- The BMW 3 Series turns 50 in 2025
- To mark the moment, BMW will release a special edition in each of five historic 3 Series colors
If each automaker got to select one car to represent its history — one model to enter the pantheon of historic cars as a stand-in for everything it has ever built — many brands would have trouble deciding which model to send. However, BMW would do the obvious.
For five decades, the 3 Series has stood as the ultimate exemplar of what BMW stands for. It’s the essence of a “sports sedan.” A practical family car with an attitude equally capable of a relaxed road trip or a snarling track session, the 3 Series is a pure thing.
It’s been an aspirational purchase for people who need a commuter but want a sports car since its debut at the Olympic Stadium in Munich in 1975, as a 1976 model.
BMW plans to celebrate 50 years of the 3 Series with a special edition for the 2026 model year. The 2026 BMW 3 Series 50 Jahre Edition (that’s 50 years, in German) will be offered in five historic colors, each a recreation of a signature color from model history.
Each gets a performance exhaust system and carbon fiber spoiler outside, and Merino leather inside. They wear the Shadowline package, giving them adaptive full LED lights and Shadowline trim on the grille and air intakes.
Pricing starts at $76,375, including a $1,175 shipping and handling fee.
Color Packages
Each color celebrates the first year of a historic edition of the 3 Series.
| Generation | Paint | Upholstery | Brake Calipers |
| 1st (E21, from model year 1975) | Ruby Red Metallic | Ivory | Red |
| 2nd (E30, from model year 1982) | Boston Green Metallic | Tartufo | Blue |
| 3rd (E36, from model year 1990) | Avus Blue Metallic | Tartufo | Blue |
| 4th (E46, from model year 1997) | Carbon Black Metallic | Black | Red |
| 5th (E90, from model year 2004) | Sparkling Graphite Metallic | Tartufo | Red |
