2016 BMW 3 Series receives key updates - ConsumerReports.org
It’s hard to believe the latest BMW 3 Series has been out long enough to need updating. But BMW has announced that the car will get a thorough freshening for 2016. Top on the list of updates is a new six-cylinder engine that will subsequently make its way into other BMW models. Employing BMW’s TwinPower turbo setup, the new engine displaces the same 3. 0 liters as the outgoing unit, but produces 20 more horsepower and 30 more lb. -ft. of torque, for a total output of 320 hp and 330 lb. -ft. , respectively. With BMW’s model designations now disconnected from engine size, this top-of-the-line 3 Series is now christened the 340i, replacing the 335i. (The M3 and M4 remain the ultimate, high-performance versions of the platform. The other new powertrain is a plug-in hybrid, dubbed the 330e, which BMW says will have a 22-mile electric range. It will likely use the combination 9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 2. 0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine from the BMW X5 eDrive. In an acknowledgement that handling in the current 3 Series has been softened perhaps beyond BMW buyers’ expectations, the suspension for the updated model is said to be retuned for sportier performance, reduced body lean, and more steering... BMW also says that both the six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmissions have been revised for greater efficiency and smoother shifts. Source: www.consumerreports.org
