BERLIN: BMW has introduced facelifted 3 Series sedan. The updated range is scheduled to arrive in South Africa in the third quarter of 2015. The local lineup will comprise the 318i, 320i, 320d, 330d and 340i, as well as the stonking M3 Sedan.
Transmission offerings will include a six-speed manual gearbox (with automatic throttle-blipping on downshift) and an optional eight-speed Steptronic transmission, with the latter standard on the BMW 330d.
Styling changes, meanwhile, are subtle. Very subtle. Look closely and you may spot new aprons with revised air intakes up front. The headlights and LED daytime driving lights have also been tweaked, while full-LED headlights will now be available as an option.
The rear apron design, which includes a line-specific trim element, is also slightly different, while the standard LED tail-lights certainly catch the eye.
The interior, meanwhile, features new materials and additional chrome highlights for the controls, air vents and central control panel. The newly crafted centre console boasts a sliding cover for the cup-holders, enabling better use of the storage surfaces forward of the gearshift lever.
A wide range of personalisation options in terms of upholstery and interior trim elements, as well as new wheels, exterior colours and equipment options, will round off the updates.
But there have been changes under the bonnet, too. Revised turbochargers help to give the four-cylinder diesel engines sharper responses, while the 100kW/220Nm three-cylinder petrol engine in the 318i is a new addition to the BMW 3 Series model range.
Making its BMW 3 Series debut is the four-cylinder petrol engine in the BMW 320i. This unit displaces 1998cc, and is worth 135kW and 290Nm.
The six-cylinder petrol unit in the BMW 340i, meanwhile, makes its world premieres. This 3.0-litre engine makes 240kW and 450Nm, sprinting from standstill to 100km/h in a smidgen over five seconds.
