BMW has announced a long-wheelbase version of the 3 series, the BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine. The luxury sedan is slated for its launch on January 21, 2021. The 3 Series Gran Limousine will be positioned between the 3 series and 5 series. Previously the 3 Series GT occupied this slot which has now been discontinued in the international market and soon from India as well. The 3 Series Gran Turismo is also up for retail in the special Shadow Edition. The main rivals in the segment are Mercedes-Benz C-class, Jaguar XE and the upcoming next-gen Volvo S60 and Audi A4 facelift.
From the outside, there are no major differentiators from the regular 3 Series. The wheelbase is now 110mm longer which makes the 3 Series Gran Limousine longer by 120mm and slighter taller as well. But on the interiors, the rear seats are now a lot more spacious with an extra 43 mm of legroom though there are no substantial changes for the front passengers. The longer rear door gives easy ingress and the seats have been equipped with improved bolstering and cushioning.
The car will be loaded with features like multi-zone climate control, interior mood lighting, panoramic sunroof, all-LED headlights and taillights. The 8.8-inch touchscreen with BMW’s iDrive infotainment system will provide all the driving statistics. The engine options available are; 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 190Hp of power and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine having 258 Hp on its tap.
When launched, India will be one of the first right-hand-drive markets to get the 3 Series Gran Limousine. Right now BMW India has a total of 21 models to offer in its portfolio. Starting with the sedan class, which consists of 2 series, 3 series, 5 series, 7 series, 8 series and it has its performance counterparts known as the M lineup having M2 Competition, M5 Competition, M760Li and M8 Coupe. The SUV segment has 6 models; X1, X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 and their performance trim, X3 M, X5 M and the X7 M50d. The Z4 and Z4 M40i are the part of the roadster body type offered by BMW.