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NEW 2019 BMW 3 SERIES: SPECS, RELEASE DATE AND DETAILS

The modern, sleeker new BMW 3 Series is shaping up ahead of its release early next year and these exclusive images preview how it could look.

BMW is gearing up to launch its most important car of the decade: the all-new, seventh-generation 3 Series. The saloon will be the brand’s star at September’s Paris Motor Show and will usher in a new platform and more electrification when it arrives in showrooms early next year.

Under the skin, the new 3 Series makes the switch to BMW’s new CLAR platform, which also underpins the larger 5 Series and X3 SUV. This allows a new generation of powertrains to be fitted.

The most significant of these is a fully electric version, which will sit on the same platform and be badged the i4. Based on the Vision Dynamics concept from the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, it's set to arrive in 2020 and will have an all-electric range of up to 700 kilometres.

Before that, two plug-in hybrid variants will be launched to satisfy consumers’ growing appetite for PHEVs. The first, expected to be badged 325e, will feature the same powertrain as the MINI Countryman PHEV, which comprises a 148bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and a 110bhp electric motor.

It’s likely BMW will also roll out a second, more powerful plug-in hybrid, badged the 330e, which will make use of a 2.0-litre turbo and electric motor to develop around 280bhp. The pair will also be compatible with BMW’s inductive charging tech, which launches with the larger 530e later this year.

Of course, the plug-in hybrids will still play a secondary role in the engine line-up; a new range of petrol and diesel powerplants will continue to be the more popular options with buyers.

The petrol motors will kick off with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine in the 318i, while a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo will feature in the 320i and 330i, with power expected to range from 190bhp to 260bhp.

All of the diesel engines used will be 2.0-litre four-cylinder units, with outputs starting at 150bhp and going up to around 230bhp. Lower-powered models will come paired with a six-speed manual box, while an eight-speed automatic will be standard on the more potent versions. BMW’s xDrive four-wheel drive will continue to be offered on selected variants, too.

Based on a wealth of spy shots, we know the new 3 Series won’t benefit from a dramatic redesign. Sharper lines and a new headlamp and kidney grille arrangement will feature. It’s important that BMW keeps the design of the 3 Series as inoffensive as possible to ensure it remains one of the brand’s biggest sellers with fleet and private buyers.

The car’s new backbone also means the German manufacturer doesn’t have to alter the size of the 3 Series in order to gain improvements in passenger or luggage space. The Mk7 saloon will grow slightly in length and width and shed around 30-40kg of weight thanks to the cutting-edge architecture.

Once the bread and butter of the line-up has landed in showrooms, BMW will then turn its attention to the M Performance and full-blooded M models. The M340i and M340d are likely to be the only variants in the standard range available with a six-cylinder engine, developing around 360bhp and 320bhp respectively. Both will be four-wheel drive as standard and use an eight-speed auto.

The new M3 isn’t due to arrive in dealers until 2020 but will make the switch to all-wheel drive for the first time. It will get a version of the selectable 4WD system that first appeared in the latest M5.

The 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo motor will be reworked from the existing M3 to develop around 460bhp – a 30bhp boost over today’s model. While this is not a dramatic increase, the addition of 4WD will significantly improve the M3’s performance stats.

The 3 Series range will also expand to include a more practical Touring estate by the middle of next year, while the Convertible and more svelte 4 Series and 4 Series Gran Coupe will appear before the end of the decade.

Excited about the new BMW 3 Series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments...


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