Is the BMW 3 Series rear wheel drive?
Are most BMW 3 Series cars rear wheel drive, and does yours have it?
Traditionally, a BMW 3 Series was a rear-wheel drive (RWD) car. But thanks to the more powerful engines needing a bit more grip in bad weather, BMW has introduced all-wheel drive variants, too.
But what 3 Series drivetrain options are there, and which models get what?
BMW 3 Series drivetrain options
RWD configurations
The most common layout for a BMW 3 Series is rear-wheel drive.
Because it’s cheaper to make, lighter and usually means more fun on the road (though, not in all cases), most people tend to opt for it.
When a car is rear-wheel drive, it essentially means all its power is sent through the rear wheels, which can make it squirmy if you stamp your foot on the throttle.
AWD configurations
The second configuration is all wheel drive (AWD), which is becoming more popular as cars get more powerful, and roads continue to be slippery in certain weather.
You may want a car that drives all four wheels instead of just the rear ones to get more grip all the time, helping out when the weather .
This also helps to put the power down more evenly and more effectively, which is why it’s so popular for the performance M3 model.
Of course, BMW calls this AWD system ‘xDrive’. So, if your car has that badge on the back, then it has all-wheel drive.
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Benefits of rear wheel drive
There are many benefits to having a rear-wheel drive car, not least because some of the world’s best cars are RWD.
Handling and performance
Rear-wheel drive cars often offer more balanced handling, making them much more pleasant to drive in perfect road conditions.
This is because there’s a more even weight distribution between the front and rear axles, aiding stability during higher speed maneuvers.
All of this is why driving enthusiasts claim they’re the most satisfying cars to drive – you can tell by looking at models such as the Mazda MX-5, Porsche 911 and BMW 3 Series.
Fuel efficiency
Because you’re only driving the two rear wheels instead of all four, you’re going to be using less fuel.
This isn’t always the case, and some cars may be different, but they’re usually more fuel-efficient than an AWD car.
Maintenance
This depends what way you’re looking at it. Yes, they’re easier to maintain than an AWD car, but actually more complex than a front-wheel drive (FWD) car.
This is because a RWD car requires a more complex setup to connect the engine in the front to the wheels in the back.
It doesn’t mean they’re definitely more expensive to maintain as these figures will vary from car to car, but it’s safe to assume they’ll be ever so slightly more difficult to fix than a FWD car.
 "BMW 3 Series (F30)")
BMW 3 Series model overview
Evolution of BMW drivetrains
You can trace the BMW 3 Series all the way back to 1975 with the E21 generation that was powered by a six-cylinder engine and sent its power to the rear wheels via either a four- or five-speed manual gearbox.
From there, it took no time at all until the first AWD 3 Series came out in 1982, based on the E30 generation, with a model called the 325iX.
Then, it developed into xDrive which can now be found in models such as:
> BMW 1 Series
> BMW 2 Series
>BMW 4 Series
> BMW X1
> BMW X3
> BMW X5
Essentially all models are available with xDrive now, broadening the options available to you.
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Future trends
The rise of hybrid vehicles means the ‘traditional’ rear-wheel drive car is much different than what it used to be.
A new layout called a ‘through the road hybrid’ is most common for a lot of hybrid cars.
This means one set of wheels is mated to an engine and the other to an electric motor. So, the internal combustion engine can run as normal while the electric motor at the other axle harvests energy and puts it into a battery.
While it’s still a rear-wheel drive car on paper, it works a bit like an all-wheel drive one.
What does this mean for the future of rear wheel drive? Not much will change because even some electric cars today are RWD to help with efficiency so there’s no threat of losing it any time soon.