2023 BMW 3 Series: What’s new?

To rival the likes of the latest Mercedes C-Class, here comes the all-new BMW 3 Series. Yes, just after teasing a short video clip of the new 3er, the Bavarian automaker has unleashed the luxury sedan in full. And, believe us, this mid-life update has made the brand's best-selling model more crisp in styling and more hi-tech. Let's dive into the details and know more about this new German icon.

New grille and headlights

Instead of getting shock-and-awe design tactics like the other recent BMW models, the new 3 Series continues to feature its previous design language. However, the new front and headlights successfully provide the sedan with a crisp look. The new kidney front grille features less rounded edges with slightly redesigned contours and new double bars. On the other hand, the LED headlights are now slimmer; they also sport precise contours, and inverted L-shaped daytime driving lights creating a harmonious look.

Adaptive LED lights

The Adaptive LED headlights come as an option with the blue accents placed inside their covers. The Blue splashes give the front fascia a striking appearance in the dark. It also provides a range of functions, including cornering light, non-dazzling, and dynamic headlight range control.

Slightly revised bumpers and new wheels

BMW has also slightly tweaked the front and rear bumper with more aggressive angles to match the new elements. Also, part of the kit is brand new 17-inch alloy wheels as standard. 

New Colour options

The new hues added to the BMW 3 Series colour palette are M Brooklyn Grey metallic, Skyscraper Grey metallic, Frozen Tanzanite Blue metallic, and BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey metallic. A range of 150 additional BMW Individual paint finishes is also on offer.

New M Sport package

Further elevating the aesthetics of the luxury sedan is the new M Sport package. It adds the following bits -

• A honeycomb pattern for the BMW kidney grille
• New 18-inch M light-alloy wheels (19-inch as an option)
• Trapezoidal tailpipe trims for the exhaust system
• M exterior mirror caps sprayed with a Black high-gloss finish

As an extension of the M Sport package, BMW offers the M Sport package Pro which brings on board M lights Shadowline, M High-gloss Shadowline trim, and an M Sport braking system with red calipers.

New Curved Display

As expected, the 2023 BMW 3 Series is kitted with a new curved display, including a 12.3-inch digital driver cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment unit. The new system looks better and also works better. 

It supports the latest iDrive system, augmented-reality navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 5G connectivity, and a digital key mated with the owner's iPhone. Also, part of the kit is a more intelligent BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, which can now take instructions in a natural voice to manage the controls. 

Redesigned gear selector

The new sedan also gets a revamped gear selector paired with the 8-speed automatic transmission. It is placed on the centre stack along with the iDrive Controller, Start/Stop button, Driving Experience Control buttons, and parking brake.

Park Distance Control safety feature

The new addition to the sedan's safety kit is the Park Distance Control, which is paired with four sensors at the front and rear. 

No changes under the skin

On the mechanical front, the ICE-powered BMW 3 Series continues to be the same. That means the base-spec 330i is powered by a 2.0-litre inline-four turbocharged engine making 258 PS and 400 Nm. The 330e, on the other hand, runs on a plug-in hybrid mill delivering 292 PS and 420 Nm with an all-electric range of 23 miles. On the top of the range sits the M340i with a 3.0-litre inline-six turbo mill, which kicks out 387 PS and 500 Nm.

All mills are coupled with an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission and xDrive AWD system.

Price and launch details

The new BMW 3 Series deliveries will commence in June across the world, with pricing expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks. As for Malaysia, we expect the sedan's arrival in early 2023.

So, what are your thoughts on the revamped BMW sedan? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: BMW iX1 undergoes final testing, launch set for this year