The BMW Group is actively shaping the mobility transformation and is in the midst of a progressive transition. The evolution of the BMW 3 Series from 1975 until the BMW i4 of 2021 is a fitting metaphor for the BMW Group’s unrelenting drive.
The story of BMW’s most successful model is the story of the BMW Group’s transformation. The first BMW 3 Series rolled off the production lines in 1975, at the BMW Group’s home plant in Munich. Its efficiency was already the talk of the town, even back then. But in the mid 1980s it became even more significant, as the letter “e” was added to the name to create the “BMW 325e”, signifying “eta”, the symbol for maximum efficiency. Later, in 2007, the BMW Group developed Efficient Dynamics – a package of technologies for the entire fleet that gradually reduced fuel consumption while increasing sheer driving pleasure.
Another important topic at the BMW Group from a very early stage was the electric future. The orange-coloured electric BMW 1602 that supported the Munich Olympics in 1972 remains a vivid memory. By the early 1990s, an electric BMW 3 Series Touring was out on the roads and was even used as a test car for the parcel delivery service of Deutsche Post. So when series production of the first fully electric BMW i4 gets under way in 2021, it will be the result of decades of experience and drive expertise.