The New 2026 iX Makes Its US Debut and BMW Celebrates 50 Years of the 3 Series at The Amelia

•The 2026 BMW iX makes its US premiere.

•BMW Classic celebrates 50 years of the BMW 3 Series with a generational display.

Fernandina Beach, FL – This year, BMW will arrive at The Amelia with much to celebrate. 2025 marks both 50 years since the creation of BMW of North America and the golden anniversary of the car that truly launched the brand in the United States, the redoubtable BMW 3 Series. The weekend will not only toast a storied past, but look to a bright, electrified future with the US premiere of the new 2026 BMW iX. The Amelia, itself celebrating 30 years of global motoring excellence, returns to the breathtaking oceanside Golf Club of Amelia Island and The Ritz-Carlton Resort March 6-9, 2025.

US premiere of the new 2026 BMW iX

The 2026 BMW iX is the result of a host of intelligent advancements that improve the power, efficiency, and range of the first BMW SUV to be 'Born Electric'. The new iX will be on display near the main entrance to the show field and will also drive past the reviewing stand in Sunday's 'Taking Charge Parade'.

Simplified exterior styling features clean surfaces, new lights and grille designs, and new wheels up to 23' in diameter. The available M Sport Package adds bold exterior details and sporty interior features such as the new M Multifunction seats. The new iX xDrive45 offers up to 312 miles of range at a starting price of $75,150, while the iX xDrive60 boasts a 10% increase in range – up to 340 miles (estimated ranges according to preliminary BMW AG tests based on the EPA's test procedure standards). And the new iX M70 xDrive delivers up to 650 horsepower, 0-60 in 3.6 seconds, and M-specific design details.

1975-2025: 50 years of the BMW 3 Series on display

The BMW 3 Series is often regarded as the prototypical sports sedan. Introduced in Europe in 1975 and imported to the United States starting in 1976 by the newly created BMW of North America, the 3 Series has been revered by enthusiasts for 50 years. Over seven generations, the 3 Series has been offered as a coupe, a sedan, a convertible, a sport wagon, as a high-revving M sports car, and championship winning race car.

A display on the putting green at the entrance to the show field will take visitors on a journey through the evolution of the car—both on the street and the track—that established BMW as a premium performance brand in the United States and introduced America to The Ultimate Driving Machine:

1983 320i - In 1975 BMW introduced the E21 320i – the first BMW to be called the 3 Series. The 320i was powered by an updated version of the BMW M10, overhead cam, 4-cylinder engine with Bosch fuel injection developing 101hp. The new 3 Series featured class leading interior room, driver focused ergonomics – all in a very stylishly designed body. The MacPherson strut front suspension, semi-trailing arm rear suspension and front disc brakes made it the essence of The Ultimate Driving Machine.

1991 M3 DTM - In 1984 BMW introduced the E30 to the USA, the second iteration in a long line of sports sedans known as the 3 Series. The car enhanced the best features of its predecessor, the 320i, and added new technology; making this new 3 Series model the hot car of the '80s. The E30 spawned the first BMW M3. Designed to go race, the E30 M3 went on to become the most successful racing sports sedan ever. This example is a 1991 2.5L M3 DTM version developing 370hp and driven by Steve Soper in the 1992 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) season.

1995 M3 Lightweight - For its third generation of 3 Series, BMW made a dramatic design departure from the previous generations. The very successful E36 was sold as a 4-door, a 2-door coupe, a convertible, a Sports Wagon and a 2-door hatchback. The E36 3 Series was featured as one of Car and Driver's 10Best every year it was in production. The pinnacle of development of the E36 in the USA was the limited edition M3 Lightweight displayed. This track focused model featured a 200-lb weight savings with lightweight aluminum doors plus an adjustable front splitter, a rear wing, and an oil scavenge pump.

2001 M3 GTR - The E46 3 Series continues the evolution of The Ultimate Driving Machine with a somewhat larger yet significantly stiffer body shell than the E36 it replaced. Extensive use of aluminum for suspension components reduced unsprung weight and contributed to maintaining the 50/50 weight distribution. Aerodynamics were playing an increasingly important role in the design. The M3 GTR on display, powered by a 4-liter V-8, was the dominant race competitor during the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) 2001 season. Bill Auberlen, Boris Said, and Hans J-Stuck capped off the season for BMW North America by winning the 2001 Petit Le Mans finale.

2011 M3 GT ALMS - The E9x range of 3 Series were the first produced with a turbocharged engine. It was also the first 3 Series to include the iDrive operating system, which consisted of navigation, infotainment and essential vehicle functions. The E9x M3 was the only generation of M3 to be powered by a V8 engine. The 8,300 rpm redline naturally aspirated, 4-liter, 414 hp V8 was a masterpiece of engineering and could be paired with either a manual or a fast-shifting M-DCT double-clutch transmission. The M3 was also a very successful race car. The example displayed swept the ALMS Championship in 2011 and won the 12hrs of Sebring in 2011 and 2012.

2019 330i xDrive Sports Wagon - Revealed in October 2011, the 6th generation saw big changes for the 3 Series in the name of Efficient Dynamics. The F3x generation was powered exclusively by TwinPower Turbo engines, with the 2-liter N20 turbocharged 4-cylinder replacing the 3-liter N52 inline-6 in the 328i. A plug-in hybrid was added to the line up in 2016 – the 330e. Despite being longer and wider than its predecessor, the new 3 Series weighed 88 pounds less and easily maintained the poise and precision for which the 3 Series had long been praised. The 2019 330i xDrive Sports Wagon (F31) on display is one of the last-ever 3 Series wagons to arrive in the United States and is finished in BMW Individual Smoked Topaz metallic paint.

2025 M340i xDrive - The G20 3 Series is the result the continuous evolution of the definitive sports sedan over the past five decades. Today's 3 Series has benefitted from extraordinary advancements in technology and engineering, improving performance, safety, efficiency, comfort, and convenience, all without watering down the emotional experience of piloting The Ultimate Driving Machine. The 386-hp TwinPower Turbo inline-6 with 48-volt mild hybrid tech in the 2025 M340i xDrive on display enables a thrilling 0-60 time of just 4.1 seconds yet is efficient enough to deliver 33 mpg on the highway and impressively low emissions. Inside, the BMW Curved Display is powered by BMW Operating System 8.5, and the latest advanced driver assistance systems reduce fatigue and enhance safety and comfort.

Saturday highlighted by Cars & Community Car Show

Over 350 vehicles from around the country are expected to be on hand for Saturday's Cars & Community gathering spread over two show fields. On one show field, RADwood will celebrate the 80's and 90's automotive lifestyle while Cars & Caffeine on the main show field will showcase cars from all eras. BMW will be well represented at Cars & Caffeine with a grouping of 50 curated BMW 3 Series of all generations entered by the BMW Car Club of America members.

Included in that group, BMW of North America will show a few special vehicles from its US classic collection, including a 1987 E30 325is, a 2006 E46 M3, the 2013 E92 M3 Lime Rock Park Edition 'proof-of-concept', and a 2025 G80 M3 in BMW Individual Laguna Seca Blue, enhanced with M Performance accessories.

Photo credit: BMW
posted on conceptcarz.com

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