COTY countdown: BMW 3-Series
BMW owes much of its reputation for producing reliable and premium sporty sedans to the 3 Series, and when a new model arrived at the start of this year, fans wondered whether it would deliver the improvements in technology, handling and driveability to honour the reputation.
The outgoing 3 Series had been overshadowed by more contemporary Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 models.
But the new 3 Series delivers a sporty comfort drive, in petrol and diesel models. Handling is firm and assured, and the driver and passengers sit low in the car and experience the exhilaration no SUV can hope to provide.
The new 3 Series boasts impressive driving performance and the latest in-car technology, and is the pinnacle in BMW’s history of producing the Ultimate Driving Machine.
It is the ultimate sports sedan, delivering an engaging and dynamic driving experience that is unmistakably BMW.
A newly engineered suspension system takes advantage of the 3 Series’ natural dynamic advantages, with increased frontaxle camber and innovative damper technology to continuously adapt to changes in the road.
New exterior features such as a bold kidney grille and the latest generation of LED adaptive headlights combine with a longer, wider profile to give the car an appearance that is undeniably 3 Series, but with a modern twist.
Internally, the extended wheelbase delivers an improved cabin space and a reimagined interior with redesigned controls; and high-quality materials gives a spacious, sports-luxe feel.
The 3 Series sets new standards in infotainment and connectivity, incorporating a fully digital and highly adaptable Live Cockpit Professional technology along with BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant (“hey BMW”), which will adapt to the driver’s habits and cabin preferences over time.
The car is well equipped for safety, earning a five-star rating from ANCAP across several categories with features including lane departure and change warning, front collision warning with brake intervention, rear crossing traffic warning, rear collision prevention and reversing assistant.
Those who yearn for a swift, rearwheel-drive four door sedan that sits flat on the road no matter how hard it is pushed, and who don’t need an SUV, should consider standing aside from the hordes, and driving the new BMW 3 Series.