Paris Motor Show 2018: BMW 3 Series looks stunning in the seventh iteration

-    The 3 Series sedan enters into the seventh generation with more modern features and retained driving dynamics.

-    Powered by the most powerful four-cylinder engine ever fitted in a BMW.

-    Will arrive in India sometime in 2019.

BMW has officially taken the wraps off the new-gen 3 Series at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. The G20 3 Series takes its inspiration from the resurrected 8 and comes with many modern day features while retaining its characteristic driving dynamics. And it’s a looker as well.

The new iteration of the Kidney grille is characteristic of the new crop of BMWs. The headlights carry the signature DRL styling but are a lot bigger and edgier than the F30. While the L-shaped taillights are akin to the ones seen on the new Z4 Roadster and 8 Coupe. The overall profile remains unchanged but there are subtle changes around the windows and roofline coupled with new design alloy wheels of up to 19-inches to make it appear fresh. There are different bumper styles depending on the trim levels. And the standard 3 seems to have taken a lot of sporty bits from the high-performance M3 already. 

Under the skin, the platform is new, the same CLAR that underpins the 5 and 7 Series. The chassis gets new damper technology, stiffer body structure and suspension mountings, wider tracks, minimised weight, a low vehicle centre of gravity and even 50:50 weight distribution.

The driver-focused cabin, in typical BMW fashion, is no fuss and functional. The floating touchscreen is combined with an all-digital instrument cluster, while there are buttons stacked on the centre console. The new user interface comes with BMW Assistant, which like the Mercedes’ MBUX, offers AI-based interactive communication between the vehicle and driver. There are driver assistance programmes as well which are trickled down from its elder siblings. 

Powering the new 3 Series will be five engine options – two four-cylinder petrol, two four-cylinder diesel, and a six-cylinder diesel – in the 320i, 330i, 318d, 320d, and 330d guise respectively. The power output ranges from 150bhp to 265bhp. The 320d also get BMW’s xDrive AWD system. 

BMW will put the new-gen 3 on sale by the end of this year. We can expect the executive sedan to arrive in India sometime next year where it will rival the updated Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Jaguar XE apart from the upcoming Audi A4 facelift and new-gen Volvo S60.