Skipping ahead to the present day, we have the current version of BMW’s iconic 3 Series. With nearly 50 years of production, the 3 Series automobile has evolved into an impressively advanced machine full of luxury accessories and technological conveniences. Furthermore, even the base model 1.8-liter, which is still offered in some markets, now produces as much power as the largest engine offered when the model debuted in 1975.
Some of the highlights of this modern wunderkind include BMW’s Curved Display, which incorporates dual screens for the gauges and infotainment into a single panel that stretches across the dashboard, an available 48-volt mild hybrid drivetrain, variable ambient interior lighting, and an extraordinarily luxurious passenger compartment. The quality of the materials used throughout feels opulent and solidly built. However, with the base price having risen from the original $7,900 to $44,000, it should be luxurious. Powering the new 3 Series, excluding the hybrid setup, is a range of engines up to the 3.3-liter straight-six with 265 horsepower. Paired with the eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive, it is good for up to 162 mph and can hit 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. The quarter-mile run is complete in just 14.1 seconds.
The reason why the newest car is ranked lower than previous models is a change in what models and options BMW has offered over the last few years. Buyers who want the most power and speed are forced to move up into an M3 or choose a different model altogether, meaning earlier range-topping 3 Series models were offered with more power.