Plugged-in BMW 3 Series unveiled with XtraBoost
Having lifted the covers off of the all-new G20 3 Series in Paris last year, BMW has now revealed the successor to the plug-in hybrid F30 in the form of the new 330e.
Despite differing little from the ‘normal’ G20 sans the charging flap on the left front fender, the G20 330e introduces a new overboost feature dubbed XtraBoost which Munich claims ‘offers maximum dynamic performance’.
In ‘everyday’ guise, the 330e is propelled by the same 135kW/300Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine as the 320i, albeit paired to a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that produces 83 kW, resulting in a total system output of 215kW/420Nm.
Teamed to an eight-speed Steptronic gearbox that houses the electric motor itself, the mentioned XtraBoost function is only available in Sport mode and releases an additional 30 kW for 10 seconds on top of the 185 kW produced by engine and electric motor.
Able to travel on a single charge for 66 km at speeds up to 140 km/h in Electric mode and 110 km/h in Hybrid guise, the 330e will complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 230 km/h. Claimed fuel consumption is a measly 1.6 L/100 km.
In its home market, the 330e can be specified in Advantage, Luxury Line, Sport Line and M Sport trim levels with further options being the Adaptive M suspension with the M Sport steering and M Sport brakes. No pricing has yet been announced or indeed local market availability, but expect the 330e to touchdown next year if approved.
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