BMW will show off its most potent diesel 3 Series ever at the Geneva Motor Show in just a few weeks.
Assuming that Coronavirus doesn't cause a cancellation of the annual event, the new BMW M340d xDrive, in both saloon and Touring estate forms, will make its debut at the Swiss show. The new 'M Performance Vehicle' uses a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine, pumping out a whopping 340hp and 700Nm of torque.
Diesel with M3 performance
The mild-hybrid bit comes from a 48-volt electric system, which can add an additional 11hp to the engine's power output when needed, as well as helping to save fuel by running the stop-start system for longer around town, and allowing the car to 'sail' in neutral on the motorway for short bursts. The M340d's fuel consumption is rated at 5.3 litres per 100km (that's 53mpg) with CO2 emissions of between 139- and 153g/km.
Performance is better than brisk - the saloon M340d can pull out a 4.7-second 0-100km/h time (that would have been V8 M3 performance not so very long ago) while the Touring takes a fractionally longer 4.8 seconds. According to BMW, "Spirited driving characteristics and a cockpit design geared towards intense driving pleasure guarantee a thrilling performance experience." Sure sounds like it. M Sport suspension, variable sports steering and an M Sport brake system come as standard, as does the M Sport differential. There's an M aerodynamic body kit too.
So, diesel's not dead then, eh? Well, for those for whom a visit to the black pump is still anathema, BMW will also be using Geneva to expand its 330e plug-in hybrid range. We've already tested - and been impressed by - the rear-wheel-drive 330e saloon, but here come three more variants.
330e plug-in Touring and xDrive models
First up is the 330e Touring; this is the first time that BMW has offered its 3 Series plug-in hybrid as an estate. As with the saloon, luggage space is reduced compared to that of a standard model (because the batteries are under the boot floor), but it's still a respectable 410 litres - about 90 litres down on the standard model.
BMW will also launch xDrive four-wheel-drive versions of the 330e, in both saloon and Touring forms, in Geneva. The xDrive system distributes the power of both engine and electric motor between the front and rear wheels via an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch as required at all times. According to BMW, "The combination of BMW eDrive and BMW xDrive is geared in particular to the requirements of driving on snow, in mountainous regions and off-road."
As with the rear-drive models, the 330e xDrive gets the same 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, which, backed up by the battery and an electric motor, can reach 292hp for short bursts, from a standard power output of 252hp, alongside 420Nm of torque. Charged up, the electric-only range is as much as 68km, with CO2 emissions as low as 36g/km for the 330e saloon, 39g/km for the 330e Touring, 42g/km for the 330e xDrive saloon and 46g/km for the 330e xDrive Touring.
BMW wants to sell a million electrified cars by next year
All of these new 3 Series models are part of BMW's plans to have one million electric or partly electric cars on the road by 2021. Last year, between BMW and MINI, the group sold 145,815 electric or plug-in hybrid models. By 2030, the company wants to have half of all its global sales made up of electric or electrified vehicles, and will have 25 such models on sale by 2023. In Geneva, we will get a glimpse at how the 2021 BMW i4 is looking, in the shape of a concept expected to be in the style of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.