For the past couple of decades, BMW’s 3 Series has had the cocky self-assurance that comes with being the best at what you do. If you were on the hunt for a high-quality, well-engineered premium compact saloon with sporty driving dynamics, the Bimmer was the go-to option.
However, the segment has evolved of late, and the 3 Series’ perch at the top of the tree is looking a lot more tenuous. The Bavarians now face a stern challenge from the excellent latest-generation Mercedes C-Class, named the World Car of the Year earlier this year by an international panel of motoring journalists. There’s also Jaguar’s brilliant new XE, which is every bit as nimble and sure-footed as the 3 Series.
The threats don’t end there, as waiting in the wings is a brand-new Audi A4 that’s due to make its world debut at September’s Frankfurt motor show. Although significantly roomier than the existing car, Audi claims it’s up to 120 kilograms lighter, which should result in sprightlier performance and handling.
In this context, it was time for BMW to wave the makeover wand at its F30 3 Series line-up, which is now almost four years old, yet still accounts for around a quarter of the brand’s global sales. The external changes are of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-them variety and only keen car anoraks and BMW obsessives are likely to pick up on the re-profiled front fascia that houses a mildly revised headlight cluster and broader side air intakes to create the impression of added width and sportiness. The tweaks at the rear are even more subtle, with the full-LED tail-light cluster being the only real change.
The big news is in the power-train department, as spearheading the updated line-up is the 340i, which replaces the current 335i. As with its predecessor, the 340i is propelled by a turbocharged 3.0L, in-line six-cylinder engine, but it’s an all-new unit that pumps out 322hp and 450Nm – representing healthy increments of 20hp and 50Nm respectively over the oldie.
BMW suits say the new engine is also more frugal and kinder to the environment, with a claimed consumption figure of 6.8L per 100km, which is pretty handy for a luxury-lined saloon that tips the scales at 1,615 kilograms. With petrol prices set to go up this weekend, that’s something worth considering. On the flip-side, you’ll be enticed by the brisk 0-100kph split of 5.1 seconds and top whack of 250kph, which the 340i achieves with effortless ease (not that we’re advocating trying the latter on public roads).
The eight-speed automatic transmission is a carry-over unit, but it’s been fettled via optimised shift calibration and revised ratios to better complement the new engine. The suspension has also been upgraded through new front struts and rear dampers that are claimed to improve stability while reducing body roll under cornering.
Enough of the theory; what you want to know is how the thing actually drives, right? Well, suffice to say there are no dramatic surprises, but the overall package is a subtly enhanced one that does most things better than the outgoing model.
For starters, the added punch of the new engine is noticeable, and any prods on the throttle are rewarded by a decent shove in the spine. The six-pot motor sounds good, too, with the twin tailpipes emitting a pleasant wailing melody when you give it the beans. That said, the 340i is also a quiet and refined cruiser, with the only audible intrusion being some wind rustle from around the windscreen pillar at speeds above 120kph.
The eight-speed auto goes about its business similarly unobtrusively, but when the red mist descends you can take charge manually via the nicely sculpted flappy paddles nestled behind the steering wheel spokes.
Our drive route at the international launch consists of some tasty winding mountain roads in the Austrian Alps, which the 340i devours with relish. The revised dampers appear to have elevated the 3 Series’ already tight body control and high grip levels a notch higher, and there’s no doubt it’s at the pointy end of the compact saloon field when it comes to dynamic excellence.
Unfortunately, the same doesn’t apply to the steering, which I find strangely artificial. Rather than feeling connected to the surface of the tarmac, I have the peculiar sensation I’m playing a videogame. You get used to it with familiarisation, but I find it curious that one of the key feel elements in a driver’s car such as this is so lacking in feedback.
The only other gripe concerns the iDrive system, which makes it a laborious and occasionally confusing process even to achieve something simple – such as turning up the volume on the satnav.
Other than these snags, the updated 3 Series ticks the requisite boxes, and it seems assured of keeping sales buoyant until an all-new replacement arrives in 2017. In the meantime, the scene is set for an epic group test with the Mercedes C-Class and Jaguar XE.
motoring@thenational.ae
