BMW 3 Series (G20)

 

The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 02 Series and has been produced in seven different generations.

The first generation of the 3 Series was only available as a 2-door sedan (saloon), however the model range has since expanded to include a 4-door sedan, 2-door convertible, 2-door coupé, 5-door station wagon, 5-door liftback ("Gran Turismo") and 3-door hatchback body styles. Since 2013, the coupé and convertible models have been marketed as the 4 Series, therefore the 3 Series range no longer includes these body styles. 

Courtesy of carmagazine.co.uk

 

The 3 Series is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the BMW brand's annual total sales (excluding motorbikes). The BMW 3 Series has won numerous awards throughout its history.

The M version of the 3 series, M3, debuted with the E30 M3 in 1986.

The seventh generation of the BMW 3 Series range consists of the BMW G20 (sedan version) and BMW G21 (wagon version, marketed as 'Touring') compact executive cars. The G20/G21 has been in production since mid-October of 2018 and is often collectively referred to as the G20.

The M340i, one of the first models in the range became available for sale in the spring of 2019, with the 330e plug-in hybrid model scheduled for launch in 2020. The 3 Series Gran Turismo fastback body style was discontinued for the G20 generation.

Equipment

The G20 is available in Advantage, Sport Line, Luxury Line, or M Sport package.

Standard equipment includes full LED headlights and tail-lights, automatic climate control, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, 40:20:40 split folding rear seats, and driver assistance systems including lane departure warning and collision warning with braking intervention.

All models feature iDrive 6.0 with an 8.8-inch display. The system can be upgraded to Operating System 7.0 with a 10.25-inch display and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. iDrive 7.0 has over-the-air updates for the navigational maps and operating system, and features a voice-controlled digital assistant that can be activated by saying "Hey BMW". The assistant can control in-car functions and is integrated with Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business. The engine start stop system uses the navigation system to prevent unnecessary engine shutdowns.

Optional equipment includes the BMW LaserLight, a BMW display key, self-righting wheel center caps, and a Welcome Light Carpet. A Digital Key system enables a smartphone to lock or unlock the vehicle using near-field communication, and will start the engine when placed in the wireless charging tray. The optional parking assistant system displays a three-dimensional 360 degree view of the car and its surroundings, which can also be remotely viewed in the BMW ConnectedDrive app.

Only 318d and 320d models are available with a 6-speed manual transmission.

BMW had controversially implemented a yearly fee for access to Apple CarPlay, a feature built into the car, and for which BMW pays no yearly fee or other ongoing expense. As of December 2019 it is reported that this fee will no longer be charged as BMW has backtracked on this decision.

In March 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show the 330e iPerformance model was introduced, sharing its engine with the 320i and a 50 kW (67 hp) electric motor, it has a maximum electric range of 60 km (37 mi). It has a 12 kWh battery (9.6 kWh usable) along with a newly developed system called "XtraBoost" allowing a temporary power increase from the electric motor of up to 30 kW (40 hp).

Engine

Petrol Engine (Gasoline)

Model	Years	Engine	Power	Torque	0–100 km/h (62 mph)[a]
318i	2020–	2.0 L B48 I4 turbo	115 kW (154 hp) at 4,500–6,500 rpm	250 N⋅m (184 lb⋅ft) at 1,300–4,300 rpm	8.4 seconds
320i	2019–	2.0 L B48 I4 turbo	135 kW (181 hp) at 5,000–6,500 rpm	300 N⋅m (221 lb⋅ft) at 1,350–4,000 rpm	7.1 [7.6] seconds
330i	2019–	2.0 L B48 I4 turbo	190 kW (255 hp) at 5,000–6,500 rpm	400 N⋅m (295 lb⋅ft) at 1,550–4,400 rpm	5.8 [5.5] seconds
330e	2019–	2.0 L B48 I4 turbo + electric motor	185 kW (248 hp)	420 N⋅m (310 lb⋅ft)	5.9 seconds
M340i	2020–	3.0 L B58 I6 turbo	285 kW (382 hp) at 5,800–6,500 rpm	500 N⋅m (369 lb⋅ft) at 1,800–5,000 rpm	4.4 [4.2] seconds
Alpina B3	2020–	3.0 L S58 I6 turbo	340 kW (456 hp) at 5,500–7,000 rpm	700 N⋅m (516 lb⋅ft) at 2,500–4,500 rpm	3.8 seconds

Diesel Engine

Model	Years	Engine	Power	Torque	0–100 km/h (62 mph)[a]
316d	2020–	2.0 L B47 I4 turbo	90 kW (121 hp) at 4,000 rpm	300 N⋅m (221 lb⋅ft) at 1,500–2,500 rpm	9.8 seconds
318d	2019–		110 kW (148 hp) at 4,000 rpm	320 N⋅m (236 lb⋅ft) at 1,500–3,000 rpm	8.3 seconds
320d			140 kW (188 hp) at 4,000 rpm	400 N⋅m (295 lb⋅ft) at 1,750–2,500 rpm	6.8 [6.9] seconds
330d		3.0 L B57 I6 turbo	195 kW (261 hp) at 4,000 rpm	580 N⋅m (428 lb⋅ft) at 1,750–2,750 rpm	5.5 [5.1] seconds
M340d	2020–	3.0 L B57 I6 twin-turbo	250 kW (335 hp) at 4,400 rpm	700 N⋅m (516 lb⋅ft) at 1,750–2,250 rpm	[4.6] seconds
Alpina D3 S			261 kW (350 hp) at 4,000-4,200 rpm	730 N⋅m (538 lb⋅ft) at 1,750–2,750 rpm	4.6 seconds

Safety

The 2019 3 Series scored five stars overall in its Euro NCAP test.

Test	Result	Rating
Adult Passenger	37.1	4.85/5
Child Passenger	42.8	4.35/5
Pedestrian	42	4.35/5
Safety Features	10	3.80/5