Few cars strike the balance between aspiration and accessibility as expertly as the BMW 3 Series. Since the original appeared in 1975 the 3 Series has been the car of choice for those who want an upmarket image, superb build quality and sublime handling. In total more than 15 million have been sold – which makes the arrival of an all-new version somewhat important. PRECISION AND POETRY For a start there’s the much wider kidney grilles, echoing the current automotive market trend for cars with ever more prominent nostrils. It’s not just the grille either; indeed, the whole car is larger than before, having grown 85mm in length, 16mm in width and a single millimetre in height (although it is still around 50kg lighter than before thanks to more extensive use of aluminium). This larger body has in turn allowed BMW to stretch the wheelbase and track to improve ride and handling, which bodes well given the outgoing 3 Series was already the class leader in this regard. It’s arguably at the rear, however, where the new 3 Series is most striking, with smoked light lenses and a much more coupe-like (and dare we even say Audi-esque?) appearance than before. It’s all part of BMW’s new ‘Precision and Poetry’ design language. ON THE INSIDE All models now come with a sports steering wheel and ambient lighting (with 11 selectable colours), and overall quality is said to have taken a step forward. As standard the speedometer and rev counter are of the traditional analogue variety, flanking a 5.7-inch screen for the trip computer, but buyers can also upgrade to a full 12.3-inch digital dial display. SPECIFICATION AND EQUIPMENT Next up is the Sport version with its 18-inch alloys, upgraded styling with more gloss black detailing, and heated leather sports seats. The top M Sport spec models sit on 10mm lowered sports suspension and have even more aggressive body styling with larger air intakes, while inside there’s more aluminium trim and the full digital instrument cluster. The list of optional extras has been simplified, with much of it bundled into packages. For example, the M Sport Plus pack features adaptive dampers, 19-inch wheels and, on the 330i model, an electronic limited-slip differential. A Technology package meanwhile adds a head up display, wireless charging and an upgraded sound system, while the Comfort pack includes a heated steering wheel, keyless access and an automatic tailgate. TWO TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS As is increasingly the way, there’s also a new personal assistant system featuring natural speech recognition. Simply say ‘Hey BMW’ and then either give your command (for example ‘I’m cold’ in order to turn up the heating), or just initiate a conversion. BMW calls it ‘the ideal co-driver’, but we still can’t help thinking there’s something a bit spooky about having a chat with your car. ENGINES AND PRICES Those who prefer petrol can opt for the 330i, which uses a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces figures of 255bhp, 5.8 seconds from 0-62mph, 48.7mpg and 132g/km of CO2. Also on the cards are a 330e plug-in hybrid, a six-cylinder 330d, M40i and M40d performance models and, eventually, an all-new M3. The new 3 Series goes on sale in March 2019 with prices starting from £33,610 for a 320d in SE specification, rising to £37,660 for a 330i. MODEL HISTORY BMW 3 Series Mk2 BMW 3 Series Mk3 BMW 3 Series Mk4 BMW 3 Series Mk5 BMW 3 Series Mk6 In the market for a used car? CarGurus makes it easy to find great deals from top-rated dealers. CarGurus compares price, detailed vehicle data and dealer reviews to give each used car a deal rating from great to overpriced, and sorts the best deals first. Find out more and begin your used car search at CarGurus The content above is for informational purposes only and should be independently verified. Please see our Terms of Use for more details. This is the All-New BMW 3 Series posted first on http://www.cargurus.com/blog/ via Blogger This is the All-New BMW 3 Series
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April 2018
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