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For a BMW nut, it’s hard to imagine a 3 Series without a naturally aspirated, straight-six petrol under the hood. It should have become mighty evident in the hills around Barcelona, where the sweet thrum of a six-potter reaching a crescendo would drive even the most committed ecomentalist to give up on his or her thoughts of saving the world for a day. But I did not go through any of that; instead, just to make it a tad louder, I shifted it into Sport+ and it emitted a strong, four-cylinder growl from the intake. It sounded the way a sporty, executive sedan should. Is this the new face of BMW, then?
The new 3 Series definitely has a new face. Gone is that bulge on the bonnet and fenders; instead, you get a car that is a toned athlete. Yet, it retains that classic, short, stubby boot and a roofline that isn’t taken away by the hoo-haa of coupé-like lines. I particularly like the integration of the headlamps into the kidney grille, à la the i3 and i8. And with the emergence of three new trims — Modern, Luxury and Sport (soon to be joined by M Sport) — BMW is trying to make each and every 3 distinct, even in its mass-produced appeal. And mass produced it is — last year, nearly 400,000 cars found homes around the world!
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