Considerable efficiency gains have been made with the new engines, despite their increased output. The reductions in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions range from 4.5% in the BMW 318d Gran Turismo to 13.8% for the BMW 320d Gran Turismo.

The range consists of three all-new gasoline units developing 135 kW/184 hp to 240 kW/326 hp and five diesel variants producing 110 kW/150 hp to 230 kW/313 hp—with classical rear-wheel drive or BMW xDrive all-wheel drive, with manual or Steptronic automatic transmission (fuel consumption combined: 7.7–4.3 l/100 km [30.5–54.7 mpg US]; CO₂ emissions combined: 175–112 g/km).

(Fuel consumption figures are based on the EU test cycle, and may vary depending on the tire format specified.)

All the four- and six-cylinder gasoline engines and four-cylinder diesels are taken from the newly developed, modular BMW EfficientDynamics engine family and enjoy the benefits of advanced BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. The arrival of the updated BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo sees the new gasoline engines slotting into this model’s line-up as well.

All members of the engine family share a standardized design principle, with a displacement per cylinder of 500 cubic centimeters, an in-line cylinder arrangement and an extremely lightweight, thermodynamically optimized all-aluminium construction. The crankcase is remarkably rigid due to its closed-deck design, which means that the cylinder water jacket is closed at the top.

Thermally joined, high-strength cylinder walls with a twin-wire, arc-sprayed coating save weight and reduce internal friction. The very short warm-up phase for all engines furthermore results in a significant fuel saving.

All the four-cylinder power units have balancer shafts for refined performance throughout the rev range. The modular nature of this engine family is also reflected in the standardized interfaces for the engine mounts and the connections to the cooling circuit, the intake and exhaust systems, as well as the heating and air conditioning systems.

All the gasoline engines employ a turbocharger integrated in the exhaust manifold. This means the exhaust gases only have a very short distance to travel to the turbocharger system, paving the way for extremely fast throttle response. The switch from direct to indirect charge air cooling means even sharper responsiveness, as the compact design with a far smaller volume and reduced pressure loss within the intercooler enable boost pressure to build up faster.

The SYNTAK (Synergy Thermoacoustic Capsule) technology in the four- cylinder gasoline engines brings about a further reduction in fuel consumption. This innovative new encapsulation technique allows the engine to cool down more slowly, maintain a much higher temperature for up to 36 hours and endure fewer cold starts as a result.

SYNTAK has the additional benefit of enhancing comfort by reducing engine noise and enabling the heating system to reach its target temperature more quickly. The close-coupled catalytic converter and electrically operated boost pressure control valve (the wastegate) serve to lower the gasoline engines’ emissions still further.

All the members of the new BMW EfficientDynamics engine family are equipped with the latest generation of BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. For the gasoline engines, this comprises TwinScroll turbocharging, High Precision Direct Injection and Double-VANOS variable camshaft timing, plus the benefits of Valvetronic fully variable valve timing.

When it comes to the diesels, BMW TwinPower Turbo technology is based around a single turbocharger for the BMW 318d Gran Turismo, 320d Gran Turismo and 330d Gran Turismo, while the BMW 325d Gran Turismo and 335d Gran Turismo have twin-turbo units. All feature variable turbine geometry and latest-generation common-rail direct injection, whose maximum injection pressures of up to 2,000 bar are particularly effective in reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

The all-new addition to the diesel ranks is the BMW 325d Gran Turismo. The other four-cylinder diesels have been available to customers since the launch of the new engine generation in summer 2015.

Further improved manual and automatic transmissions, the Auto Start Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, on-demand operation of ancillary units and the ECO PRO mode also help the reduce BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo fuel consumption and emissions.

The BMW 320i Gran Turismo, 318d Gran Turismo and 320d Gran Turismo come as standard with the six-speed manual gearbox, but can also be ordered with the eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission as an option.

All other engine variants feature the automatic as standard. Three more variants of the car (the BMW 330i Gran Turismo, BMW 340i Gran Turismo and BMW 325d Gran Turismo) are offered exclusively with the efficient Steptronic unit than was the case with the outgoing model.

Improvements in efficiency, an increase in ratio spread and a reduction in converter slip during the gear-change process bring about a 3% drop in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. At the same time, customers can expect both driving comfort and shift comfort to be heading in the opposite direction.

All gasoline-engined BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo variants and the diesel-powered BMW 320d Gran Turismo and BMW 330d Gran Turismo can be specified as an option with BMW xDrive. The BMW 335d xDrive Gran Turismo has this all-wheel-drive technology as standard.

At 4,824 millimeters in length, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is around 200 millimeters longer than the other members of the BMW 3 Series family.

The latest version of the BMW Navigation system Professional will now also be offered in the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo—the first time a mid-size model has been available with the upgraded system.

In a clear departure from previous versions, the top menu features a “tile” display of the six main categories. The next operating step within the menu structure has a preview form, creating an attractive and intuitive user experience.

Linking up mobile phones has become more convenient, as smartphones can now also be charged and connected to the car’s external aerial wirelessly via an inductive tray.

Using the SIM card built into the vehicle, the optional BMW ConnectedDrive Services enable the customer to enjoy optimum connectivity and the benefits of services such as the Concierge Service, Online Entertainment with direct access to millions of music tracks, and RTTI (Real Time Traffic Information).