BMW has released a detailed walkaround video of its upcoming 2027 i3 electric sedan, offering the clearest look yet at how dramatically the company's best-selling 3 Series family has been reinvented. The car, internally codenamed «NA0,» is the second-generation electric sedan to carry the i3 nameplate and represents a complete break from every 3 Series that has come before it.
The vehicle featured in the footage is the i3 50 xDrive, the only version initially available in Europe. BMW created this First Edition specification for early adopters, bringing presales forward by several months in response to strong demand. The car shown is believed to be the same example BMW UK displayed at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year.
Unlike the outgoing «G20» model, which was built on the CLAR architecture, the new i3 rides on BMW's dedicated Neue Klasse platform. This electric-only underpinning has allowed designers to completely reshape the sedan's proportions, with a shorter front overhang and a longer wheelbase. The walkaround video, published by SytnerTV, highlights the transformation both inside and out, from the new front-end styling to the fully digital cockpit.
All First Edition cars come with the M Sport Package as standard, and BMW has yet to show an i3 without it. The example in the video adds several optional extras, including larger 20-inch wheels in place of the standard 19-inch set. A new paint colour called Blue Over White M Le Castellet Blue is one of just six finishes available for the First Edition, and this particular car is finished in it.
Inside, BMW has specified the i3 in its most distinctive configuration, opting for Digital White artificial leather upholstery with a matching steering wheel. The car also features a panoramic glass sunroof with climate comfort glazing, although the glass section does not slide open. Practicality figures are respectable for the segment: the boot offers 420 litres of space, while the front trunk, or frunk, adds a further 31 litres of storage.
Because the i3 is officially considered part of the 3 Series family, the electric sedan also serves as a preview of the upcoming combustion-engine «G50» model. That car is expected to debut in the coming months with an almost identical design inside and out. However, the proportions will change, as the frunk will make way for four- and six-cylinder combustion engines. The CLAR architecture used for the petrol and diesel versions will also result in different packaging, meaning the regular 3 Series may not be as spacious or practical as the i3.
Series production of the electric sedan began last month at BMW's Munich plant in Germany. The combustion-engine 3 Series is expected to start rolling off the assembly line by the end of the year at the company's Dingolfing factory. For buyers who need more carrying capacity before the i3 Touring wagon arrives next year, BMW points to the iX3 crossover as a more practical alternative.