BMW reveals seventh generation 3 Series sedan at the Paris Motor Show

BMW has unveiled the latest 3 Series sedan at the Paris Motor Show today. Codenamed G20, the car is the successor to the F30 model range. It is now more is now more powerful, gets upgraded chassis technology, a stiffer body structure (up by 50 per cent) and suspension mountings, wider tracks, minimised weight, a low centre of gravity and 50 : 50 weight distribution. The company has also announced that a plug-in hybrid version of the 3 Series will be introduced in the near future. An M Performance version will also be added to the range. The BMW 3 Series is based on the same underpinnings as its bigger siblings – the 5 Series and 7 Series and has grown longer (by 85mm), wider (by 16mm) and taller (by 1mm).

The stiffer body structure, wider tracks and changes in suspension set up will make the car more dynamic and induce sharper handling characteristics over its predecessor. The car will be available in three engine options tuned to different state of powers – an inline 4-cylinder 1,998cc petrol engine tuned to make 181bhp and 255 bhp, an inline 4-cylinder 1,995cc diesel engine tuned to produce 147.5bhp and 187.7bhp and a 2,993cc 6-cylinder diesel engine, which cranks out 262bhp. While the 6-cylinder diesel version is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission, the other variants are available with the 6-speed manual as well as the 8-speed automatic transmissions.

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The  seventh generation 3 Series is more aerodynamic than its predecessor, thanks to the Cd reduced from 0.26 to 0.23, a flat underbody, active air flap control and air curtains. The car also gets, foam filled A-pillars, acoustic windscreen and optional acoustic windows to cancel out road noise. The wheelbase of the car is increased by 41mm, the front and rear tracks are increased by 43mm and 21mm to provide more agility in corners. The 2019 3 Series sedan also gets a newly designed headlamps, T-shaped air intakes and L-shaped taillights. LED headlights are standard, while laser headlights and LED fog lamps are optional. The rear bumper is coloured in a contrasting dark grey colour with respect to the blue colour paint job of the car. The new 3 Series gets twin exhaust pipes.

On the inside, you get HUD with 70 per cent larger projection area, optional BMW live cockpit professional (12.3-inch instrument cluster) with BMW OS 7.0. The instrument cluster screen has increased from 2.7-inches to 5.7 inches. The control display size has increased from 6.5-inches to 8.8-inches. The front shoulder room and elbowroom has increased and so has the rear legroom. LED interior lights are also standard. Other highlights include USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity. Wireless charging for phones is optional and so is the 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Driver aids include parking assistance, reverse assistance, 360° cameras, lane departure warning, collision and pedestrian warning.

The new 3 Series will be available in four trims – Advantage, Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport. The car will go against the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE and Audi A4. It is not clear whether BMW plans to bring the 3-litre 6-cylinder diesel version to our shores.