The new BMW 3 Series on sale in South Africa

Midrand. With its elegantly sporty design and agile handling, the BMW 3 Series has provided a reference point for driving pleasure in the premium mid-size segment for more than 45 years. Now, targeted updates to the front and rear-end design shine an even brighter spotlight on the sporting ability for which the BMW 3 Series Sedan is renowned. BMW Operating System 8 including the BMW Curved Display brings extra modernity to the interior, and all variants of the new BMW 3 Series now come as standard with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission with gearshift paddles on the steering wheel and a newly designed selector lever.

Headlights and BMW kidney grille with a new design.

With its clearly structured surfaces, dynamic lines and large air intakes, the front apron adds even greater emphasis to the sporty appearance of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan. The redesigned headlights and kidney grille also give the car strong visual presence. The standard full-LED headlights are now much slimmer, with clear contours and daytime driving lights arranged in an inverted L shape to create a harmonious and modern look.

Adaptive LED Headlights are available as an option and are identifiable by the blue accents inside their covers. Blue light effects below the headlight units also give the front end a striking and high-class appearance in the darkness. The Adaptive LED Headlights’ range of functions includes the cornering light and non-dazzling matrix high beam, as well as dynamic headlight range control and variable light distribution.

The lightly modified contours and new double bars give the BMW kidney grille an even more powerful look. Air intakes in Black high-gloss positioned below the kidney grille cool the braking system and add a sophisticated touch.

New rear apron with clean and modern surface design.

A higher proportion of surfaces painted in the body colour and a clean-cut design lend the rear apron of the new BMW 3 Series sedan a particularly sophisticated look. Horizontal lines, slim light units and flared rear wheel arches accentuate the width and muscular stance of the rear. The exhaust system’s tailpipe finishes now measure 90 or 100 millimetres in diameter, depending on engine variant.

The focus on dynamism and modernity woven into the exterior design is also reflected in the restructured model range. The new BMW 3 Series already has a boldly sporty appearance in standard specification – a visual quality further emphasised by the now standard M High-gloss Shadowline trim. Added to which, standard specification for all BMW 3 Series Sedan models now includes 17-inch light-alloy wheels.

M Sport package with new design, premiere for M Sport package Pro.

The stylistic dynamism of the 3 Series can be further strengthened with the M Sport package. Now standard on the BMW 330i model, it brings new design features including a honeycomb pattern for the BMW kidney grille, a new design for the front and rear aprons and likewise new M light-alloy wheels in 18-inch format with mixed-size tyres.

The BMW Performance models from BMW M GmbH also stand out with distinctive looks. As well as a BMW kidney grille in mesh design, M light-alloy wheels in 19-inch format and trapezoidal tailpipe trims for the exhaust system, their exclusive design features also include M exterior mirror caps in Black high-gloss.

The M Sport package Pro is a new arrival on the options list. Available as an extension of the M Sport package as well as for the BMW Performance models from BMW M GmbH, this package includes extended M High-gloss Shadowline trim, M lights Shadowline and an M Sport braking system with red callipers. Retrofit items from the BMW M Performance Parts range offer distinctive options for accentuating the dynamic character of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan even more intently.

The range of exterior colours has been expanded to include Skyscraper Grey metallic and M Brooklyn Grey metallic as part of the M Sport package. The BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey metallic and Frozen Tanzanite Blue metallic special paint finishes have been added to the range too.

Newly designed cockpit with BMW Curved Display.

The interior of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan has been treated to a comprehensive update. The new interpretation of the brand-typical driver focus is embodied by the standard-fit BMW Curved Display. Here, a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a control display with a screen diagonal of 14.9 inches merge into a single fully digital and high-resolution unit. This cutting-edge cockpit design has progressive digitalisation at its heart and enables the number of buttons and controls to be significantly reduced in favour of touch and voice control.

The selector lever for the eight-speed Steptronic transmission also has a new design. It is positioned in the control panel on the centre console along with the Start/Stop button, iDrive Controller, Driving Experience Control buttons, parking brake and other vehicle functions.

Three-zone automatic climate control and navigation system now come as standard.

An automatic climate control system with three-zone adjustment is fitted as standard in the new BMW 3 Series. The climate functions are operated by voice command or touch via the control display.

Other new additions to standard specification include an automatically dimming rear-view mirror, the extended storage package and Park Distance Control (PDC) with sensors at the front and rear. All models now also come standard with the BMW Live Cockpit Plus including BMW Maps navigation system.

Wide variety of drive systems, eight-speed Steptronic transmission now standard for all models.

Among other signature features of the BMW 3 Series is the wide range of drive systems available. Highly efficient internal combustion engines with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, and electrification in the form of a 48V mild hybrid technology, strike an exceptionally fine balance between driving pleasure and fuel economy. One diesel and four petrol engines with four or six cylinders are offered for the 3 Series. This line-up includes a four-cylinder petrol unit with an exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head and an upgraded turbocharger system to optimise power delivery.

Heading the engine range are two BMW Performance models from BMW M GmbH with ultra-sporty characteristics. This means the BMW 3 Series covers an output range from 115 kW to 285 kW (fuel consumption, combined: 4.9 – 8.0 l/100 km in the WLTP cycle, CO₂ emissions combined: 130 – 182 g/km in the WLTP cycle. Mild hybrid technology brings particularly rapid response and increased efficiency to the six-cylinder in-line petrol engine and the diesel unit.

All the engines for the new BMW 3 Series link up with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission as standard. Its sporting character is reinforced by the likewise standard gearshift paddles on the steering wheel. Available as standard on all models, barring the BMW 318i, is an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, which stands out with its particularly sharp shift dynamics, provides a Launch Control function for traction-optimised acceleration off the line and unlocks ultra-quick bursts of mid-range power with its Sprint function. BMW xDrive is standard on the range-topping M 340i xDrive model. 

Large selection of driver assistance systems.

A host of automated driving and parking systems are available to elevate the comfort and safety of the new BMW 3 Series to another new level. Standard equipment includes Front Collision Warning with brake intervention, which detects the presence of cyclists as well as vehicles and pedestrians, Cruise Control with brake function, the Speed Limit Display with no-overtaking indicator, Manual Speed Limit Assist and Lane Departure Warning with lane return. Options include lane change warning, the BMW Head-Up Display and Driving Assistant Professional, which comprises the Steering and Lane Control Assistant and the Active Cruise Control system with Stop&Go function, Automatic Speed Limit Assist, the route monitoring function and traffic light detection.

Among the functions provided by the optional Parking Assistant (standard for M340i xDrive) are the Reversing Assist Camera and the Reversing Assistant. The Parking Assistant Plus – with Park View, Panorama View and Remote 3D View functions – and BMW Drive Recorder are also available as options.

Latest generation of BMW iDrive with BMW Operating System 8.

The multi-sensory vehicle experience BMW iDrive with the latest generation of BMW Operating System 8 introduced in the new BMW 3 Series leads the way into the digital future with powerful connectivity and data processing capabilities, plus intuitive interaction between the driver and vehicle. At the heart of this are the BMW Curved Display and the extended capabilities of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.

The My BMW App acts as a universal digital interface between the driver and vehicle, while inside the new BMW 3 Series customers can make use of the Personal eSIM designed to work with 5G mobile technology, the BMW ID for individualising the user experience, and further improved smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. Meanwhile, the BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades function keeps the new BMW 3 Series right up to date with the latest software. The content of the upgrades ranges from new services to improved vehicle functions.

Recommended retail price (including VAT and CO2 tax):