{"id":85820,"date":"2026-06-22T09:23:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=85820"},"modified":"2026-06-22T09:23:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:23:26","slug":"bmw-i3-longer-wider-outgoing-3-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=85820","title":{"rendered":"The New BMW i3 Is Longer And Wider Than The Outgoing 3 Series"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"post-summary-wrap\">\n<h3 class=\"post-summary-title\">Article Summary<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"post-summary-list\">\n<li>BMW&#8217;s new electric 3 Series is bigger in every direction than the G20.<\/li>\n<li>The i3 also has a longer wheelbase as well as wider front and rear tracks.<\/li>\n<li>The 0.21 drag coefficient is better than any 3 Series model ever.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been hoping car bloat would somehow suddenly come to an end, we\u2019ve got bad news for you. The new i3 is larger in every dimension than the outgoing 3 Series, and logic suggests that the next-generation combustion-engine sedan will grow even further. Before BMW uncovers the \u201cG50\u201d in the coming months, here\u2019s how its electric counterpart measures up against the soon-to-be-retired \u201cG20.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At 4,760 millimeters long, the electric i3 is 47 mm longer than the 3 Series currently available at dealerships. BMW\u2019s first all-new electric sedan of the Neue Klasse era is also 38 mm wider, measuring 1,865 mm across. It\u2019s no surprise given the large battery pack underneath, but the i3 is also 40 mm taller, at 1,480 mm. The wheelbase has grown as well, stretching 46 mm to 2,897 mm.<\/p>\n<p>It wouldn\u2019t be fair to compare the i3\u2019s weight with that of a combustion-engine 3 Series given the substantial mass penalty of the EV\u2019s battery pack. However, it\u2019s worth noting that BMW\u2019s new electric sedan is heavier than the old long-wheelbase i3 sold exclusively in China. The \u201cNA0\u201d tips the scales at 2,205 kilograms in generously equipped 50 xDrive First Edition guise, whereas the lesser-known electric \u201cG28\u201d was 118 kg lighter in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2023\/03\/11\/bmw-five-million-cars-shenyang-china\/\">eDrive40L specification<\/a>. That said, the new i3 features all-wheel drive and a significantly larger battery, 108.7 kWh versus 78.92 kWh, so it\u2019s not a like-for-like comparison.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-bmw-i3-world-debut-15.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-511699 size-medium\" title=\"2026 BMW I3 WORLD DEBUT 11\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-bmw-i3-world-debut-15-830x553.jpg\" alt=\"2026 BMW I3 WORLD DEBUT 15\" width=\"830\" height=\"553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-bmw-i3-world-debut-15-830x553.jpg 830w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-bmw-i3-world-debut-15-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-bmw-i3-world-debut-15-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-bmw-i3-world-debut-15-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-bmw-i3-world-debut-15.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>The BMW 3 Series Keeps Growing<\/h2>\n<p>BMW remains tight-lipped about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2025\/02\/05\/2027-bmw-3-series-spied-production-body\/\">next-generation 3 Series<\/a> but already classifies the i3 as a member of the 3 Series family. It\u2019s highly unlikely the EV will be larger than the combustion-engine sedan. If anything, the opposite appears true. Spy photos have revealed even more generous proportions for the ICE model, including a longer front section designed to accommodate six-cylinder engines in the M350 and M3. As a result, expect the G50 to be slightly longer.<\/p>\n<p>BMW has an even bigger 3 Series in China: the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2026\/04\/22\/2026-bmw-i3-long-wheelbase-debut\/\">long-wheelbase i3 (\u201cNA8\u201d)<\/a>. There\u2019s a good chance BMW is also planning a stretched combustion-powered 3 Series (\u201cG58\u201d), one that will be even larger than the \u201cG28.\u201d As a reminder, the outgoing long-wheelbase 3er already measures 4,829 mm in length, making it nearly as large as an E60 5 Series or an E23 7 Series.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll have all the definitive numbers for the new 3 Series once the global eighth-generation model debuts in the coming months with a standard wheelbase. The \u201cG50\u201d will be the first 3er BMW won\u2019t build in Munich, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2025\/12\/11\/bmw-confirms-3-series-production-moving-dingolfing\/\">production moving to Dingolfing<\/a>. Then again, the Munich-built i3 is officially classified as a 3 Series, so perhaps that statement isn\u2019t technically accurate. An i3 Touring will join the Munich assembly lines this decade, and BMW has left the door open for a Dingolfing-built 3 Series wagon with combustion engines.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive First Edition technical specifications<\/strong><\/p>\n<table id=\"tablepress-108\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-108\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">Length<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">4760 mm<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\" readability=\"4\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Width<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">1865 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Height<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">1480 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Wheelbase<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">2897 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Weight<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">2205 kg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Cargo capacity (rear)<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">420 liters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Cargo capacity (front)<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">31 liters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Horsepower<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">463 hp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Torque<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">645 Nm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">0-100 km\/h time<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">4.7 seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Top speed<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">200 km\/h<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Battery net capacity<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">108.7 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\" readability=\"2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">WLTP range for i3 First Edition with 19-inch wheels<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">906 km<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\" readability=\"2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">WLTP range for standard i3<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">912 km<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\" readability=\"2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">10-80% charge time (at 400 kW)<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">21 minutes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16\" readability=\"2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">10-minute charge (at 400 kW) range<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">320\u2013423 km<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Article Summary BMW&#8217;s new electric 3 Series is bigger in every direction than the G20. The i3 also has a longer wheelbase as well as wider front and rear tracks. The 0.21 drag coefficient is better than any 3 Series model ever. If you\u2019ve been hoping car bloat would somehow suddenly come to an end, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":85821,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85820","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85820","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=85820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85820\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/85821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=85820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=85820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=85820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}