The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.

In the space of just three years, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo has established itself as a standalone character within the BMW 3 Series family. It brings together the sporting attributes of the 3 Series Saloon, with the elegance of the 4 Series Coupé, and the functionality and versatility of the 3 Series Touring.

Wth the new 3 Series Gran Turismo, the development engineers have given particular focus to enhancing its sporting potency and enhancing quality. The engine range now consists entirely of power units from the new modular family of BMW engines, offering more performance for less emissions and fuel consumption. Inside and out the new 3 Series GT also benefits from carefully crafted enhancements both visually and to its functionality.

The successful underlying concept, however, has remained untouched: ease of entry, a slightly raised seating position with outstanding all-round visibility and a sense of spaciousness are key qualities, along with more room in the rear compartment. Here, customers can expect three full-size seats and – thanks to a longer wheelbase – the legroom of a luxury saloon. Then there is the boot behind the large, electrically operated tailgate (fitted as standard), whose capacity and variability exceed even the Touring model.
 

 

Design: increased visual appeal for the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo

The overall dimensions of the 3 Series Gran Turismo remain unchanged, as do the key attributes: four doors with frameless windows, the coupé-style, gently sloping roofline, and a large tailgate.

However, the new twin circular headlights define the front end, with LED headlights for dipped and high beam now fitted as standard. The front fog lamps are also now LEDs, while Adaptive LED headlights are available as an option. Together with the light graphics, the links from the headlights to the kidney grille give the front end a broader and therefore sportier visual impact.

The outer air intakes have also been revised. In Sport Line and Luxury Line cars, these intakes feature a horizontal bar that generates a straight line across the lower section of the front end. Together with the blades above them, this accentuates the Gran Turismo’s wide stance on the road. On Luxury Line cars, both the bar and the blades come in chrome, while Sport Line models feature the bar in aluminium and the blades in high-gloss black.

The rear of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo features full-LED rear lights that are no longer split into individual light strips, but now possess a dynamic sweep towards their outer edge. Moreover, the reflector elements in the rear apron are now positioned higher up, while moving the trim strip further down – finished in chrome on Luxury Line models and high-gloss black on Sport Line cars – lowers the visual centre of gravity.

The rear of the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo retains its predecessor’s active aerodynamic system, including a spoiler that extends automatically at higher speeds to generate the necessary downforce. At lower speeds, the spoiler slides back almost imperceptibly into the car’s silhouette.

Two new exterior colour shades extend the available palette - Arctic Grey and Jatoba metallic - bringing the number of paint finishes available to 11. As well as one non-metallic and four metallic hues, cars with the M Sport package can be specified exclusively with the metallic shade of Estoril Blue.

The new model is fitted as standard with 18-inch light-alloy wheels and 225/50 R18 tyres, with an increased range of 18- and 19-inch wheels now also available with different equipment lines or as separate options.

The Interior: subtle enhancements for an even higher quality ambience
A host of details inside the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo have benefitted from the introduction of new materials. Chrome and high-gloss elements have been applied to areas such as the surround for the air vents, the buttons in the doors for the windows and mirror adjustment, and the radio and air conditioning controls. The Centre Information Display now features a flatter design and narrower frame profile to give it a slimmer and, as a result, more elegant appearance.

The range of colours and materials available has been expanded and refined, with an array of wood trim strips available that now includes Fineline Light and Ash Grain with a metal inlay. There is also new contrast stitching for the Saddle Brown, Veneto Beige and Black variants of the Dakota leather upholstery.

The generously proportioned boot has 520-litres of capacity. The large load opening, measuring 1,120mm in width × 618mm in height, and the wide-opening tailgate (electrically operated as standard) make it easier to load up bulky items. A practical feature is the cargo function of the rear seat backrests, whose tilt angle can be adjusted through 15 stages and 19 degrees and which can also be folded down 40:20:40. This expands the load capacity to as much as 1,600 litres.

More choice: model variants for further individualisation
The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo features an extensive list of equipment already fitted as standard, including automatic climate control, keyless engine ignition, Servotronic steering, six airbags, LED headlights for dipped and high beam, and LED front foglamps. A high-resolution colour screen with iDrive Controller, a front armrest, a rain sensor, a Bluetooth hands-free facility for phone calls – including a USB port and Bluetooth audio streaming – and a leather multifunction steering wheel also feature.

