BMW Fights Back
BMW has all the plans in place to fight back against the Audi A4, Jaguar XE and Mercedes C-Class by launching a hi-tech BMW 3 Series within the next 18 months. In order to rival Tesla, the compact exec is set to get an all-electric version.
The New 3 Series
The next generation 3 Series will be build with carbon-fibre construction technology and a new range of three, four and six-cylinder engines to beat A4 and XE on CO2 emissions. The Bavarian carmaker is also planning to take on the Tesla Model 3 by not only offering a plug-in hybrid version, but also a fully electric edition.
The New CLAR Platform
The next-generation 3 Series is codenamed G20. It will move from the existing chassis technology to an all-new architecture called CLAR, for Cluster Architecture. CLAR brings in carbon-fibre construction techniques and it was introduced in the 7 Series launched earlier this year.
Lighter 3 Series
The lighter components which CLAR brings with it will be focused around the bodyshell pillars, door frames and the transmission tunnel, which will help the 3 Series to become lighter and making it the lightest car in the small executive class.
Engine Range
BMW 3 Series engine range will start with 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol power, which is, in effect, the same 136bhp unit used by the current 318i.”
