BMW updates 3 Series with new engine options

BMW has discreetly updated the 3 Series globally. The brand has introduced new engine options, subtle design upgrades and a plug-in hybrid version. Shown recently in Munich, the updated 3 Series has been introduced in the wake of newer rivals like the all-new Jaguar XE and the upcoming generation of the Audi A4.

The only visible updates come in the form of revised headlamps and a slightly different front bumper. The rear lights, meanwhile, get LED treatment as standard.

Bigger changes can be found under the hood. The newest addition is the 318i model with the three-cylinder 'TwinPower' turbo engine sourced from the MINI range. It produces 134bhp of power and 220Nm of torque. BMW has also revealed a new plug-in hybrid model which can run purely on electricity for up to 22 miles (35 kilometres).

As for the rest of the range, the 3 Series gets a new 4-cylinder petrol in the 320i model with 181bhp of power and 290Nm of torque. There’s also a new 248bhp, 4-cylinder 330i model that replaces the 328i. The four-cylinder diesel range, on the other hand, is now from BMW’s Efficient Dynamics 'TwinPower' engine family, with improved efficiency and extra power. These subtle updates mark 40 years of the 3 Series, with the first E21 3 Series premiering back in 1975.