BMW Prepares for the Summer with a some Hot Updates to its Range

The Germans have been channelling a lot of their resources at powertrains recently, with cars such as the 3 Series gaining a higher powered top-of-the-range 3.0-litre straight-six engine in the form of the 340i. Elsewhere in the range, we've seen the introduction of plug-in hybrids, namely the 225xe Active Tourer, 330e Saloon and X5 xDrive40e.

BMW 7 Series

The latest to join the plug-in hybrid lineup will be the 740e and 740Le xDrive. A 2.0-litre turbo-petrol will be used in conjunction with an electric motor to produce 322 bhp.

The claimed range is 29 miles for both models, however the lighter 740e retains the best running costs of 49 g/km of CO2 and 134.5 mpg, with the heavier 740Le xDrive coming in slightly behind with 56 g/km and 113 mpg.

Pricing will be £68,330 and £74,880 respectively for entry-level Exclusive trim which is by no means 'entry-level'. M Sport trim will come at a premium.

BMW M140i and M240i

For many years, the M135i has been the ultimate BMW hot hatch. Later followed the M235i for those who prefer Coupé and Convertible body styles. Now, it's time for a boost.

The 40i suggests an engine power output similar to that of a normal 4.0-litre engine as opposed to the 3.5-litre output of the previous generation. Nevertheless, all models use a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine. Visit the article on BMW's naming system here.

A total of 335 bhp and 500 Nm is made possible thanks to the latest BMW technologies. This means a 0-62 mph sprint time of 4.8 seconds for the M140i and M240i Coupé. You can expect to add another 0.1 s to the time of the M240i Convertible. Opt for the sports automatic transmission and all models will shave off 0.2 s. As usual, the three M performance cars are limited to 155 mph.

MPG figures are in the region of 35-40 for all models, with CO2 figures starting at 163 g/km and peaking just shy of 190. Systems such as Brake Energy Regeneration and stop/start ensure that you get the best possible running costs for a car with so much power.

Pricing for the M140i starts at £31,875, climbing to £35,090 for the M240i Coupé and finally £38,535 for the M240i Convertible.

BMW 1 Series and 2 Series

Along with an improved performance version, BMW has remembered about its regular customers. You can have your 1 Series with the 18i, 20i and 25i engine choices. The 2 Series Coupé and Convertible can be had with 18i, 20i or 28i. The 18i uses a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbo-petrol unit, however it's the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit that we're interested in which forms the basis for the other petrol engines in the lineup.

They all see a minuscule push in power, only 6-7 bhp. That doesn't mean they're slow, with outputs of 182 (20i), 221 (25i) and 249 bhp (30i) respectively.  Fuel consumption also improves, with claimed figures north of 44 mpg.  It's worth noting the change from 28i to 30i for the higher powered engines available in the 2 Series.

Previously the 125i was available with a 6-speed manual transmission, a regular automatic or a sports automatic, but following the roll-out of the new updates an 8-speed sports automatic transmission will come as standard.

Just for good measure, pricing for the above three models starts at £23,980 (1 Series), £26,865 (2 Series Coupé) and £29,830 (2 Series Convertible).

Latest-Generation iDrive Infotainment System

Originally debuted on the 7 Series luxury saloon, the latest generation of BMW's industry-leading iDrive will filter its way down through the range to the entry point to the premium German brand, the 1 Series.

Some features of the latest version are an advanced Bluetooth setup, wireless phone charging and a performance upgrade thanks to an increased RAM.

Upgrades to the Trim Levels

All 3 Series and 4 Series equipped with the M Sport trim will now be available with Black Dakota leather upholstery featuring contrast blue stitching. Venetian Beige Dakota leather with a contrasting black carpet colour also makes its way into the 3 Series and 4 Series range.

X5 and X6 SUVs equipped with the rear-seat entertainment package will feature 10.2-inch displays (as opposed to 9.2 inches) with a higher image quality. BlueRay functionality and HDMI connectivity are also thrown in for good measure.

Are you looking for a hybrid that can carry the family around and still look good? A new M Sport trim will be added to the 225xe Active Tourer for £34,405, and that's before the Government's grant.

Lastly, an M Sport Plus package will be optional on the higher end cars, those being the 5 Series Gran Turismo, X5 and X6. A Harman/Kardon surround sound setup features, as well as sun protection glass, a head-up display and a speed limit display. All models will come with 20-inch M double-spoke light alloy wheels with varying styles.

Rivals

It's important that we don't forget to weigh up the pros and cons of a car when we are considering buying one. That's why I've compiled a list of rivals for the above mentioned cars:

• BMW 740e and 740Le xDrive
• Mercedes S 300 h L (diesel-eletric hybrid) - £74,250
• Mercedes S 400 h L (petrol-electric hybrid) - £72,900
• Mercedes S 500 e L (petrol-electric plug-in hybrid) - £90,165
• BMW M140i
• Audi S3 - £32,330
• Mercedes-AMG A 45 4MATIC - £40,695
• Volkswagen Golf R - £31,185
• Ford Focus - £31,000
• BMW M240i Coupé
• Audi TTS £39,685
• Volkswagen Scirocco R - £32,865
• BMW M240i Convertible
• Audi S3 Cabriolet - £TBC
• Audi TTS Roadster - £41,435
• Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 - £46,360
• BMW 1 Series
• Audi A3
• Mercedes A-Class
• Volkswagen Golf
• BMW 2 Series Coupé
• Audi TT
• Volkswagen Scirocco
• BMW 2 Series Convertible
• Audi A3 Cabriolet
• Audi TT Roadster
• Mercedes SLC
• BMW 3 Series
• Audi A4
• Mercedes C-Class
• Jaguar XE
• Lexus IS
• BMW 4 Series
• Audi A5
• Mercedes C-Class Coupé
• Lexus RC
• BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
• No close rivals
• BMW X5
• Mercedes GLE
• Audi Q7
• Range Rover Sport
• Volvo XC90
• BMW X6
• Mercedes GLE Coupé