BMW bolsters 3 Series, three-pot confirmed for Oz

The sedans and wagons of BMW's embattled favourite, the 3 Series, have undergone a mid-life facelift, just months before Audi delivers its all-new A4.

Under fire from the World Car of the Year-winning Mercedes-Benz C-Class and drawing heavy criticism for a perceived shortfall in interior premium quality, BMW has struck back.

With both Audi and Mercedes-Benz focusing intently on interior trim and quality and Jaguar’s new XE following suit, BMW was facing accusations that it had pulled too much money out of the 3 Series’ interior.

Even Volkswagen’s new Passat trumped the 3 Series for perceived interior quality – which might have been the ultimate slap in the face for a badge that began life 40 years and 14 million cars ago.

Besides a visual upgrade with new headlights and brand-new four- and six-cylinder engines, one of the most critical parts of the 3 Series facelift has been BMW’s recognition that it needed to pick up its game inside the cabin.

It has introduced new materials, styled in new highlights, improved the ergonomics and, as it says itself, “raised perceived quality to a new level”.

Built around BMW’s 500cc-per-cylinder ethos, the three-, four- and six-cylinder petrol engines are all modular, sharing the same per-cylinder architecture, the same all-aluminium construction and the same production lines.

The premium segment has never seen a three-cylinder engine, until now. BMW is so confident that the 1.5-litre, 100kW powerplant is smooth and sophisticated enough for premium work that it has been stuffed inside the 318i and tasked with taking on the bottom end of the C-Class, A4, XE and Passat ranges.

It has been plucked from the innards of the new MINI Cooper, where it made its debut, and turned around longitudinally, which it was always designed to do.

BMW expects it to be strong on fleets, where its 119g/km CO2 emissions figure will help, as well as its NEDC fuel consumption figure of 5.1L/100km. The power and torque (220Nm) are enough to push the 1400kg 318i to 100km/h in 8.9 seconds.

The four-cylinder version of the 318i’s engine is also new to the 3 Series and makes its debut in the 320i. Another MINI debutant, it’s effectively the Cooper S motor, retuned and turned 90 degrees.

It endows the 320i with 135kW of power and 290Nm of torque, with its torque peaking at only 1450rpm and its power peak arriving at 5000rpm and staying put until 6500rpm.

It’s handily economical, too, with 6.0L/100km to go along with its 7.2-second sprint to 100km/h.

There are two engines that have never been seen before in any other BMW-built car, so they effectively make their world premiere in the 3 Series. The 330i engine follows modern BMW naming rules and isn’t, in fact, a six-cylinder engine but a 185kW in-line four-cylinder turbo-petrol.

The 330i’s four-cylinder unit delivers it 350Nm of power and can shove it to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds even though it adds 40kg to the 320i’s 1430kg mark.

All of the three- and four-cylinder engines pick up balancing shafts to try to make them six-cylinder smooth, which is easier on the three- than the four-cylinder because the smaller engine, like a six, develops no first and second order inertia forces. All of the 3 Series petrol engines use a closed-deck crankcase for added rigidity.

They are also all fitted with direct-injection fuel systems, variable valve timing and lift and exhaust manifolds integrated with the turbocharger housing for faster throttle response.

The star of the show is the all-new six-cylinder engine, which will work to replace the much-loved 3.0-litre in-line six (though BMW insists the 330i is good enough to do that, which it also said about the outgoing 328i).

Though it has more or less the same capacity, the new engine has been built with cost and ease of manufacturing in mind as much as sweet spinning and strong, linear power delivery.

The six-pot thumps out 240kW of power from 5500rpm to 6500rpm and has 450Nm of torque filling in the bottom end of the rev range, peaking down low at 1380rpm and holding that peak until 5000rpm. It promises to be a strong engine across the board

Like the 320i and the 330i, the 340i is also available in xDrive form, though the all-wheel drive cars have no manual option and only come with the eight-speed automatic transmission and significant added weight. It’s 70kg in the 340i, but 95kg in the 330i.

Six-speed manuals are standard across the petrol range, at least in Europe, though every model is available with the eight-speed automatic, which usually makes the cars faster and more economical. Both transmissions are new and the manuals also deliver a blip on the throttle to deliver smoother downshifts, like heel-and-toeing for rookies.

There is a dazzling array of diesel powertrains, too, but BMW has chosen not to fit the three-cylinder turbo-diesel it uses in the MINI Cooper D. Instead, the range begins with the four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged 316d, with 85kW of power and 270Nm of torque.

Only 1420kg, the base diesel is expected to be a fleet favourite in Europe, with 3.9L/100km in NEDC economy and 102g/km of CO2 emissions.

It won’t be the most economical 3 Series, though, because the 320d Efficient Dynamics will post 99g/km and 3.8L/100km despite offering a sprint to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds. The 320d ED shares the same 400Nm torque output of its sister car, the 320d, though its power is cut to 120kW from 140kW.

There is also a 318d, with 110kW of power, and the four-cylinder diesels peak with the 325d. This engine squeezes 160kW from the 2.0-litre motor, and delivers 450Nm of torque as well. That’s as much as the flagship petrol six.

It gets to 100km/h in 6.6 seconds and posts 4.6L/100km on the NEDC cycle, so looks a good daily driving compromise.

The move to the 3 Series’ two six-cylinder diesel options adds significant weight, with the kerb weight (DIN) jumping from the 325d’s 1475 to 1540kg for the 330d.

