BMW has finally brought up a petrol variant of the 3-series model lineup, which was launched in January this year. Currently, the automaker manages to sell the diesel variant in delhi region as it houses an engine which comes under 2000cc. The petrol variant will be introduced as CBU, only the diesel variant is being assembled locally. The new Petrol variant is christened as 320i, will be available at a starting price of Rs 36.90 lakh for the base model and goes up to Rs 42.70 lakh for the top variant. (ex-showroom prices, Delhi)
The 320i comes powered by a 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder petrol engine which is good enough to deliver 184 hp and 270 Nm of peak torque. The engine is paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, while the top luxury variant gets paddle shifters. The automaker claims that the car is able to sprint 0-100kph in 7.3 seconds, which is same as the diesel version.
The 320i petrol comes loaded with standard features such as dual-zone climate control, LED headlamps, heated wing mirrors with memory function, electric adjust front seats with memory, ambient lighting, BMW iDrive system in-built with the 6.5-inch screen. It stands on large 16-inch alloy wheels. Further, the luxury trim gets premium upholstery, larger 8.8-inch iDrive touch infotainment system with handwriting recognition and navigation, a fifth Sport+ drive mode, an electric sunroof, a 205W audio system. It stands on 17-inch alloy wheels. Similarly, the diesel trim gets chrome outlines on both exterior and interior counterparts.
If we look closely, we find that BMW has positioned its new petrol luxury sedan last priced in comparison to its prominent rivals in the market. The rivals like Mercedes C200, which offers single variant, the C200 Avantgarde comes with a price tag of Rs 38.9 lakh, while the Jaguar XE, offering two major trims- Pure (Rs 39.9 lakh) and Portfolio (Rs 47.9 lakh)
With this new set of pricing, BMW is undoubtedly trying to establish a stable market in the luxury sedan segment. Sometime ago it stopped the sales of the 3-series in the facelift phase but now it has made a comeback with an attractive price.
Meanwhile, BMW is working with the 5-series lineup too. The automakers official brochure indicates that it will bring a petrol version of the 5-series sedan as well. If true then the Petrol 5-series, or 520i will come with the similar 184hp 2.0-litre TwinPower turbo-petrol engine. The 5-series will be features with luxury accessories such as 10.2-inch touch screen, iDrive system, a 600W Harman Kardon audio system and adaptive LED headlamps. Post launch, the 520i would rival against the Audi A6 35 TFSI and the Mercedes E200.
Also Read: BMW i3 Assembled with New Battery Option
Get latest and updated information about automobiles on our Google Plus Community Speed Gears.
Source: AutoCarIndia