The upcoming G20 BMW 3 Series has just been spotted
once again by aultan spy photographers, and going by the state of progress the
Bavarian giant is making, the next-generation model looks to be on course for a
world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.
This time around, more camouflage has been peeled
off, and it appears that the units seen here is of the M Sport
variant. It’s the first time we’ve laid eyes on the sportier version, and it
wears a more aggressive front bumper with horizontal LED units placed above the
side air ducts, much like that seen on the G30 530i M Sport.
On the whole, the G20 may have similar proportions
as the F30, but expect improvements to be made with regards to interior
accommodation. Speaking of which, the cockpit also appears to be modelled after
the G30 5 Series, and higher-specced variants will get a digital instrument
cluster (a first for the model). Elsewhere, the G20 gets slimmer air vents,
redesigned switchgear and large new displays for the infotainment system.
The new 3 Series will ride on BMW’s modular Cluster
Architecture (CLAR), so expect a lighter car despite an increase in size. The
platform will not use carbon-fibre like on the G12 7 Series, but instead
incorporate other lightweight materials such as aluminium, much like the G30
and the G01 X3.
For engines, expect the usual three-, four- and
six-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, including the revised
motors already seen on the facelifted 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer.
Also expected is a plug-in hybrid (like the current 330e) as well as a
fully-electric variant that employs the same powertrain as the X3 EV – the SUV
is rumoured to debut in 2020.
Crowning the model range is of course the
high-performance G80 M3. It will get the new S58 3.0 litre twin-turbo
straight-six that will also be used in the X3 and X4 M, with output set to jump
by 10% to 465 hp. Expect the M3 to get an eight-speed torque converter
automatic instead of the outgoing seven-speed dual-clutch unit, mirroring a
similar switch BMW made with the F90 M5.
