BMW celebrates 50 years of the 3 Series with a limited 50 Jahre Edition for US buyers featuring retro colors and new interior details
Last week, BMW had American buyers feeling slightly snubbed after unveiling the special 50 Jahre Edition of the M340i exclusively for Canada. Now, a short delay later, the company has confirmed that the US will indeed get the same model.
Read: BMW Built A 3 Series Tribute For Canadian Buyers
As with its northern counterpart, the US-spec version celebrates half a century of the 3 Series and will be offered in a single configuration, priced at $75,200 before a $1,175 destination and handling charge.
It’s a commemorative take on one of BMW’s best-balanced sport sedans, wrapped in a choice of heritage-inspired color and trim packages.
Five Ways to Celebrate
Anyone interested in getting behind the wheel of the new M340i xDrive 50 Jahre Edition will be able to choose between one of five available design packages, each paying tribute to a past generation of the 3 Series.
The first package, designed to celebrate the original E21 3-Series, is painted in Ruby Red Metallic with an Ivory-colored interior and red brake calipers.
More: What The BMW E30 Still Teaches Modern Cars 40 Years Later
Next up is the E30-inspired version, finished in Boston Green Metallic paint with Tartufo upholstery and blue brake calipers. Representing the E36, the third variant comes in Avus Blue Metallic, also with Tartufo upholstery and blue calipers.
Completing the lineup, BMW celebrates the E46 with Carbon Black Metallic paint, black upholstery, and red calipers, while the E90 generation gets Sparkling Graphite Metallic paired with Tartufo leather and red calipers.
Regardless of which package shoppers opt for, every 50 Jahre Edition model includes black Shadowline trim on the kidney grilles and lower air intakes, as well as BMW’s available M Shadowline full LED headlights.
Also: BMW Sends Off The 8-Series In E31 Colors And All The M Branding It Could Find
BMW adds an M Performance carbon fiber lip spoiler and a commemorative badge on the trunk lid. The visual tweaks continue with an M Performance exhaust system featuring Shadowline tailpipes and gloss-black 19-inch M wheels.
Inside, A First for the 3 Series
Fittingly for a special-edition model, the interior also features some luxury accoutrements. Chief among them is extended Merino leather, color-coordinated with the exterior paint and offered for the first time ever in a U.S.-market 3 Series.
For those less familiar with BMW’s trim hierarchy, extended Merino leather refers to a higher-grade upholstery package that goes beyond the seats to cover areas like the door cards and armrests.
It’s not entirely clear from the photos whether it also covers the lower section of the center console, but the result is a more unified and upscale cabin finish. A pity, though, that BMW stopped short of the full leather treatment that wraps the dashboard too.
In addition, the cabin also gains extra carbon fiber trim and a Harman Kardon audio system, while custom scuff plates and a new metal plaque on the cupholder cover complete the celebratory detailing.
Familiar Power
No mechanical changes have been made to the M340i’s powertrain apart from the addition of the M Performance exhaust system. Power still comes from the familiar 3.0-liter inline-six with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, producing 386 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque.
It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that drives all four wheels, enabling a 0–60 mph (97 km/h) sprint in 4.1 seconds.
BMW says that order books are now open, and production is already underway, with the first customer deliveries set to begin in the early months of 2026.
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