Updated saloon and Touring estate line-ups look toward an electrified future, with longer 63-mile EV range for PHEV and new tech inside
Richard Ingram Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk@rsp_ingram
BMW has finally taken the fight to the Mercedes C-Class with a number of updates for its popular 3 Series range, designed to pique the interest of company-car drivers looking to lower their annual tax bill. The changes include a bigger battery for the 330e plug-in hybrid, which now boasts 63 miles of zero-emissions range.
This officially marks the 3 Series’ second mid-life facelift – the first was implemented almost exactly two years ago. However, this time around the tweaks are mostly mechanical; visual changes are limited to some new paint options, alloy-wheel choices and interior fabrics.
For this round of updates, BMW (in the UK, at least) has ditched diesel power completely, slimming down the engine range to offer just two petrols and a plug-in hybrid. The 320i and 330e are available in Sport and M Sport trims, with the flagship six-cylinder M340i standing proud as a specification in its own right.
The big news, though, is the introduction of that new, bigger battery for the 330e PHEV. Combined power output of the petrol engine and electric motor still stands at 288bhp, but the new 19.5kWh high-voltage battery allows for a range of 63 miles.
BMW says the “high energy density” brings about a “major increase in system efficiency” – with no compromise to cabin space or practicality. Those numbers mean official CO2 emissions drop to as little as 19g/km, depending on exact specification, with quoted combined fuel economy of up to 313.9mpg. The extended electric range gives the 330e an eight-per cent Benefit in Kind (BiK) company-car-tax rating, though Merc’s bigger-battery C 300 e sneaks into the lower five-per cent bracket.
The BMW’s system now allows far faster 11kW three-phase charging, and the company says this means owners can top up the larger battery from empty to full in two hours and 15 minutes. BMW doesn’t quote a time for a more conventional 7kW home wallbox, but we expect the same top-up to take between three and four hours charging this way.
BMW also claims the car’s chassis has undergone “rigorous development work”, apparently resulting in a “notable increase in comfort across all driving situations, without any loss of the customary 3 Series dynamic prowess”. The company says refinement gets a boost, too.
Inside, BMW has ins
