BMW updates its 3 Series Gran Turismo to keep it in line with the rest of its 3 Series range, bringing with it an updated interior, tweaked exterior, and new engines.
Until today, the BMW 3 Series had pretty much completed its midlife-cycle update, permeating the entire range of body styles and variants save for one: the Gran Turismo, or GT. But that changes with the refreshed 3 Series GT.
Just like the rest of the 3 Series range, the GT sports minor exterior changes that belie the many deeper improvements found throughout the car along with a new set of engines. That lift-back design and silhouette remains, so too does the GT’s longer wheelbase (by 110mm to 2920mm) but sports revised headlamps and tail lamps to match the rest of the facelifted 3 Series.
Also new for the 3 Series GT is a tweaked rear apron and twin exhausts – depending on engine choice. But otherwise, there’s little else here to discern the F34 3 Series GT from the updated version.
Buyers can now pick from different trim levels for each variant: Sport, Luxury or M-Sport. Depending on that, the interior accents can differ between aluminium, chrome, wood, leather, or piano black. M-Sport features some styling choices from the BMW Individual palette.
Just as with the updated 3 Series saloon and Touring models, the new GT receives BMW’s latest crop of petrol and diesel engines which includes their most recent B48 2.0-litre TwinPower turbocharged four-cylinder unit. It produces 135kW/270Nm in the base 320i and can be made to output 184kW/350Nm in the 330i. All these engines have improved fuel efficiency and increased output over the outgoing powerplants.
In terms of diesels, BMW offers their 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit in the 320d producing 110kW. These engine choices for the Gran Turismo aren’t as varied, at least in Australia, compared to the 3 Series sedan, and it notably does not gain a plug-in hybrid option to mirror the BMW 330e.
Standard equipment for the new 3 Series GT includes automatic climate control, keyless engine ignition, Servotronic electric power steering , six airbags, LED headlight, LED front foglamps, a high-resolution colour screen with iDrive Controller, USB port and Bluetooth audio streaming, and a leather multifunction steering wheel.
BMW Australia are in the final phases of in the lead up to the announcement of local pricing. Booking should start soon after that with deliveries – locally - expected to start in Q4 2016.
For more on BMW vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
