BMW confirms 330i Touring at $73,900 plus ORCs

BMW’S new sixth-generation 3 Series Touring will command a $3000 premium over the equivalent sedan when it parks in Australian showrooms in October.

The wagon will be launched in a single specification – 330i – at $73,900 plus on-road costs, compared with the 330i sedan’s $70,900 sticker price.

The Touring will share the 330i sedan’s 190kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels to propel the five-door wagon from standstill to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds.

Like the sedan, the M Sport package will be standard, with alternative Luxury Line appointments a no-cost option.

As expected, BMW Group Australia has dropped the diesel alternative in the Touring, even though a 320d variant is available in sedan guise.

The Touring will become the sole five-door 3 Series offering with the axing of the GT hatch this time around.

The latest Touring was revealed at last year’s Paris motor show before being launched in Europe at BMW Group’s #NextGen event in Munich.

Like the sedan, it has grown in most dimensions – 76mm longer, 16mm wider and 9mm taller – while the wheelbase has been stretched 41mm, to 2851mm, liberating an extra 11mm of leg room for rear-seat passengers as well as extra shoulder room in the front seats and more headroom all round.

Boot space has grown five litres, to 500 litres with the rear seat up, and to 1510L with the 40/20/40 rear seat folded at the touch of a button on control panel at the rear of the vehicle. The cargo space is also 112mm wider and 30mm taller, while the rear window is 20mm wider and can be opened separately to the tailgate – unique in the class.

A luggage-compartment cover, detachable boot partition net and anti-slip rails are standard, while hands-free tailgate operation is available as part of the optional comfort package.

The 3 Series Touring weighs 10kg less than before, thanks largely to aluminium parts, including front suspension bits and panels such as doors and bonnet.

Adaptive LED headlights include a cornering function., but buyers can tick the box for more advanced Laserlight spotlights.

Inside, new-look sports seats are standard as part of the M Sport package that is now fitted as standard.

Two screens adorn the dash – a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch central touchscreen.

Among the 330i Touring’s party tricks is reversing assistant which records the last 50 metres of forward travel so the car can automatically reverse down the same path to get out of tricky spots.

The standard M Sport package adds an M leather steering wheel, a black headliner, an M body kit, gloss Shadow Line exterior trim, 19-inch M alloy wheels, M brakes, adaptive suspension and aluminium interior trim.

If that does not float your boat, you can opt for the Luxury Line with wood trim, a leather sports steering wheel, a Sensatec instrument panel, front sports seats, aluminium roof rails and 19-inch alloys in a double-spoke design.