BMW’s popular 3 series saloon and Touring wagon will show off a new face, tail, two new engines plus chassis and specification upgrades at this year’s Frankfurt motor show in September.
The 2002 models have a new kidney grille, lower front and rear valance, new headlights and front indicators and the inclusion of the side repeater indicator into the swage line behind the front wheel arch. The saloon also has new rear light clusters.
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The changes give a new, more muscular face to both models and distinguish them further from the newer Coupé and Convertible models which remain unchanged.
All 2002 3 series models have the revised suspension settings and more responsive steering rack introduced recently with the new Compact models.
The still confusingly named 318i gets a new two litre four cylinder engine. Delivering 143 bhp and 200 Nm of torque, this engine, the second to be produced at Hams Hall in England’s West Midlands, features Valvetronic technology which eliminates the need for a throttle butterfly while the fully variable valve lift helps the engine breathe more efficiently.
The 320d’s four cylinder diesel engine now has common rail fuel injection for an additional 14 bhp which takes the power up to 150 bhp and it now delivers 330 Nm of torque, up from 280 Nm.
The 320d models will also now be available for the first time with a five speed automatic transmission.
The Steptronic automatic gearbox action on all models has been reversed: in manual mode pushing the gearlever forward will now result in changing down a gear rather than up.
Other changes include new interior trims and three additional exterior colours.
BMW is also introducing a new 318Ci Convertible version with the new 143 bhp Valvetronic engine and extending the sequential sports gearbox (SSG) option to the 325i and 330i saloon and Coupé models. This clutchless manual five speed gearbox is operated by two paddles behind the steering wheel or via the gear lever.
A wide screen monitor with the ability to display split screen viewing in navigation mode is also now available and the rain sensor option has been upgraded to incorporate automatic light beam control to activate headlights when it becomes dark.
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