New BMW 3 Series India Launch on 21 August 2019

The seventh generation BMW 3 Series was revealed in late 2018 and went on sale in some markets overseas in the first half of 2019. It’s coming to India now, on 21 August 2019.

The new-gen 3 Series is based on BMW’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform layout, similar to the 5 Series and 7 Series. It is bigger yet lighter than its predecessor.

The new 3 Series retains its long bonnet and stubby boot, so the silhouette isn’t drastically different from the outgoing model. However, look at it from any angle, and you’ll be able to distinguish the new model from the old thanks to a new single frame kidney grille, new headlamps, sleeker tail lamps and a relatively soft shoulder line.

The cabin design too, is not a major departure from the outgoing model. The dashboard is still divided into two parts and the infotainment system stands atop the central AC vents. Forget the layout and you’ll notice the differently designed air-con vents and steering wheel.

The 3 Series is better equipped than the existing model, with features like a reverse camera, LED headlights and three-zone automatic climate control available across the range. It also gets an 8.8 inch infotainment screen, along with a larger 10.25 inch unit available as an option. The infotainment system can be controlled via BMW’s latest iDrive system that can be operated via the rotary dial, touchscreen, touchpad, voice commands or gesture control.

The top variants of the 3 Series get digital instrument cluster that offers an array of important information. However, it remains to be seen how many of these features make their way on the India-spec seventh-gen 3 Series.

Under the hood, the new 3 Series is likely to carry forward the existing engine range that includes a 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine in the 330i guise and a 2.0 litre diesel engine in the 320d version. The petrol engine would offer more power figures now at 258PS, up by 6PS. The diesel engine will continue to offer 190PS of maximum power.  

At present, the 3 Series range starts from around Rs 40 lakh and goes up to Rs 47.3 lakh. Expect the new model to be slightly more expensive than the outgoing version. The 3 Series will continue to rival the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, Jaguar XE and Volvo S60, which will also be replaced soon.