We Tested Launch Control In The New BMW M350 xDrive
Article Summary
- We sampled launch control in the 2027 BMW M350 xDrive, which takes just 4.1 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h).
- The new M Performance 3 Series Sedan (G50) is 0.3 seconds quicker than the European-spec M340i xDrive it replaces.
- The new iDrive X system features a dedicated page on its 17.9-inch touchscreen that guides drivers through the launch-control procedure.
BMW hasn’t taken the camouflage off the 3 Series, but it allowed journalists to get a taste of its performance. We were on that exclusive list, having been invited to sample the “G50” at the company’s proving ground outside Miramas, in southern France. Not that we had any doubts, but the M350 xDrive has launch control to make the most of the upgraded engine linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The M side of BMW quotes a sprint time to 62 mph (100 km/h) of 4.1 seconds. We couldn’t time the car ourselves, but it certainly felt fast. On paper, it’s 0.3 seconds quicker than the M340i xDrive it replaces in Europe. Some will remember the outgoing M Performance “G20” had to be detuned compared to its US counterpart to pass emissions regulations. The North American branch quotes the same 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time for the M350 instead of using the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) sprint.
As a refresher, the sports sedan’s predecessor does the job in 4.1 seconds. In theory, that should mean the M350 xDrive will be a tad quicker in the US. We’re not sure it’ll break into three-second territory, but a 4.0 seems like a safe bet. That makes sense given the major power boost from upgrading the B58 engine to 437 hp and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm). However, with BMW saying it’s a larger car, it’ll also inevitably be heavier.
Launch Control Tutorial
Numbers aside, the new iDrive X with a central 17.9-inch touchscreen has a dedicated menu for launch control. It shows all the steps the driver needs to take before the system engages. Criteria such as steering angle, brake pedal force, and accelerator pedal angle must be met. Although BMW didn’t go into too much detail (it’s still a prototype, after all), launch control is likely to work only in certain drive modes, along with specific transmission and traction control settings. Once all the conditions are met, the driver lifts off the brake pedal, and the car takes off.
For now, BMW is only talking about the M350 with xDrive. Although we asked whether a follow-up to the rear-wheel-drive M340i is planned, the responses we got were inconclusive. However, we wouldn’t get our hopes up too high. It won’t be the end of the world, considering even the all-paw version is getting a pure 2WD mode. Yes, the M Lite 3 Series is about to borrow a trick from the M3’s playbook.
The so-called “Drift Moment” feature won’t be available when the new 3 Series launches later this year. Instead, it’ll come as a software over-the-air update in 2027. Meanwhile, the “G50” should break cover in late September, with European deliveries commencing by year’s end or early 2027.
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