By: Dave Abrahams
Achenkirch, Austria - The 2016 BMW 3 Series may be more of an evolution than a revolution, but you can’t just call it a facelift.
Yes, it has a new front apron with wider side air intakes, chunkier kidney-grille treatment and fancy new headlight clusters (with full LED lighting as an option) and new, full-LED tail lights above a new rear bumper. And it gets more twinkly bits inside, in the form of chrome and piano black trim elements, to go with upgraded navigation, improved connectivity and more driver assistance with difficult stuff such as parallel parking.
But the important stuff is out of sight - starting with an all-new six-cylinder engine, upgraded fours and, for the first time in a 3 Series, a 1.5-litre three-cylinder, all turbocharged. Each is mated to either a six-speed manual or eight-speed Steptronic auto transmission.
The 1.5-litre three is rated for 100kW and 220Nm, taking the new 318i from 0-100 in a claimed 8.9 seconds and on to 210km/h at a nominal cost of 5.5 litres per 100km.
The two-litre 320i is quoted at 135kW and 290Nm, pushes 0-100 in a claimed 7.2 seconds and tops out at 235km/h, while slurping a nominal 5.9 litres per 100km.
The same engine, remapped as the 330i (replacing the previous 328i), ups the ante to 185kW, backed by 350Nm. Launch time from 0-100 is quoted at 5.9 seconds, terminal velocity at 250km/h and thirst at 6.5 litres per 100km.
The four-cylinder, two-litre 320d is good for a claimed 140kW and 400Nm, 0-100 in 7.3 seconds and 235km/h flat out, burning a nominal 4.4 litres per 100km.
The 330d has BMW’s authoritative 2993cc straight-six turbodiesel, tuned for 190kW and 560Nm, launching to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds and topping out at 250km/h; nominal consumption is quoted at five litres per 100km.
The top-dog, brand-new 340i turbo six is rated for 240kW and 450Nm. BMW says it’ll sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds, hit the electronic limiter at 250km/h and warm the globe at just 7.7 litres per 100km.
EXECUTIVE SEDAN
The 340i was also the only model available for us to drive on the world media launch from Munich to the Austrian Tyrol.
It is also, however, the outstanding example of what the 3 Series has become - a swift, smooth, sure-footed executive sedan, rather than the boisterous, occasionally undisciplined E21 and E30 models of four decades ago.
“Sporty” has given way to “driving dynamics”, direct rack-and-pinion to variable-rate, electrically-assisted steering and raucous underbonnet celebration to a more muted song of joy. But acceleration from lane to lane on the autobahn - after a momentary pause while it spools up the turbo and changes down three gears in one shot - is impressive. BMW quotes 80-120km/h in just 5.2 seconds and I see no reason to doubt that.
Even at 200km/h on wet roads the 340i is reassuringly stable, thanks to revised damping rates as well as stiffer suspension and sub-frame mounts (adaptive suspension is also an option) while the steering is a little light but never jittery.
The leather-trimmed, multi-adjustable sports seats are so comfortable that, once in and set up for your body’s geometry, you simply forget about them. The head-up display is admirably concise - it tells you how fast you’re going, the current speed limit, and how far it is to the next turn or mandatory lane change on your chosen route. In other words: need to know.
The satnav - supported, as are the online functions, by state-of-the-art LTE connectivity - is clear and fuss-free. The young lady, who is occasionally guilty of telling you to “Now turn right” when it's very nearly too late, doesn't even warn you when you're off-piste. She simply recalculates, quickly and seamlessly, without any break in guidance.
If the satnav on our launch car had not led us in a 110km circle to get us back on the right route, we would never have realised that we'd got lost in the first place.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
The cabin is typically BMW, well up to the standards set by its more upmarket siblings, which says a lot about how spoiled we are in terms of fit and finish. Attention to detail, evidenced by chromed trim elements, extra storage and well-thought out cup holders, reinforces the quality feel.
Once off the autobahn, the narrow, beautifully-maintained Austrian country roads provided an ideal demonstration of what the 340i is and isn’t. The steering is pinpoint accurate, but a little remote, as is the superb ride comfort of the uprated suspension, free of any bumps or thumps even on the occasional, very rare pothole.
The car did everything that was asked of it with remarkable finesse - and sufficient muscle in hand to dispose of overtaking moves with reassuring swiftness. But as a driving machine, it failed to engage my attention at gut level, possibly because I was just too insulated from what was going on between tyre and tarmac.
This is not in fact a criticism of the car, but perhaps the clearest expression of how far the 3 Series has come in 40 years, both in terms of luxury and engineering.
The South African line-up at local launch from mid-August 2015 will comprise the 318i, 320i, 320d, 330i, 330d and 340i, along with a nipped-and-tucked, 317kW M3.
INDICATIVE PRICES:
318i - R409 000
320i - R443 820
320d – R472 000
330i – R518 359
330d – R596 923
340i – R661 335
The 330e plug-in hybrid, combining the two-litre turbopetrol with an electric motor and battery capacity for 35km of silent motoring, will be introduced in SA from the second quarter of 2016.
Star Motoring