Changes to the exterior styling, interior enhancements and a new 3.0-litre diesel engine are the highlights to changes just announced in Europe.

The front, rear and side styling has been refined, with greater emphasis on the dynamic character lines along the side of the car, accentuated by reprofiled side skirts.

At the front, a new headlight cluster, new facia panel and a pair of 'muscular' bonnet lines give the 3 Series a bolder, stronger look, highlighted by larger double kidney grilles. Optional Bi-Xenon Adaptive Headlamps incorporate new LED indicator lamps.

Redesigned doors mirrors offer a wider field of view and employ concave and convex styling to the mirror caps.

At the rear, bumpers, taillights and the boot handle have been redesigned, the taillights adopting a more pronounced ‘L-shape” and incorporating LED elements.

The rear track has been widened as a result of suspension modifications and depending on models is up to 24 mm wider.

The interior boasts revised and enlarged storage areas, new location for window lifts and the new generation iDrive with new ergonomic controller.

Increased iDrive functionality allows selection of options via turning, pressing and tilting the redesigned controller. Favourite buttons for greater personalisation as well as extended functions for destination entry, trip planning and map display for the optional Professional Navigation system are highlights.

This system also incorporates an 80 GB hard drive that allows music from MP3 players and CD to be transferred across. The hard drive also serves up directional mapping faster than before when in navigation mode.

Under the bonnet, a newly developed in-line six-cylinder diesel engine is fitted to the BMW 330d, featuring an aluminium block, third generation common rail direct injection with piezo injectors and a maximum injection pressure of 1,800 bar. The turbocharger has variable turbine geometry and generates an output of 180 kW and a maximum torque of 520 Nm. It is also fitted with a diesel particulate filter and oxidation catalyst as standard, and complies with the EU 5 exhaust emission standard.

This engine delivers 0-100 km/h acceleration in 6.1 seconds, uses 5.7 l/100 km of fuel and emits 152 grammes/kilometre of CO2, somewhat efficient performance for an engine as energetic as this.

Furthermore, the 320d four-cylinder diesel engine has also been optimised to make it EU5 compliant.

All models will be available with a new six-speed automatic transmission with optimised shift dynamics and minimised converter slip.

BMW Crash-activated dynamic head restraints are also fitted as standard to reduce the effects of whiplash in rear-end impacts.