BMW has shown off the first images of its updated 3 Series in sedan form, with the marque’s local arm announcing that the model will launch in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2022.
In 2021 the 3 Series accounted for 16% of BMW Australia’s total sales volume and it’s a model with a loyal following.
Many of BMW’s recent projects have been very bold and brash in terms of design. But the new 3 Series takes a different path. Its styling and tech changes are much more subtle.
On the outside, the new 3 gets revised headlights with more blue trim within and a slimmer shape. The grille is slightly different, too, although nowhere near as in-your-face as the equivalent grilles on the iX, i4, and 4 Series.
The front and rear bumpers have also changed. The front bumper is less fussy than what it replaces, with the rear bumper sporting a much higher amount of gloss black surfacing.
Arguably the biggest change BMW has introduced to the 3 Series is inside, in the form of a whopping curved screen unit on the dashboard. This comprises of a 12.3-inch digital cluster for the driver and a 14.9-inch central touchscreen.
The screen comes with BMW’s latest operating system. This covers several updates, including the ability to open and shut windows and the sunroof using BMW’s voice-activated ‘Intelligent Personal Assistant’, as well as integrated 5G.
It’s a different story in regards to powertrains, most of which carry over without changes.
BMW Australia will offer the new 3 Series Sedan in 320i, 330i, 330e plug-in hybrid and M340i xDrive variants, while the 3 Series Touring will be available solely in the 330i variant.
All engines for the new BMW 3 Series link up with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission – a unit renowned for its balance of sporting character and smooth shifting characteristics.
BMW xDrive, an intelligent all-wheel-drive system, is standard on the flagship BMW M340i xDrive model. The 320i’s ‘TwinPower’ inline four produces 135kW/400Nm. These figures jump to 218kW/420Nm in the 330e, and 285kW/500Nm in the M340i.
BMW Group says the 3 Series – first launched in 1975 – is the core of the brand and represents the epitome of driving pleasure and the benchmark for sporting prowess in the mid-size luxury sedan segment.
It has also earned numerous awards across the world in recognition of its broad range of abilities, including in Australia, where it has achieved multiple Car of the Year victories. In 2019, the seventh generation BMW 3 Series outshone 27 competitors to achieve the carsales Car of the Year for 2019 despite only launching earlier that year.
BMW Group says the success of the 3 Series is reflected in its global sales results, with 16 million units of the model range sold across the generations since it first went on sale four decades ago. It accounts for 14% of BMW’s vehicle sales worldwide and more than 1.1 million current generation BMW 3 Series in both Sedan and Touring have been sold since 2019 alone.
In Australia more than 10,642 units of the current generation 3 Series have sold since launch in 2019.
BMW has recorded 137,301 sales of the 3 Series in Australia since VFACTS sales data reporting commenced in 1991, a further underlining of the model’s impact and the strong impression it has made on local customers according to the brand.
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