BMW is preparing to launch the latest BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo in time for the start of summer. Blending coupe with the spaciousness of a luxury sedan and the boot capacity of a station wagon, the 3 Series Gran Turismo has found its niche over the last three years.
Its biggest sales markets are China, Germany and the USA, and the majority of BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo customers are new to the BMW brand. The new version of the Gran Turismo cuts a visibly sportier figure, and the three petrol and five diesel engines in the range offer noticeably higher output. All the engines are turbocharged and burn up to 14 per cent less fuel.
At 4,824 millimetres in length, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is around 200 millimetres longer than the other members of the BMW 3 Series family. Wheelbase is lengthened by 110mm, making it 2,920mm now. The large tailgate, meanwhile, opens to reveal a boot offering 520 to 1,600 litres of load space and allowing extremely varied use.
The interior of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo has an even more sophisticated feel, thanks to upgraded materials and accents. Extra chrome around the interior controls, and new decorative wood elements, colours and leather trim variants take perceived quality to another new level, while the interior’s haptic and ergonomic attributes have also been further enhanced.
The latest version of the BMW Navigation system Professional will now also be offered in the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo – the first time a mid-size model has been available with the upgraded system. The most important menu items are now displayed in a clear, tile-based style, which makes operating the system even more intuitive. Linking up mobile phones has become more convenient, as smartphones can now also be charged and connected to the car’s external aerial wirelessly via an inductive tray.
The engines available for the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo consists of three all-new petrol units developing 184 hp to 326 hp and five diesel variants producing 150 hp to 313 hp – with classical rear-wheel drive or BMW xDrive all-wheel drive. Manual or Steptronic automatic transmission are offered.
All the four- and six-cylinder petrol engines and four-cylinder diesels are taken from the newly developed, modular BMW EfficientDynamics engine family and enjoy the benefits of cutting-edge BMW TwinPower Turbo technology.
Considerable efficiency gains have been made with the new engines, despite their increased output. The reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions range from 4.5 per cent in the BMW 318d Gran Turismo to 13,8 per cent for the BMW 320d Gran Turismo. And further improved manual and automatic transmissions, the Auto Start Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, on-demand operation of ancillary units and the ECO PRO mode also help the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo to set the benchmark for fuel economy and emissions.
A total of 18 engine, transmission and drive configurations are available for the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.
