What's the news?
BMW has shown off the new plug-in hybrid 330e saloon, although it's a model that won't go on sale here until July. The new 330e uses the same 184hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine as the old model, but it gets a higher capacity battery and a new 'XtraBoost' system that draws more power from the electric motor.
As before, that 184hp engine is combined with a 68hp electric motor, and that gives a combined 252hp with 420Nm of torque. XtraBoost kicks in when you need maximum performance, and is rather like an extra kickdown function, temporarily boosting power to 293hp. Nice.
BMW claims that you can get 2.0 litres per 100km fuel economy (which you won't, but good luck trying) and 39g/km CO2 emissions. The battery, now a 12kWh unit, goes further on a single charge now - 59km compared to the old one's 40km. It also gets an artificial engine noise generator which, if it's as good as the one in the i8 plug-in hybrid supercar, could be rather good fun.
The penalty is that the boot is quite small. Although it gains five litres over the old model, it's still down on the standard car, at 375 litres, so you won't be carrying much luggage. Perhaps the 6.0 second 0-100km/h time will help you get over that.
SE, Sport Line and M Sport will be available, and there'll be a full range of safety kit and driver assistance systems. Being a plug-in, you'll also be able to pre-heat or pre-cool the 330e while it's charging, using a remote control app on your phone.
Prices are still TBC but will be announced closer to the July on-sale date.
BMW Ireland is also launching a new subscription service, called BMW First. Not a car subscription service, this one, but an aftersales care service, with prices ranging from €4.90 to €16.90 per month. That, depending on how much you spend, gets you discounts on servicing and service items (such as oil and wiper blades), free car washes, 5c per litre off the price of fuel at Circle K service stations, and valeting services.
Oh, and for the proper petrolheads among us, there's also the opportunity to get short-term rental drives of such high-performance models as the M2 Competition, the X3 M40i, and the 440i Gran Coupe. And presumably the impressive-looking new M340i when it arrives too.
Speaking about BMW First, Paul Sharpe Aftersales Director BMW Group Ireland said: "This BMW Group AG project has the potential to revolutionise how the company worldwide offers its future aftersales services to customers. BMW First's subscription business model is part of The BMW Group's strategy to develop new business opportunities. We see the subscription model as a way to connect with customers and provide valuable services at a fraction of the cost that inevitably maintain the value and condition of the customer's vehicle."