BMW India Resurrects The 3-Series Petrol

German car giant BMW has once again revived the petrol version of its popular sedan, the 3-Series. This version of the car was withdrawn from India following less than stellar sales. But it could very well be so that the uncertainties caused by the diesel ban in Delhi have compelled the manufacturer to bring back this avatar, as the diesel version uses an under-2000cc motor, which is exempted from the ban. The variant has already been listed on the company’s official website and is dubbed as the “320i.” The car is available in two trim levels namely; the Prestige, priced at 36.90 lakh, and the Luxury Line, at 42.70 lakh (both ex-showroom, New Delhi).

Under the hood is the 2.0-litre TwinPower four-pot motor that produces 186PS of power and 270Nm of torque. This helps the 320i achieve a 0-100kmph sprint in just 7.3 seconds, which is equivalent to that of the diesel 3-Series. Transmission duties will be handled by an 8-speed automatic gearbox, with paddle shifters available only with the Luxury Line.

Aesthetically, the 320i remains identical to its diesel counterpart, except for the 320i moniker that it gets on the boot lid. Other major design highlights include a sloping-down nose, aggressive LED headlamp units, and character line on the bonnet and at the sides. However, the Luxury Line variant gets few more chrome garnishes and 17-inch wheels as standard when compared to the Prestige trim.

The interiors of the 320i boast of a driver-centric dashboard with the central console angled towards the driver for easier access to all the controls. Other standard features include dual-zone climate control, 6.5-inch infotainment screen integrated with BMW apps and drive modes namely; Comfort, Eco Pro, and Sport.

Speaking of the 320i Luxury Line, it gets more additions to make up for the added price. A few to name are the more premium upholstery options, an 8.8-inch iDrive touchscreen infotainment screen, handwriting recognition, electric sunroof, and an additional Sport+ mode.

The 3-series will sit against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C200 Avantgarde (Rs 38.9 lakh) and the newly launched Jaguar XE (base variant- Rs 39.9 lakh) petrol, both priced higher than the 320i Prestige. Meanwhile, the XE’s top of the line Portfolio trim is priced at Rs 47.9 lakh, which is about Rs 4 lakh costlier than the 320i Luxury Line.

BMW also plans to introduce the 5-Series petrol, badged as the “520i,” and gathering power from the same motor offered in the 320i. However, it will get more premium feature to suit its positioning, such as the 10.2-inch iDrive infotainment system mated to a 600W Harman Kardon audio unit, adaptive LED headlamps, heads up display and so on.