Sport Line and Luxury Line cars add further individual character, with the former featuring many elements finished in gloss black and contrasting colour stitching for the leather upholstery among the enhancements. The luxury line features the application of chrome trim and its own list of unique trim features to subtly shift the character of the car again. Meanwhile, the M Sport model offers additional options designed to further increase the car’s presence on the road and the driving pleasure available at the ‘wheel, such as the aerodynamic package, M Design alloy wheels and a sporty interior ambience.

Engine: High power, low fuel consumption with BMW EfficientDynamics
The new generation of engines in the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo are notable for combining performance with efficiency; all engines are now turbocharged. The line-up comprises three brand new petrol units and five diesel engines. All the petrol models and two of the diesels (320d, 330d) are available with the option of BMW xDrive, while the BMW 335d Gran Turismo comes with the all-wheel-drive system as standard.

Further improved manual and automatic transmissions, the Auto Start Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, on-demand operation of ancillary units and the ECO PRO mode also help to ensure the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo delivers all the sporting and dynamic qualities for which the brand is renowned, but still manages to return lower fuel consumption and emissions than anything else in its class.

All the petrol and diesel engines now come from the newly developed modular BMW EfficientDynamics engine family, and feature the very latest BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. The petrol engines are new to the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, while the four-cylinder diesels have all been available since the introduction of the new engine generation in summer 2015.

These new engines share a standardised design principle, with a displacement per cylinder of 500 cubic centimetres, an in-line cylinder arrangement and an extremely lightweight, thermodynamically optimised all-aluminium construction. The crankcase is remarkably rigid due to its closed-deck design, which means that the cylinder water jacket is closed at the top. In addition, thermally joined, high-strength cylinder walls with a twin-wire, arc-sprayed coating save weight and reduce internal friction. The very short warm-up phase for all engines furthermore results in a significant fuel saving.

All the four-cylinder power units have balancer shafts for smooth operation throughout the rev range. The modular nature of this engine family is also reflected in the standardised interfaces for the engine mounts and the connections to the cooling circuit, the intake and exhaust systems, as well as the heating and air conditioning systems.

The petrol engines employ a turbocharger integrated in the exhaust manifold. This means the exhaust gases only have a very short distance to travel to the turbocharger system, providing immediate throttle response. The switch from direct to indirect charge air cooling means even sharper responsiveness, as the compact design with a far smaller volume and reduced pressure loss within the intercooler enable boost pressure to build up faster.

The SYNTAK (Synergy Thermoacoustic Capsule) technology in the four-cylinder petrol engines brings about a further reduction in fuel consumption. This innovative new encapsulation technique allows the engine to cool down more slowly, maintain a much higher temperature for up to 36 hours and endure fewer cold starts as a result. SYNTAK has the additional benefit of enhancing comfort by reducing engine noise and enabling the heating system to reach its target temperature more quickly. The close-coupled catalytic converter and electrically operated boost pressure control valve (wastegate) serve to lower the petrol engines’ emissions still further.

Every new BMW EfficientDynamics engine is equipped with the latest generation of BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. For the petrol engines, this comprises TwinScroll turbocharging, High Precision Direct Injection and Double-VANOS variable camshaft timing, plus the benefits of Valvetronic fully variable valve timing. The power outputs for the petrol engine range from 184hp (320i) to 326hp (340i), with fuel consumption and C02 emissions as 48.7mpg and 132g/km (320i). Both the 330i and 340i feature a top speed electronically limited to 155mph.

All feature variable turbine geometry and latest-generation common-rail direct injection, whose maximum injection pressures of up to 2,000 bar are particularly effective in reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The standout efficiency star is the 318d, which achieves up to 65.7mpg and emits just 112g/km of C02, despite comfortably dipping below 10 seconds for the zero to 62mph sprint. At the opposite end of the range, the 313hp 335d xDrive can reach 62mph from rest in under five seconds, but still exceeds 50mpg on the combined cycle.

