BMW’s new 3 Series is another stonking performer

BMW’s new M350 xDrive is the flagship of the ICE powered 3 Series range and brings to bear the might of a 3-litre six-cylinder petrol engine working in collaboration with a 48V mild hybrid system with crankshaft-driven starter generator. The peak output is 437bhp and as a result a nought to 100kmph sprint is dispatched in 4.1 seconds and the car boasts an electronically governed top speed of 250kmph. At the other end of the spectrum is the battery electric i3 50 xDrive, which has a peak output of 463bhp and a 0-100kmph acceleration time of 4.7 seconds. Even as BMW steps in to the Neue Klasse era with the new 3 Series range, the message is crystal clear. The BMW 3 Series is all about ‘Sheer Driving Pleasure’, or as we would call it, the thrill of driving.

While the M350 xDrive and the i3 50 xDrive, which has a claimed range of 912km on the WLTP cycle, are the range toppers for the new 3 Series, the entire range includes one more battery electric and a petrol-powered version. There is a third battery EV also but that one is still in prototype stage. Designated BMW i3 60 xDrive, it is likely to be the most powerful 3 Series EV and will probably become the flagship EV when it goes into series production. The entry level BMW 320 is powered by a 2-litre twin turbo petrol engine working in collaboration with a 48V mild hybrid to produce 208bhp, which pushes the car from standstill to 100kmph in a very respectable 7.4 seconds. The entry level i3, the i3 40 xDrive, offers a claimed range of 710km on the WLTP cycle and has a peak output of 369bhp, which is good enough for a 0-100kmph sprint in 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 200kmph

 The entire 3 Series now sports the Neue Klasse look, which is a striking departure from the established design trend so far and signals a shift towards an older styling philosophy with slimmer grilles. The silhouette is less of a typical three-box saloon and is more a modern 2.5-box design with a long wheelbase and short overhangs. The flanks are defined by a striking character line that lowers the visual centre of gravity and creates the perception of a car that is genuinely hunkered down sporty. Up front the slimline kidney grilles and twin headlamps merge to present a single visually striking unit. In the new M Performance models, BMW is offering M yellow lights adopted from racing car design. The wheels available for the fully electric BMW i3 range from 19-inch to 21-inch items. The BMW 3 Series models with combustion engines get between 18 and 20 inches in wheel size. The new BMW 3 Series can also be ordered as an option with the M Sport package or M Sport package Pro.

In the new BMW 3 Series, the 17.9-inch Central Display is positioned on the instrument panel and angled clearly towards the driver. The newly designed BMW steering wheel featuring a central spoke in its upper section now also takes its place in the BMW 3 Series. The M steering wheel and BMW Individual steering wheel can also be specified as an option for the new BMW 3 Series models. The instrument panel has been designed to create an enveloping wraparound effect for the driver and passengers and a large panoramic sunroof with climate comfort glazing pairs with large windows to create an airy ambience. BMW says that the new seats offer better lateral support and high comfort levels. They feature electric adjustment, a memory function and the Travel & Comfort System. Multifunction seats and M Sport seats can be specified as options. Heating for the rear seats can also be added as an option. As an alternative to the standard-fitted hi-fi sound system, hi-fi and surround sound systems from Harman Kardon are available to bring outstanding sound quality to the new BMW 3 Series.

The multimodal operating logic of BMW Panoramic iDrive combines touch-based, haptic and voice-based interaction. The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant plays a key role here, and the integration of Amazon Alexa+ AI technology1 further expands its range of functionality, enabling more dialogue-based and extremely intuitive verbal interaction. The operating system X serves as an intelligent platform for the display and is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). This means that the system enables the continuous addition of new functions and digital services – and stays up to date for a long time.