2024 BMW 3 Series base price surges by $14,000 as model line-up slashed
The axing of the base-model BMW 3 Series means the entry point to the line-up is close to $30,000 dearer than it was four years ago, and now more than $100,000 drive-away.
The price of the cheapest 2024 BMW 3 Series has risen by $14,500 – to more than $100,000 drive-away – after the base model and plug-in hybrid were deleted from the model line-up.
It means the price of entry into the 3 Series range has surged by close to $30,000 – from $64,900 to $94,700 plus on-road costs – since the current model arrived in showrooms four and a half years ago.
For 2024, the BMW 3 Series line-up – excluding the high-performance M3 range – has been cut to the 330i sedan and wagon, and the M340i sedan, with the base 320i sedan and 330e plug-in hybrid axed.
The 320i was priced from $80,200 plus on-road costs; now the most affordable model is the 330i sedan – priced from $94,700 plus on-road costs, a hike of $14,500.
Once on-road costs are included, the difference grows to between $15,556 and $16,242 drive-away, according to the BMW Australia website.
Meanwhile the 330e plug-in hybrid was priced from $98,700 plus on-road costs.
The increase in base price follows hikes of $5400 to $10,100 when the facelifted 3 Series line-up arrived in late 2022, accompanied by additional features.
In the two and a half years prior – since the start of the pandemic – the 330i's price increased by $11,400, even though features such as a head-up display were made unavailable to semiconductor shortages.
"The high volume of new BMW models introduced to the local market prompts us to constantly assess our product portfolio in line with customer demand and our commitment to offering products that suit individual needs," a BMW Australia spokesperson said in a statement to Drive.
The 320i accounted for 27 per cent of 3 Series deliveries last year – 839 vehicles out of 3147 – while the 330e represented 5.5 per cent (174 sales).
"In the electrified space, we will shift our focus from the 330e plug-in hybrid to the fully electric i4 eDrive 35," the BMW spokesperson said. The i4 eDrive 35 is priced from $85,900 plus on-road costs.
Despite the price rises, BMW 3 Series sales were up 11.7 per cent in 2023 – to 3147 deliveries – and the German car maker outsold long-time rival Mercedes-Benz for the first time since 2012.