Seventh-gen BMW 3 Series Makes Its India Debut At Rs 41.40 Lakh

• The new BMW 3 Series is underpinned by BMW’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform.
• It is available with two engine options at launch - 320d and 330i.
• Three variants on offer - Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport
• Prices range from Rs 41.40 lakh to Rs 47.90 lakh (ex-showroom).

BMW has launched the seventh-gen version of what it calls the world’s favourite sedan, the 3 Series, in India. The executive sedan is priced from Rs 41.40 lakh to Rs 47.90 lakh (ex-showroom) and is available with two engine options. Here’s how the new 3 series compares against the older model in terms of dimensions.

The G20 3 Series is lighter by around 55kg thanks to the lighter aluminum platform. It is also longer, wider and sits higher than the outgoing iteration. The wheelbase has gone up by 41mm and the new 3 Series also gets a flat and covered underbody helping it achieve a better drag coefficiency. Apart from that, in true BMW fashion, it retains a 50:50 weight distribution with increase in the wheel track while the chassis rigidity is also up by 50 per cent. Let’s take a look at the prices of each variant of the new 3 Series:

As the name suggests, the Sport Line variant takes a more sporty approach with various exterior bits  finished in high-gloss black while the Luxury Line makes use of chrome for the kidney grille, front air intakes and rear apron to give it a more premium feel. 

The M Sport variant, on the other hand, takes a dynamic approach and features larger air intakes and a distinctive design for the  side skirts and rear lower bumper. The M Sport also follows a blacked-out approach with all the bits finished in gloss black. The cabin also features sports seats with M-specific upholstery, M leather steering wheel, anthracite-coloured headliner and interior inserts in Aluminium Tetragon. 

The BMW 320d uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel motor that makes 190PS and a healthy 400Nm of torque mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Naught to 100kmph comes up in 6.8 seconds. The 330i variant makes use of a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged unit which makes 258PS and 400Nm of torque mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 330i is blisteringly fast with the 0-100kmph coming up in 5.8 seconds along with a top speed of 250kmph. There are also four driving modes on offer: Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. Automatic start/stop function and brake energy regeneration are also offered as standard across all the variants. 

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

The kidney grille has definitely  grown in size this time, but not to the point where it overshadows the whole car. The overall styling is now in tune with modern BMWs and one can also make out the size difference from the images.  The side profile renders a sporty vibe with its short and stubby tail along with the sweeping roof line. The iconic ‘Hofmeister Kink’ is still present, but not as pronounced as before. The rear end also gets a major overhaul and now features sleek L-shaped tail lamps and an aggressive lower bumper design. 

The 10.25-inch infotainment screen paired with the massive 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is the main attraction inside the cabin that now looks less cluttered than the older model. Also offered are BMW gesture control, wireless charging and Apple CarPlay support. Everything is novel inside and it also comes loaded with some impressive features like a three-zone auto climate control, ambient lighting, reversing assistant, park distance control, six airbags, a rear view camera and a 360-degree camera among others.

The 320d comes with 17-inch wheels while the 330i in the M Sport variant makes use of bigger 18-inch wheels. Various colours on offer are:  Alpine White (non-metallic) along with Black Sapphire, Mineral Grey and Mediterranean Blue. The new BMW 3 Series competes against the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and the Jaguar XE.