BMW presents the eighth generation of the 3 Series with the notable absence of diesel engines

Since last June, BMW has begun the commercialisation of the i3 in our country, the electric saloon that previewed what the eighth generation of the 3 Series would be, a model that has finally been unveiled with its combustion engines, among which the absence of diesel engines stands out for both Spain and the rest of Europe, although the new 3 Series will indeed offer diesel engines in markets that request them and where they are permitted.

If you have been following the latest news from the German brand, you will know that the i3 has already been available in its range for a few months, a model that adopts the brand’s new design language called Neue Klasse, which also carries over to the new 3 Series. They differ only in small details that reveal which engine they are fitted with. For example, the front of the 3 Series features a more bulging curve to accommodate the engines, while other elements, such as the BMW double kidney grille and the twin front headlights as well as the rear ones along with the bumpers, are similar. It is worth noting that the new 3 Series can be fitted with wheels ranging from 18 to 20 inches, compared with the 19 to 21 inches fitted to the i3.

Inside, as expected, it is more of the same, and we find the shared design and technology between the i3 and the 3 Series, made up of four main elements: the BMW Panoramic Vision, the BMW 3D Head-Up Display, the central screen and the multifunction steering wheel. Depending on the trim, we get a greater amount of technology. In fact, we can choose between the Serie, M Sport and M Sport Pro trims, which include features such as the following:

• LED front headlights
• LED rear lights
• Panoramic sunroof
• Electrically adjustable, foldable and heated exterior mirrors
• BMW Panoramic Vision
• 17.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Two-zone automatic climate control
• Wireless charger
• Keyless entry and start system
• Ambient lighting
• Front seats with electric adjustment and memory function
• Adaptive cruise control with Stop&Go function and speed limiter
• Rear-view camera
• Lane change warning
• Emergency braking assistance system
• Emergency steering intervention
• Hill start assist
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Traffic sign recognition

The engine range of the new BMW 3 Series will consist solely of petrol engines with mild-hybrid technology, starting with the 318 version, which uses a 2,000 cc four-cylinder inline TwinPower Turbo engine with a power output of 156 CV and torque of 250 Nm, sent to the rear axle through the 8-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox. One step up, using the same engine and gearbox, is the 320, whose power increases to 211 CV and 330 Nm of torque.

Until a new M3 arrives, the crown jewel will be the M350 xDrive, which uses the 3,000 cc TwinPower Turbo engine with power rising to 443 CV, together with torque of 580 Nm and the same gearbox. The difference is that all this power is sent to all four wheels thanks to the intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive system. With this configuration, the new BMW 3 Series can accelerate to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

The new BMW 3 Series can already be configured on the German brand’s website, with prices starting at 49,100 euros for the 318, while the 320 starts at 54,100 euros and, finally, the M350 xDrive starts at 86,100 euros.

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Technical specifications of this car

SedanBMW Serie 318 versions · from 50,200 €