Prime Drive

BMW’s new 3 Series is primed to be better than ever. Time to see what’s what

- Raunak Ajinkya

The brief was simple. ‘Take what we’ve got and amp it up to 11. Chuck everything, including the kitchen sink, at it,’ and thus began the arduous journey of reinventing the oh-so-loveable 3 Series. I’ve maintained for a long time that the 3 Series has always been my most preferred non-M BMW, be it in the 330i or 320d spec (although, truth be told, I lean towards the 320d a touch more because of how much fun it is to drive. The torque really helps), and it’s just been such a stupendously fun car to drive overall.

Now, however, isn’t the time to rest on laurels. BMW knew it had to bring out a refresh, and everything needed to be bettered, as most refreshes go. It’s now 76-mm longer, wheelbase is up and it’s taller by a solitary mm, too. Oh, and the famed BMW grille is bigger than ever, too, although I have to say that it’s not as obtrusive as in some other BMWs. What’s cool to note is that you can actually see the 3 breathing through the louvres in the grille. This happens only when the engine needs cool air, of course, so it’s pretty cool to see the flaps open and close every now and then. Anyway, aside from that, I love the way BMW’s redesigned the head- and tail-lamps. The rear, especially, looks great. The one we got to drive for now is the 320d, and the alloys it came with were pretty generic, so it gets marked down a point there. Also, when you look at the car from the rear, you get the distinct impression that it’s under-tyred. Hmm. I see plenty of aftermarket opportunities opening up here.