BMW is attending The Amelia this week to host the US premiere of the 2026 iX. We first saw the updated electric SUV at the end of January. However, it wasn’t until a few days ago that the configurator went live in the US. Still looking as avant-garde as it did when it originally went on sale in 2021, the newish iX will be publicly displayed near the main entrance to the show. This year’s event takes place at the Golf Club of Amelia Island and The Ritz-Carlton Resort.
The Amelia will also be the venue where BMW will celebrate 50 years of the 3 Series. It’s touted as the car that “truly launched the brand in the United States.” There will be several gems on display to properly mark half a century of the 3er: 1983 320i, 1991 M3 DTM, 1995 M3 Lightweight, 2001 M3 GTR (race car version), 2011 M3 GT ALMS, 2019 330i xDrive Sports Wagon, and the 2025 M340i xDrive.
If you’re still not convinced, BMW estimates more than 350 cars will be on display for Saturday’s Cars & Community gathering. The company with the roundel will have no fewer than 50 carefully selected 3 Series models spanning seven generations. These cars have been curated by members of the Members of the BMW Car Club of America. You’ll find everything from the original E21 launched in 1975 to the current G20 introduced in 2018. The Cars & Caffeine event will take place on one of the two show fields, with the other reserved for the RADwood display focused on the 1980s and 1990s.
BMW of North America will also have a few special models from its own collection. We’re talking about a 1987 E30 325is, a 2006 E46 M3, a 2013 E92 M3 Lime Rock Park Edition, and a 2025 M3. The latter is decked out with M Performance Parts and wears an Individual color (Laguna Seca Blue).
Later this year, BMW will mark 50 years of the 3 Series once again at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The annual retro car event held in northern Italy on the shores of Lake Como is scheduled for May 23-25.
Source: BMW USA
