Bucket Seat: 2019 BMW 3 Series

Yesterday BMW AG lifted the covers on its all new 3 Series, with over 40 years of 3 Series this has proven to be the companies best selling model and hence the massive interest shown for it at the Paris Motor Show after its unveiling. The new 3 which will be rolled out from next year see's its design follow suit to that of its bigger brother, the 5 Series, with bolder accents, more edges and sleek finishes. There were some comments being thrown about online about how it borrows characteristics from other sedans in its segment, but apart from them all sharing 4 doors, I cannot see it myself. The design itself is great, it epitomizes everything there is about the 3 Series in both form and functionality while still having that mature look to it. 

When one thinks about the 3, you get reminded about its sporting heritage, and that comes out in this new design with the M Sport kit offering the end user a more aggressive look and if that isn't enough, BMW have also released a range of M Performance parts for the new G20 range. The thing about the 3 Series is its flexibility in design to morph into the type of car you want it to be. If sports look isn't your style you can opt for a luxurious option giving the car a more sophisticated and elegant looks. Lets look at some key design changes made to the 3 Series, first up is the new hexagonal twin LED headlights, which follow the same design pattern from the 5 Series but with a more edgy finish, these are also available in laser lights as an optional extra. The fused twin kidney grilles is an important new aspect to the BMW design language as it moves away from the split grille we've been used to in the past. Also the grilles are more large and prominent giving it that distinguished look. 

BMW also chose to redesign the Hofmeister kink which is synonymous in all of their cars, getting it up to speed with a modern twist. moving to the back where most of the controversy is sparking, is the new slim, L shape, 3 dimensional rear lights. Many liken this design to other manufacturers and while slight similarities are there, one cannot ignore this is not the first time we seeing this type of design from BMW as it's been showcased on the new Z4, the new 8 Series as well as the new X4,  so why now all of a sudden its kicking up a fuss on the internet is beyond me. 

Moving onto the interior, BMW stick to their minimalistic design but add some nice touches, they've adopted the new instrument cluster design seen on the 8 Series which has a large surface screen that displays all vital info and can also project the navigation map while driving. As always, the interior is finished off in high quality materials with precise workmanship, and the cockpit is very driver orientated. Other key features include the glass sunroof being bigger and the fancy new gear selector. With regards to technology advancements in the new 3, we're not exactly sure whether we will get all the cool new tech that's displayed but there are some noteworthy ones like the laser light option we spoke of earlier, the BMW live cockpit instrument cluster, a revised heads up projection but the stand out one is the new AI interface with BMW which essentially brings your car to life. Speak commands to it and it will do as you say or find out information for you if requested. 

There were 7 engine variants displayed at the Paris Motor Show but I'm sure we won't be getting them all, range topping is the 340i xDrive which will undoubtedly be a popular one. Still not sure on pricing for the new 3 Series and we will have to wait till March 2019 to get a better indication, since that is when the vehicle is marked to be launched locally.