BMW releases new 114d and 316i entry level cars with upgrades introduced to the 1 Series and 3 Series lineup

BMW have carpet-bombed the market with new and updated vehicles. There are plenty to go through so let’s get right to it.

The BMW 114d is new and is positioned as the entry-level 1 Series. It is powered by a 1.6 litre diesel engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and produces 95 hp at 4,000 rpm with 235 Nm of torque between 1,500 rpm and 2,750 rpm. Acceleration isn’t quick, 0-100 km/h in 12.2 seconds and hits top speed at 185 km/h. Average fuel consumption ranges between 4.1 to 4.3 l/100 km.

This car will come standard with BMW EfficientDynamics, including Auto Start Stop function, brake energy regeneration and ECO PRO mode. And it will be available in three-door and five-door versions.

Moving on, the 120d and the M135i now have the option to be fitted with the xDrive intelligent four-wheel drive system. The 120d distributes 184 hp to all four wheels and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds; top speed is 225 km/h. Average fuel consumption is rated between 4.7 and 4.8 l/100 km.

As for the M135i xDrive, the 320 hp six-cylinder engine launches the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds; top speed is achieved at 250 km/h. The car has a fuel consumption of 7.8 litres/100 km.

A side note, BMW have also announced that the three-door body style is available for the 120d and the 118i.

The 3 Series gets a new model to the range in the form of the 316i Sedan. It features a 1.6 litre four cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology. The engine is capable of producing 136 hp and 220 Nm of torque. Paired with the engine is a six-speed manual (that comes standard) or an eight-speed automatic (which is optional).

The BMW 316i gets to 100 km/h from zero in 8.9 seconds (or, 9.2 seconds in the automatic). Top speed is achieved at 210 km/h. As for its fuel economy, this car consumes 5.8 to 5.9 l/100 km.

Expansion of the 3 Series range continues with the 320i EfficientDynamics Edition Sedan. As its name suggests, this sedan comes with optimised engine management, gear ratios, aerodynamics and rolling resistance on top of the standard EfficientDynamics tech found in other 3 Series.

Powering the 320i EfficientDynamics is a 1.6 litre turbo that produces 170 hp and 250 Nm of torque. The century sprint is completed in 7.6 seconds. Average fuel consumption is 5.3 litres/100 km, which positions this car as the most efficient 3 Series car.

The 3 Series Touring also gets upgrades, specifically in the engine bay. The 320i Touring makes its debut with a 2.0 litre engine that generates 184 hp and 270 Nm. Gearbox choices are a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. It has an acceleration time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 233 km/h (or, 228 km/h in the auto). Fuel consumption is rated at 6.4 to 6.5 l/100 km for the manual and 6.1 to 6.2 l/100 km for the automatic.

The 318d Touring and the 316d Touring also makes its debut. Both cars are running with a 2.0 litre engine with a different tune each. The 318d Touring has 143 hp and 320 Nm while the 316d Touring has 116 hp and 260 Nm.

Performance-wise, the 318d accelerates to 100 km/h from zero in 9.2 seconds with a top speed of 210 km/h. Fuel consumption is rated between 4.5 to 4.7 l/100 km. As for the 316d, the car completes the century sprint in 11.2 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h (or, 11.1 seconds and 198 km/h with the auto gearbox).

What else? The 3 Series can now be ordered with the optional satnav Professional, which can also be found in the 7 Series and 5 Series. A new speech recognition function has been added to the Mobile Office Services by BMW ConnectedDrive, which is a dictation function that writes down what is spoken. The message can then be sent via SMS or e-mail.