2025 BMW 3 Series & M3 updates revealed, Australian timing confirmed

The 2025 BMW 3 Series and 2025 BMW M3 have been unveiled with styling revisions and new technology.

Following a mid-life update – known as a Life Cycle Impulse for BMW vehicles – for the 3 Series sedan and wagon in 2022, and the addition of a new curved infotainment system for the M3, both vehicles have now received further updates.

Exterior design revisions for the 3 Series are limited to redesigned 19-inch lightweight alloy wheels for the M Sport package and two new metallic paint finishes: Arctic race blue and fire red.

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2025 BMW M3 Touring

Inside, the 3 Series receives an updated three-spoke steering wheel design with a flat bottom and a 12 o’clock marker for the M Sport package – which is standard in Australia – and a refined surface for the optional leather instrument panel.

The M340i will be fitted as standard with a new ‘Crafted Clarity’ glass application for the gear selector, iDrive controller and engine start/stop button with Swarovski crystals, as seen in other BMW models like the iX and 7 Series.

In addition, a new-look central air vent with updated adjustment controls and ambient lighting around the border of the vent has been added, while all variants are now fitted with new infotainment hardware to support BMW Operating System 8.5.

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2025 BMW M340i xDrive sedan

New additions to the updated system include more-prominent touch air-conditioning controls, a new-look home screen, an improved menu structure, and support for a built-in eSIM card with a 5G mobile connection.

Intelligent speed limit assist – which will become mandatory for all new vehicles sold in the European Union from July 2024 – has been made standard in the 3 Series.

Under the skin, BMW has fitted stiffer mounts that connect the rear dampers to the body, and reduced the amount of force required to turn the steering wheel in the comfort drive mode.

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2025 BMW M340i interior

Plug-in hybrid models – which are no longer available in Australia – gain a new fifth-generation 19.5kWh high-voltage battery with a higher energy density, allowing for an all-electric driving range of up to 101 kilometres.

There’s also a higher 11kW limit for AC home charging, the highest for a plug-in hybrid BMW.

The BMW M3 mirrors external styling updates recently applied to the M4 coupe, including new headlights with vertical DRLs and lightweight forged alloy wheels.

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2025 BMW M3

Like the 3 Series, it also receives a new three-spoke steering wheel design, BMW Operating System 8.5, and a revised central air vent.

M3 Competition all-wheel-drive models now have 390kW – up 15kW – while its peak torque of 650Nm is now available between 2750 and 5730rpm.

This power boost has allowed BMW M to slash five-tenths from the 0-200km/h of all M3 Competitions at 11.8 seconds for the sedan and 12.4 seconds for the Touring, while 0-100km/h times are unchanged at 3.5 seconds (sedan) or 3.6 seconds (Touring).

Production of the 2025 BMW 3 Series and 2025 BMW M3 will commence for Europe in July, ahead of a local arrival between October and December 2024.

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2025 BMW M3 sedan

BMW Australia said local details – including pricing and features – will be confirmed in July.

The 3 Series sedan is sourced from BMW’s factory in Mexico for the Australian market, while the 3 Series Touring and all M3s are made in Germany.

VFACTS new-car sales data reveals 938 examples of the BMW 3 Series have been sold in Australia to the end of April – up 27 per cent over the same time in 2023 – compared to 622 Mercedes-Benz C-Classes, 141 Audi A4s and 123 Volvo S60/V60s.