THE BWM 3 SERIES HAS BEEN UPDATED, INCLUDING THE TOURING IN REGULAR AND M GUISE.
For nearly 50 years now, BMW’s 3 Series has been the bread-and-butter model for the automaker, and it continually improved upon making it the car of choice for private buyers and company fleets. The character of the current-generation BMW 3 Series was introduced in 2022 in the areas of design, powertrain, digitalisation and equipment and is now being followed up with a fresh batch of updates that take the cars’ visual appeal and cutting-edge modernity to new levels. New chassis tuning further enhances the balance between sporting potency and comfort, and when it comes to digitalisation in the new BMW 3 Series Sedan and new BMW 3 Series Touring, BMW Operating System 8.5 provides the basis for extremely intuitive and comfortable operation via the upgraded BMW iDrive with QuickSelect. These technological advances are accompanied by precise design modifications for the exterior and interior. New exterior paint finishes and light-alloy wheels accentuate the aura of sporting elegance radiated by the Sedan and Touring. In the interior, the newly designed steering wheels and instrument panel, plus sophisticated equipment features such as the CraftedClarity glass applications, deliver driving pleasure in an ambience of premium modernity. It's the Touring that we’re interested in though, because it looks like this updated version will make its way to local shores. The sophisticated design of the BMW kidney grille and twin circular headlights gives the front end an unmistakable appearance. Eye-catching front and rear aprons can be accentuated by specifying the optional M Sport package or M Sport package Pro, and the car can also be ordered with new exterior paint finishes and wheels to add an extra layer of individualisation. Inside are loads of new things like the BMW Curved Display, and new steering wheels with a polygonal rim in a two-spoke design. The M Sport package features a new M leather steering wheel with three spokes, a flat-bottomed rim and a discreet centre marking in the 12 o’clock position. The newly designed steering wheels have illuminated multifunction buttons and gearshift paddles. The cabin also features visual modifications and new seat surfaces.
It seems like the 3 Series Touring will make it to SA, and out of the models in the range we only really care about the range-topper model, the M3 Touring, but there are a few options to appeal to other potential buyers. The facelifted BMW 3 Series Touring has a choice of four petrol and four diesel engines, and the big boss twin-turbocharged inline-6 cylinder M Performance powerplant. Tree huggers have the choice of a plug-in-hybrid version. All new BMW 3 Series Sedan and new BMW 3 Series Touring models come equipped with an 8-speed Steptronic transmission as standard, complete with shift paddles on the steering wheel for quick manual cog-swapping. The various engines available for the BMW 3 Series produce outputs ranging from 110 kW up to 210 kW, joined by the 275 kW 6-pot petrol engine and the 250 kW straight-6 diesel. Both the six-cylinder in-line petrol unit and all diesel engines come with mild hybrid technology for more dynamic power delivery and greater efficiency, their 48V starter generator puts an extra 8 kW of power in play. The plug-in hybrids in the new BMW 3 Series range take electrification a step further, the BMW 330e Sedan Touring can be had with rear-wheel drive or BMW xDrive all-wheel drive, headed up by a 4-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor integrated into the 8-speed Steptronic transmission to create 215 kW. The M Performance models from the new 3 Series range are available with a petrol and a diesel engine, each with a displacement of 3.0 litres and feature M‑typical performance attributes. The straight-six power units in the M Performance models are partnered by an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission with an ultra-sharp shift action and its combined with the BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The BMW M340i xDrive Sedan and BMW M340i xDrive Touring generate 275 kW with 500 Nm of torque, and the diesel is rated at 250 kW with a typically high diesel torque of 700 Nm. The BMW M3 Competition Touring is at the top of the pile with 390 kW and 650 Nm.
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows off the updated BMW 3 Series model in both sedan and Touring guise. The Touring is apparently headed to SA later this year, and hopefully, that means the M3 Touring will follow along, I guess we'll have to wait and see: New BMW 3 Series G20/21 FACELIFT 2025 | Sedan & Touring | FIRST LOOK | Planet Car News
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