BMW 3 Series GT LCI facelift


Following last year’s mid-life facelift for the BMW 3 Series Sedan and Touring models, it’s time for the larger 3 Series Gran Turismo (GT) to go through a facelift of its own. With the new Life Cycle Impulse (LCI) update, the five-door liftback gets a modest bump in terms of styling, accompanied by new equipment and powertrain offerings.

Like its recently facelifted 3 Series siblings, the GT LCI will be offered in three different trim levels – Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport. Visual updates include LED headlamps that now come as standard (for dipped and high beam). Other LED lighting units include the front fog lamps and the rear tail lamp fixtures.


There are also revisions to the front bumper, seen on the front air intakes. For the rear, the reflectors elements in the apron are now positioned slightly higher up. These changes only affect the Sport Line and Luxury Line, as the M Sport gets its own set of bumpers (front and rear).

BMW has also expanded the GT’s palette to include two new colour shades – Arctic Grey and Jatoba metallic, bringing the total number to 11. Cars with the M Sport package can be specified exclusively with Estoril Blue metallic.

Standard wheels fitted here are 17-inch light-alloys (with 225/55 tyres), with 18- and 19-inch options. Three new rim designs have been added here as well – the star-spoke 658, double-spoke 673 and multispoke 674. Two rims designs that were previously exclusive to particular lines – double-spoke 466 and turbine-style 415 can now be ordered for every variant.


Dimensions here remain the same – 4,824 mm in length, 1,508 mm in height and 1,828 mm in width. The Gran Turismo is significantly larger than the BMW 3 Series Sedan, and has a wheelbase of 2,920 mm, 110 mm longer than the sedan.

Inside, BMW has employed upgraded materials and accents to quell quality concerns. There are also extra chrome around controls, new decorative wood elements, colours and leather trim variants. Lightly altered switchgear, slimmer dashboard display screen and the latest software for its infotainment/navigation system are also part of the cabin updates.


Moving on the engines, the facelifted 3 Series GT will get three updated turbocharged petrol units. A 2.0 litre four-pot makes its way into both the 320i (184 hp) and 330i (252 hp). The new 340i, which replaces the outgoing 335i, gets a 3.0 litre straight-six with 326 hp, a 26 hp bump.

Diesel offerings here include three four-cylinder and two six-cylinder engines, all of which are turbocharged. Starting with the former, there is the 318d (150 hp), 320d (190 hp) and 325d (224 hp). Moving on, the straight-six units on the 330d and 335d provide 258 hp and 313 hp, respectively.


All 3 Series GTs powered by petrol and the diesel-engined 320d and 330d can be optionally specified with BMW’s xDrive, while the 335d comes with all-wheel-drive as standard. Gearboxes include a six-speed manual or optional eight-speed Steptronic, depending on variant.