BMW 3 Series: The Old Lady Still Wants to Feast on the Young Ones!
- Published on 14/12/2025 17:48
At 50 years old, the BMW 3 Series boasts an extraordinary industrial record and is already preparing for its electric transformation, never losing its DNA.
Fifty years, over 18 million units produced, and an industrial presence on four continents: the BMW 3 Series will celebrate half a century of existence in 2025 without ever losing its status as a benchmark. Launched in 1975, this premium compact sedan has accompanied – and often preceded – the major industrial changes of the BMW Group, to the point of becoming much more than just a successful model.
From the very beginning, the 3 Series has been closely linked to the historic factory in Munich. It is here that BMW experimented very early on with flexible and highly automated production. By the early 1980s, the body shop reached a decisive milestone with the massive arrival of industrial robots, achieving an automation rate of over 90%. A small revolution at the time, it allowed for increased volumes without sacrificing quality, while laying the groundwork for industrial methods still used today.
Eternal 3 Series
But the story of the 3 Series is not limited to Bavaria. Its commercial success prompted BMW to quickly expand its production. Dingolfing, Regensburg, then Rosslyn in South Africa and Spartanburg in the United States: the 3 Series became the spearhead of the group’s industrial internationalization. It even served as a launch model for almost all new BMW factories, proof of the trust placed in its industrial versatility.
Saloon, Touring, convertible, sporty M versions, thermal engines, plug-in hybrids, and soon 100% electric: the 3 Series has tried it all, often before others. Even today, the seventh generation rolls off the assembly lines on several continents, sometimes on a single assembly line capable of accommodating different technologies.
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And the old lady has no intention of retiring. Starting in 2026, an all-electric BMW 3 Series will inaugurate the NEUE KLASSE in Munich, opening a new chapter without renouncing the DNA that has made it successful. At 50, the 3 Series still looks straight ahead.
READ ALSO: Would you fall for an electric BMW M3 with that look?
This page is translated from the original post "BMW Série 3 : la vieille dame veut encore bouffer de la jeunette !" in French.
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