The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, which combines the elegance of a coupe with the spaciousness of an executive saloon and the load capacity of a station wagon, has developed into a firm fixture of the mid-size class over the last three years.

Now the new version of the Gran Turismo cuts a visibly sportier figure, and the five diesel engines in the range offer noticeably higher output combined with lower fuel consumption

The interior, meanwhile, impresses with its high-quality materials, the new user interface for the Navigation system Professional (taken from BMW’s luxury-class cars) and even better smartphone connectivity.

At 4,824 millimetres in length, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is about 200 millimetres longer than the other members of the BMW 3 Series family. And that takes it close to luxury-class territory. The design of the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, which has been sculpted to visibly greater dynamic effect at both the front and rear, heightens the impression of class.

The new, standard-fitted LED headlights for dipped and high beam and the LED front fog lamps lend the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo a more sporting appearance. The car has a visually broader stance on the road. And the combination of updated LED rear lights and more zestful lines brings extra brawn to the rear styling.

The interior of the car has an even more sophisticated feel, thanks to upgraded materials and accents. Extra chrome around the interior controls, and new decorative wood elements, colours and leather trim variants take perceived quality to another new level.

Sportiness coupled with the elegance of a coupe, the comfort and convenience of four doors, a seating position raised by 59 millimetres with excellent all-round visibility, and a generous feeling of space have always been key reasons to purchase a BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo. The space argument is particularly persuasive in the rear compartment, where three full-size seats and legroom more familiar from a luxury saloon – courtesy of a wheelbase lengthened by 110 millimetres (now 2,920 millimetres) – await. The large tailgate, meanwhile, opens to reveal a boot offering 520 to 1,600 litres of load space and allowing extremely varied use.

The latest version of the BMW Navigation system Professional will now also be offered in the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo – the first time a mid-size model has been available with the upgraded system. The most important menu items are now displayed in a clear, tile-based style, which makes operating the system even more intuitive. Linking up mobile phones has become more convenient, as smartphones can now also be charged and connected to the car’s external aerial wirelessly via an inductive tray.

Amongst the range of powertrains are five diesel variants producing between 150bhp to 313bhp – with rear-wheel drive or BMW xDrive all-wheel drive. An all-new addition to the diesel ranks is the BMW 325d Gran Turismo. The other four-cylinder diesels have been available to customers since the launch of the new engine generation in summer 2015.

BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo customers can choose between Advantage, Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport variants. The Estoril Blue colour shade is available exclusively for M Sport models. The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is fitted with an extensive selection of equipment items as standard, including automatic climate control, keyless engine ignition, Servotronic, six airbags, LED headlights for dipped and high beam, LED front fog lamps, a high- resolution colour screen with iDrive Controller, a hands-free facility for phone calls – including a USB port and Bluetooth audio streaming – and a leather multifunction steering wheel.

In addition to its standard equipment, the Advantage model also comes with Park Distance Control (rear), Cruise Control with Braking function and the storage package (all fitted as standard on the 325d  and above).