That doesn’t hurt its punch, though, with the 330d slicing a second from the four-cylinder’s 100km/h sprint (5.6 seconds) while adding just 0.3L/100km to its fuel consumption data. The full weight of its 560Nm of torque hits from 1500rpm and its 190kW of power arrives at 4000rpm.

The range-topping 335d tacks on gobs more kilos again, listing at 1630 largely because of its standard xDrive all-wheel drive system. Still, with 630Nm of torque (from 1500rpm) and 230kW of power (at 4400rpm), it’s got the muscle to cope with it.

BMW has also stiffened the suspension on the new 3 Series and has spent plenty of time developing the new dampers (shock absorbers). Body roll has been reduced as the more advanced damping brings it under better control.

The steering is faster and BMW insists it will be more precise, even with the standard suspension set-up. Above that there will be M Sport suspension packages and a range-topping adaptive suspension option, which also delivers a 10mm drop in ride height for the rear-wheel drive models.

The more-horizontal headlights provide the new aggressive face of the 3 Series, with LED indicators moving to the top of the light to provide an 'eyebrow'. The lights also score two LED running lights per side, both of which highlight the traditional round BMW 'eye'.

Xenon lights are standard, though full LED headlights are optional. BMW doesn’t think many 3 Series buyers would stump up for its ultra-expensive Laser Light technology, so it’s not on the books. The LEDs come complete with a system that blacks out oncoming headlights so the drivers aren’t dazzled at night.

BMW has tried to emphasise the width of the 3 Series with wider front air-intakes at the sides of the front apron and remarkable precise creasing in the front bumper. It doesn’t hurt that the radar cruise control hardware is now more integrated and less chunky, either.

There are new tail-lights, complete with integrated LED brake lights, and you’ll be able to pick the strength of the BMW engine in front of you on the road by their pipes. The 340i gets an 80mm exhaust pipe at each side, and cars from the 320i and up have a pair of 75mm pipes sitting together. The smaller engines have one 75mm pipe.

But it's inside the car that BMW has been forced to spend money and lift the luxury. The central control panel and the trim around the centre console are now standard in high-gloss black, while there are new controls for the seat adjustment and new chrome accents on most dials and switches.

The cupholders on the centre console now have a sliding cover and there’s finally an oddments storage area in front of the cupholders that can hold keys or a mobile phone.

There is also a new satellite-navigation system with LTE technology, which BMW claims is the fastest nav in the business.

European cars have four trim lines, ranging from standard to Advantage to Sport and to Luxury, making just about everything available depending on how much you want to spend. Options include radar cruise control, a head-up display and a full range of ConnectedDrive technologies and apps.

If all that isn’t enough 3 Series technology for you, there’s more. In early 2016, the facelifted range will be joined by a plug-in hybrid.

The 330e will deliver an NEDC figure of just 2.1L/100km and only 49g/km of CO2. Combining a 135kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four with an 80kW electric motor, it won’t skimp on performance, either.

Its pair of powerplants gives it a combined output of 185kW and 420Nm; good enough for a sprint to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds and a 225km/h top speed. All that, and 35km of pure electric driving from a full charge, too.

Of course, at the other end of the scale will be an upgraded M3 sedan, images of which were also released tonight, buried deep within six photo sets.

No technical details were provided, because there are no mechanical changes, although the 2016 BMW M3 does gain full-LED rear lights, chrome interior highlights and two new BMW Individual exterior colours: Smoked Topaz metallic and Champagne Quartz metallic), in addition to the exclusive Tanzanite Blue metallic and Azurite Schwarz metallic BMW Individual paint finishes.

Once again the facelifted 3 Series Touring is likely to include just three four-cylinder models – two petrols and a diesel.

However, BMW Group Australia chief Marc Werner made it clear to motoring.com.au that the 100kW/220Nm three-cylinder engine – already seen here in the MINI hatch and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer – will offer comparable performance to the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four that delivers identical outputs (but higher fuel consumption at 5.9L/100km) in the current 316i.

“The immediate customer response we have seen … with that engine in the 2 Series Active Tourer on the BMW side and ... with the Mini hatch has been extraordinary," he said.

“The response has been fantastic. It tells us customers are looking for performance and improved efficiency and this is actually what the three-cylinder engine delivers.

“So we don’t see any compromises between three-cylinder and four-cylinder."

Asked specifically if the first three-cylinder 3 Series will be sold here, Werner all but confirmed the 318i turbo-triple sedan for local release.

"It has not been announced yet because we have some hours to go but certainly we are continuing with our three-cylinder strategy.

"We absolutely see very, very positive feedback since we have launched the three-cylinder engine in this market."

In Melbourne for a media function this week, BMW Group's senior vice-president for Asia, Pacific and South Africa, Hendrik von Kuenheim, said the new three-pot petrol engine is crucial to lowering BMW's CO2 footprint globally, but said it will not be offered in all markets.

“Depends on which market … if you live in Holland the people would even go for a two-cylinder engine [in the 3 Series]," he said.

“If you live in South Africa they only have six-cylinder engines or bigger. You need to cater to the requirement of the local market.

“If you look at BMW North America they are having only three different 3 Series in their program; there is the 323 or 325 and 330 and 335.

“In Europe there is the 316, 318, 320, 323, 325… you hardly ever sell any 330 because it is all about CO2 emission and fuel efficiency."