STEPHAN HORN, BMW 3 SERIES PRODUCT MANAGER

Do you always start to develop a new car five years before it is launched? “For the most important cars, yes. It means that owners have had about two years in the previous model, so the feedback can be quite specific. We can combine that with the impressions from media tests and, of course, with our own and get a pretty clear picture of what we need to achieve.

“Of course, that changes with time – but as the clock ticks, there are fewer and fewer things you can adapt. The new dampers needed more space, which made demands on the designers, for instance. Every decision you make has many knockon effects that you have to consider and then stick to.”

Why is there a wait before the plug-in hybrid variant is launched? “It’s normal that you produce your bestsellers first, sticking with as many known factors as possible as you go through the complex process of setting the production lines up to run to the standards you expect.

“Once that is done, you can introduce more complexities – such as the addition of a plug-in hybrid. A four-cylinder engine and about 60km [37 miles] of electric range sounds right. But electric isn’t just about efficiency: we hope to use that torque to good effect too.” Could there be an all-electric variant? “It’s not in the plans or easily possible. We have other plans for electric cars, starting with the ix3, which we have talked about.”

Is there a danger customers could get overwhelmed by too much technology? “You have the choice of what you want or whether you use it. We will have petrol, diesel and electric options.

“On other technologies, the point is that much of it you don’t have to use but that it can be useful.

“The remote heating function is a great example. In many climates, you might not want to pull your phone out to pre-heat the car when you are in your home. Fine – you don’t have to use it.

“But if you live somewhere cold, cold enough to spec xdrive for instance, that function would allow you to de-ice the car, warm the cabin and the 15 minutes you save might transform your day.”