The BMW 3 Series is almost synonymous with the Bavarian car maker. The sports sedan has always been the one to beat when it came to sheer performance, sportiness, and fun in the compact sedan space. Every car has that. car from the Lexus IS to the Jaguar XE have always benchmarked against this sedan, not to mention the Mercedes Benz C Class and Audi A4 too.So a new generation is always a big deal and with the 7th generation BMW 3 Series, things take on a bit of an added meaning and that is because it now gets to be not just the sporty and fun sedan from BMW, but also the company’s most innovative, most intelligent and most connected car ever. Their words, not mine.So it was with a lot of fanfare that we drove different variants of the car when it first emerged at the end of 2018. And my anticipation and excitement are now back as the 3 Series is making its debut in India. As I told you back then, India will get the 330i petrol and the 320d diesel.
There are two on the diesel.
Now the 3 Series gets to us in three variants. There are two on the diesel. This is the 320d. So you’ll have the sport which is a base variant if you want to call it that and then the better loaded version which is the luxury line that’s with me and that of course means you get lots of chrome. So the front grille finished in chrome that is that new big grille.You’ve got this element which is kind of like a signature to the 3 series and you’ll see it on all the variants except the M Sport trim. Now the 330i, the petrol will come in the M Sport trim and it has this Much larger, chunkier, sportier, snarling bumper. And, uh, those of you who remember my global drive on this car a few months ago, that car, the blue one, Portima Blue, was the M Sport.So, the big difference is really in the bumpers, but otherwise, everything else on the car, you know, the hood with all the metal that has musculature rising up, few very subtle cuts and lines across the side, all of the rest, like I said, remains pretty much the same. And for me, the one sort of highlight is the nice design feature that I really appreciated.This beautiful 3D effect tail light. And this tail light styling is kind of in keeping with what’s happening across the BMW range. And then like I said, similar elements in the rear bumper and the chrome tip exhausts on both sides to tell you that this is a luxury line, no badges on the car saying luxury line, like you had on the last generation.All three versions will be made in India at BMW’s Chennai facility. India will not be getting the range-topping 367 bhp. M340i xDrive, sadly. Well, at least not at the launch. It may be brought in as an import option later on. The new 3 Series looks grown up, bold, decisive, and very muscular. The confused droop-down appearance of the previous car is gone and back is the very familiar taut muscle, rippling through some tight, compact proportions.Yes, the car looks ready for action. And yet has a sense of width and sophistication.
The new 3 Series also gets
The cabin is very well finished and gives you an ample environment, both in terms of space and materials, as well as tech and gadgets. Ambient lighting details, even on the back door trim, for instance, enhance the car’s luxury quotient. The new 3 Series also gets the latest generation BMW iDrive 7. 0 interface and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. In terms of spec and equipment, all are very similar to what you would expect on the 3 Series and kind of like the last car, but material quality, finish, and even the seat back angle and of course the legroom have been enhanced. You also get your own little controls for the air conditioning back here with these two vents.You’ve got the climate control setting for temperature as well as the fan speed being on auto and you’ve got two USB spots here that are going to be very, very appreciated Because, of course, let’s face it, it is a 3 Series, but there’ll be lots of people sitting back here. Now, the dark brown palette is not quite to my liking, but like I said, it’s finished really well.The elements for the ambient lighting as well as the metalwork blended into the door panel are really nicely done. On theroad, the new generation BMW 3 Series Sure feels like an all-new car while the last car was reasonably sporty the character on the new one is more obviously soYet the engine choices may be a bit of a letdown as the 2-liter diesel and petrol are no fire starters. I remember feeling the same way during the global drive Neither will they feel like they’re letting you down nor will they really get your attention or put a big broad smile on your face So, why then am I calling the car sportier than its predecessor?That goes to its handling and steering feel.The car’s big USP, like most BMWs, will remain ride and handling. The ride quality of this new generation is just sublime. You’ll find it really comfortable and yet very satisfying when it comes to being, uh, kind of sporty and, you know, not giving you that very soft, mushy feel that you do get from some of the other sedans.And for me in particular, that was the one big highlight even when I first drove the car.
And it will feel well-balanced
Both are excellent and the 3 Series feels like it should as a result. Ride quality is also great. And it will feel well-balanced to the Indian driver. And even though you get a sense that you’re driving a bigger car than before, it’s not in a way that will bother you. If anything in the Indian context, that’s probably a good thing.So the sharp steering and precise handling will definitely get your juices going. Now the three 20 D get an inline four-cylinder diesel with 186 BHP and 400 NMF peak torque. It will do zero to 100 in 6.8 seconds. And has a top speed of 243 mph. That’s the car on your screens, though as you may recall, we also tested the new 330i before.The petrol inline 4 on the 330i has 253bhp and also gets 400nm of peak torque with a wide band. From 1550 to 4400 RPM, its top speed is 250 kilometers per hour, and it goes from zero to 100 in a second less than the diesel. Both engine types use the eight-speed Steptronic gearbox. As I said, there is no word on the M340i xDrive coming to India, nor the plug-in hybrid that was recently introduced worldwide just a few days ago.connected car features.The 330e makes 249bhp and may still come to us by the end of 2020 as BMW starts to get serious. About electrification across its range, not just globally, but in India too. Like we’ve seen on the new X five, the new X seven, pretty much all the new cars from BMW here too, on the three series you get the, uh, virtual assistant, but none of the connected car features.As I told you, they haven’t come to India, and that means everything offline still works. You can’t go online. The assistant is not connected to the cloud, so you can’t ask. To sort of search for places, even though there is navigation. However, you can ask for some other practical things like, Hi, BMW.What’s the tire pressure like?Hi, BMW. What’s the tire pressure like? The current pressure is all right for all tires. All right. Hi BMW, what’s my remaining fuel level? The remaining range is 551 kilometers. Alright, so I can go a fair distance, but as you can see, practical.
l
The premium car buyer in IndiaThe prices are competitive enough and BMW will like to believe that the lack of a credible rival at this stage will help it capture the compact premium sedan market. The Audi A4 has only fired so much, while the Mercedes Benz A4 C Class is now beginning to age. The competition from Lexus, Jaguar, and Volvo in India remains weak still.And so, the 3 Series is all set to thrill, and I dare say, kill. The premium car buyer in India will like that it retains its traditional strengths. And yet gives a bit more by way of luxury and comfort to give it a more all-rounder appeal than before. Expect to see a few of these on the roads. Could have been more had the automobile market not been badly hammered down as it were.