BMW 3-Series 2016

When we learn that a car was facelifted, the part of which we think is its external design. Even when a facelift aims at only one aspect, we’d still find it normal if that aspect was its outer shape. This conception has been motivated by the simple observation of what automakers usually do, but it’s also another of those cases where a definition of something ends taken over by what was originally just a part of it. Nevertheless, BMW decided to think differently. This article’s vehicle received a very unusual type of facelift, but you’ll notice that it couldn’t have been more appropriate for it.

Since 3-Series has never been anything below a wonderful seller, specially at its most traditional bodies, changing it too much would bring an unnecessary risk. BMW has made huge efforts to attract new customers lately, and most of these start with the entry-level category. Therefore, 3-Series needs to remain a perfect symbol of all the qualities with which the company has built its reputation, because these are what seduces them away from generalist makers. Having that in mind, it gets very easy to understand why only the biggest fans of the Bavarian automaker will tell the new cars from the outgoing: the front bumper features wider air intakes, and all the lights can use LEDs; the daytime set uses the company’s new L-shaped lighting signature.

Most of the improvements were made to the interior. The ConnectedDrive infotainment system was updated to offer 4G data connection. This item comes as standard, and brings the emergency-call function, which automatically asks for help in case of an accident where the airbags were deployed, and benefits the navigation system – the latter was updated to become faster, more detailed, and able to receive over-the-air updates, which are free for the first three years. The list of optionals, in turn, was increased with a high-definition, full-color head-up display, which aids to safer driving. BMW also claims to have added more chrome inserts, upgraded material quality, and made the model more ergonomic – the details that vary with each trim level appeared once again.

If you’re liking the tweaked 3-Series so far, the following twist in this story may catch your eye even more: the new model received several new engines, including three-cylinder both gasoline and diesel units for the first time in this category. These are all parts of BMW’s new modular design, where all cylinders have the optimal displacement of around 500 cc – bigger engines are created basically by adding more of them. One of these is a six-cylinder, which goes to work for the first time in the brand new 340i trim. The only carried-over units are the six-cylinder diesels, and the twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder gasoline featured by the sporty M3. The tweaked BMW 3-Series is already on sale in Europe, and will be joined by a plug-in hybrid 330e next year.