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BMW’s New 3 Series Oozes with Decades of Heritage Only Real Fans Would Appreciate

Celebrating 50 years of its most important car with the M340i 50 Jahre Edition.

Close-up of a blue BMW M340i 50 Jahre Edition badge with a carbon fiber spoiler above.BMW USA
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By Chris Chin

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It’s a big year for Bavarian Motor Works. Not only is BMW celebrating its 50th anniversary in North America. Its historically most significant car is also sharing the same birthday: the 3 Series.

To commemorate the moment, BMW held a low-key debut at Classic Car Club Manhattan to reveal the M340i 50 Jahre Edition. It’s an extremely limited production and special edition model, based on the fastest, most expensive and top-spec 3 Series sedan.

While it might look like your ordinary M340i, what it represents is far more significant.

More than just a limited-edition 3 Series

Blue BMW M3 sedan with black wheels parked indoors among people and other cars.
BMW commemorates 50 years of its most historically significant car with the M340i 50 Jahre Edition.
Chris Chin

It was five decades ago when BMW launched the world’s first 3 Series, the E21. Since then, it has gone on to become the automaker’s best-selling and most successful model. That is, until the company launched the X3 and X5 SAVs.

Two BMW sedans, one black vintage model with chrome trim and one dark blue modern model, parked on a concrete lot.
It was five decades ago in 1975 when BMW launched the first-ever 3 Series, the E21.
Chris Chin

Because of its runaway success, the 3 Series is attributed as being one of BMW’s saviors at a time when it nearly went bankrupt. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the automaker nearly faltered while trying to find its footing post-Second World War.

Close-up of a carbon fiber car interior panel with a "3 Series 50 Jahre Edition" badge and metallic trim.
BMW didn’t say how many M340i 50 Jahre Editions it was making, but a spokesperson did say it’s very limited.
Chris Chin

With Allied attacks having reduced virtually every production facility to smithereens, it made for a long road to recovery. Once World War II ended, BMW made several attempts to revive its car-making efforts.

Few were successful, until it launched its first range of Neue Klasse automobiles. That gave birth to the iconic 2002, the spiritual predecessor to the 3 Series.

Blue BMW sedan with front passenger door open in an indoor showroom with other cars and people nearby.
Avus Blue Metallic is one of the 3 Series’ most iconic colors.
Chris Chin

Though the 2002 helped dig BMW out of its financial rut, the 3 Series cemented its fiscal security. Suffice to say, BMW wouldn’t be where it is today without the commercial success of the 3 Series and its forebear in North America.

Which, to be honest, is why we’re a little bit surprised at how subtle BMW was about celebrating the moment.

Interior of a blue BMW car with brown leather seats, digital dashboard, and multifunction steering wheel.
With Avus Blue Metallic, buyers can equip the M340i Jahre Edition with Tartufo Merino leather.
Chris Chin

Nonetheless, the BMW M340i 50 Jahre Edition (“jahre” translates to “years” in German) tips its hat to its predecessors in more ways than one.

Highlighting the best colors from each generation

Blue BMW sedan with black grille and wheels parked on a street beside a white concrete wall.
Prices start at $75,200 for the M340i 50 Jahre Edition, not including shipping and handling.
BMW USA

To distinguish the M340i 50 Jahre Edition from your normal plain-Jane M340i, BMW is offering the limited-production model with a selection of five exclusive color combinations. All five hues pay tribute to the 3 Series’ most iconic from each generation.

For the first-ever 3 Series, the E21, that was Ruby Red Metallic with an Ivory interior. With the succeeding E30, its signature hue was Boston Green Metallic on Tartufo (medium brown).

Blue car with open door showing brown leather front seats and black interior.
In addition to Tartufo (pictured), the M340i 50 Jahre Edition will be available with Ivory and Black interiors.
Chris Chin

With the E36 generation in the 1990s, Avus Blue Metallic on Tartufo was its most successful combo. For the E46, it was Carbon Black Metallic on Black. And with the E90, Sparkling Graphite Metallic on Tartufo was among the most popular.

You won’t be able to get an M340i like the 50 Jahre Edition

Blue BMW sedan parked in a concrete driveway next to a modern white building with large windows.
BMW checked many other options boxes such as 19-inch M dual-spoke “792M” wheels and a standard M Performance Exhaust.
BMW USA

Standard top-grade Extended Merino Leather adds to the 340i 50 Jahre Edition’s uniqueness. It’s the first time the high-quality hide is being offered in the US-market 3 Series.

Rounding out the special appointments is a standard BMW M Performance exhaust and a carbon fiber rear lip spoiler.

Blue sedan with black alloy wheels parked in front of a concrete wall.
Since its introduction 50 years ago, the 3 Series is the longest-running model, having lived through seven generations to date.
BMW USA

BMW didn’t say how many M340i 50 Jahre Editions it’s making. But a spokesperson did say that it’ll be strictly made at its homebase in Munich. Compared to other regular 3 Series models, which are assembled in Mexico for the North American market.

And you’ll have to dig deep into your pockets. Invoices start at $75,200, not including the usual $1,175 destination and handling charge.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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