Transmissions: six-speed manual and eight-speed Steptronic
The BMW 320i Gran Turismo, 318d Gran Turismo and 320d Gran Turismo are equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard – in both rear-wheel drive and optional BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive forms. The manual transmission features a dual-mass flywheel with centrifugal pendulum absorbers, which counteracts uneven running even in high-torque engine variants, enabling the driver to shift up smoothly at low rev speeds and thereby enabling a further reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The six-speed manual transmission also features engagement speed control, meaning that the engine revs are automatically adjusted to the engagement speed for the next gear when changing up or down.

Customers can also specify the abovementioned models with the revised eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission as an option, while the remaining engine variants in the range are fitted with Steptronic as standard. The Steptronic transmission’s improved efficiency, wider gear ratio spread and reduced torque converter slip during gear shifts cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by three per cent, while more effective compensation of imbalances results in greater ride comfort and smoother shifting.

Sport+ mode now allows the driver to push the engine all the way up to the rev limiter and to perform multiple downshifts, for instance from eighth gear straight to fourth. And for those seeking an even greater sense of driving involvement, the eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission – featuring steering wheel paddle shifters – can also be specified.

BMW xDrive combines the customary advantages of all-wheel drive, such as optimum power transmission to the road, supreme handling safety and maximum traction (in wintry driving conditions, for example) with the agile and precise driving qualities customers expect from BMW cars. BMW xDrive reduces understeer and oversteer effectively when cornering. And it also enhances handling dynamics when turning into or powering out of corners – even tight hairpins.

Driving Dynamics: comfort combined with driving pleasure
The suspension on the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo (double-joint spring strut front axle with anti-roll bar and a five-link rear axle configuration) boasts the hallmark driving qualities and handling prowess of the BMW 3 Series, while also enhancing driving stability and long-distance comfort.

This is true of both the standard suspension and the M Sport suspension, and especially so with the adaptive suspension option. The latter offers electronically controlled dampers and allows individual adjustment of the car’s dynamic responses at the touch of a button. The suspension is lowered by 10mm on rear-wheel-drive variants. Drivers can use the Driving Experience Control switch to choose between a more comfort-biased setting and a distinctly sportier drive.

Driving assistance systems and high-resolution Head-Up Display.
Assistance systems such as the Parking Assistant, which makes parking parallel and perpendicular to the road easier, and Active Cruise Control (with Stop&Go function including radar-based Collision Warning and cameras to monitor the area around the car) can be selected as options.

Another optional feature is the full-colour, high-resolution Head-Up Display. All relevant information, such as speed, navigation instructions, speed limits and overtaking restrictions, is projected onto the windscreen so that it appears in an optimum position in the driver’s field of view. The safety information from the optional Driving Assistant package (Collision Warning with City Braking function, Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function, Attentiveness Assistant and Lane Departure Warning) and information relating to telephone and media use are also shown in the Head-Up Display.

BMW ConnectedDrive: a friendly interface between human and machine
The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo now features as an option the latest version of the Professional Navigation system. In a clear departure from previous versions, the top menu features a “tile” display of the six main categories. The next operating step within the menu structure has a preview form, creating an attractive and intuitive user experience.

Bluetooth mobile phone integration is now fitted as standard, and there is also the option of an inductive tray for charging suitably specified smartphones wirelessly. To replenish its battery, the phone is placed into the charging tray inside the centre armrest. The charging tray also provides a wireless connection to the external aerial, thereby improving mobile reception – especially in areas with a weak signal. This equipment item additionally comprises a WiFi hotspot (to establish a high-speed internet connection for up to eight mobile devices) and a second USB port in the centre console. Both ports have a two-amp rating, so are also suitable for charging larger devices, such as tablets.

Preparation for Apple Car Play will also be available, offering optimised integration of an Apple iPhone into the car. This feature will be introduced during the second half of 2016.

Finally, using the SIM card built into the vehicle the optional BMW ConnectedDrive Services enable the customer to enjoy optimum connectivity. Benefits include features such as the Concierge Service, Online Entertainment with direct access to millions of music tracks, and RTTI (Real Time Traffic Information).

The new BMW 3 Series Gran Tourismo goes on sale from July 2016, with prices starting from £30,405 OTR.

                                                          Ends

The BMW Group

With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2015, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.247 million cars and nearly 137,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group had a workforce of 122,244 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

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