A New Dawn for the 3 SeriesWe're still riding high after the world premiere of the eighth-generation 3 Series. Internally known as the G50, it rides on a heavily updated and modified version of the CLAR platform that also underpinned the outgoing G20. It's like what BMW did for the 2027 X5, and given how big of a jump the looks have gone, you'd be forgiven if you thought the car skipped a couple of generations.Indeed, it applies many of BMW's Neue Klasse philosophies, not just in design but also in technology. Like it or not, this is the direction the 3 Series is headed, and either way, we have huge expectations from it.BMWBuild Your OwnWe're pretty sure you've already seen the gleaming press photos of the car. From the sensible 320 to the hot M350, what you saw are examples that practically have nearly every option and package ticked. That's nice and all, but we're also curious what a regular model would look like, and how to dress one up in our preferred configuration.Now, for those who enjoy passing time in car configurators, you can head on to BMW Germany's new 3 Series configurator. Yes, it's already live, and we noticed quite a few interesting things. We also finally know what it looks like without the M Sport package or sporty wheels.BMWThe Base ModelFor now, the German market has the 318, 320, and M350, with the plug-in hybrid model to follow later. BMW has also confirmed that diesel power will no longer be available for the 3 Series, ending a 41-year run of oil burners. It's a bit of a shocking move given that the Audi A5 and the more recently updated Mercedes-Benz C-Class kept it, but we digress.Curious what the most basic 3 Series would look like, we selected a 318 and the only thing we did was change the color. In all fairness, it still looks fine, and some will prefer its look to an M Sport model. It's less aggressive, but it's still a bold design.BMWOption HighlightsOf course, we didn't stop with the 318, as we also played around with the 320 and M350. For the 320, we chose the optional 20-inch wheels but skipped the M Sport package. As BMW promised before, you can add the M Sport steering wheel to its newer offerings without going for the full look inside and out. It's a bit of a throwback to the old days, when you could pick specific M Sport/M Technic parts on a standard model. As for the M350, we gave it the M Technic II package and draped the car in red.Speaking of which, a couple of exterior and interior colors caught our attention. Fire Red is finally back in the 3 Series color palette, and Space Silver reminds us of a lighter shade of Space Grey that was previously in the E90 (6th-gen). We're also glad to report that green is back on the table as Eucalyptus Green. As for interior colors, Castanea looks like a pretty bold choice, as does Agave Green.We did notice that we couldn't give the car a slicktop (no sunroof), and as BMWBlog reported, all will come with a fixed panoramic glass roof. If we're being honest, we're not too sure how those in hotter climes will appreciate that. And yes, even the most basic 318 will get that standard. Here's to hoping there will be a steel roof option down the line.So, for those more than willing to kill a few minutes (or hours) playing dress up with the 2027 3 Series, you can head to the configurator here.BMWBMW
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