated Active Cruise Control (ACC) sensor (optional), standard LED taillamps, redesigned headl...

2012 - 2016

The sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series Sedan, the world’s best-selling premium car, sets new benchmarks in terms of sporting prowess, elegance and comfort. The pioneering history of the 3 Series serves as inspiration for the new sports sedan, whose powerful styling represents a fresh interpretation and conscientious development of traditional BMW design cues. The new BMW face, with flat headli...

2008 - 2011

BMW upgraded the 3-Series lineup in 2008 and made it ready for the Euro 5 norms that became mandatory starting with January 2009. After four years on the market and a successful career, the German carmaker had to improve its engine lineup. As usual, it couldn't refresh only the drivetrains, and it had to work on other areas as well. At the front, the main difference was seen in the co...

2005 - 2008

The BMW 3 Series was the best sold model in the German’s producer history, with its production starting in 1975.The 5th generation of the BMW’s 3 series, also known as the E90, has a timeless design. The E90 was produced in four body options: sedan (E90), break (E91), coupe (E92) and cabrio (E93). The optional features available were xenon headlamps, automatic climate control, parking sensor,...

2002 - 2005

The fourth generation of the BMW 3-Series came on the market in 1998 and rocketed to the top of the sales charts in the premium compact segment. In 2000, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class overtook it. As usual, BMW knew that that was going to happen and as soon as it launched the 3-Series, it's engineers started to work on the facelifted version, which was introduced in 2002. It wasn't an e...

1998 - 2002

After three generations of the 3-Series, in 1998, BMW introduced the fourth generation. It wasn't the big visual leap between the second and the third generation, but it was an important technical evolution. The design of the new generation E46 started in 1993 just three years after the previous generation was introduced to the market. In November 1997, BMW send the press release for the...

1991 - 1998

It was hard to replace such a success story as the BMW 3-Series E30 that moved the company on top of the heights in the compact premium-car market. But it had to be done and, in 1991, the replacement was shown. When the second generation of the 3-Series was launched, the straight and simple lines were trendy. But that was more like the '70s design language and in the early '90s it w...

1982 - 1992

BMW introduced a new generation of the 3 Series in 1982. It was an important step forward compared to its predecessor, especially since it also came in the highly-demanded four-door shape. The first generation of the 3 Series was a blast to drive for those times. It was a sports coupe vehicle that charmed close to 1.4-million customers worldwide, and it could have been even more successful if...