Facelifted BMW 3-series revealed

BMW has revealed the facelifted version of its 3-series with a host of changes, including modifications made to its chassis and the launch of a new range of engines.

Physically, the facelifted 3-series gets minor cosmetic tweaks to make it look lower and wider than before.  The front bumper is all new with an air dam stretching its entire length. Also new up front are the head-lamp units with LEDs. At the back, the rear bumper is new and the tail lamps are now LEDs.

Under the hood is where the changes are really prominent. Apart from the 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, the entire engine line-up has been changed for the facelifted car. The entry-level model now gets a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol generating about 134bhp. The four-cylinder petrol engines are also new (Codename: B48) and are available in two states of tune generate 181bhp and 248bhp. The four-cylinder diesel engine line-up is also new, with power output varying between 114bhp for the base model to 188bhp. Being introduced to the model range is a new petrol-hybrid.

BMW has also tweaked all three of the 3-series’s chassis setup — standard, M-sport and adaptive — with retuned dampers and stiffer suspension to improve the agility of the new car.

A facelift is being planned for the M3, and it may make its debut in Frankfurt.

For the Indian market, the facelifted 3-series is expected to move forward with engine options from the current model, when it is launched sometime next year.