BMW has updated the 3 Series saloon and estate with a redesign and latest digital tech as part of a mid-life update.

The updated 3 Series is available to order now, priced from £36,670

Still the core model for the brand – it accounts for around 14% of BMW’s vehicle sales worldwide – the 3 Series has been revised ahead of the arrival of the next-generation line-up in 2025, which will sit on a new ‘Neue Klasse’ platform and will be “uncompromisingly electric, digital, circular – and clearly focused on all-electric drivetrains”.

To tide it over until then, the seventh-gen model has received subtle yet noticeable changes to its styling, including revisions to the kidney grille and slimmer, standard full-LED headlights, while adaptive LED headlights are available as an option.

The interior has also been updated with a newly designed cockpit using a Curved Display that merges a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a 14.9-inch control display into a single fully digital unit.

The new Operating System 8 also debuts and brings more options for drivers for intuitive control of vehicle, navigation, infotainment and communication functions.

All models now also come with the Live Cockpit Plus, which offers optimised wireless smartphone integration using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, enabling the use of digital services such as Siri, Google Assistant and various third-party apps. It also comes with BMW’s Maps app, with dynamic route calculation based on real-time traffic data, and Connected Parking.

The new Live Cockpit Plus is part of a range of extra equipment added as standard to the Sport and M Sport grades offered in the UK.

Other new additions include an automatically dimming rear-view mirror, cruise control with brake function, and Park Distance Control with sensors at the front and rear, plus three-zone automatic climate control. Design features includes 17-inch light-alloy wheels while the M Sport model includes 18-inch light-alloy wheels as standard.

BMW has also restructured the optional equipment line-up to bring greater choices, while additional purchases via the BMW ConnectedDrive Store can activate functions such as Drive Recorder, Remote Engine Start function, High-beam Assistant, IconicSounds Sport and the Traffic Cam, all over the air.

Engine line-up brings a choice of four petrol engines, including one plug-in hybrid variant, and two diesel engines, both with mild hybrid technology. The range-topping M340d and M340i Performance models comes with 340 and 374hp respectively, along with xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive as standard. xDrive is also an option on selected variants.

All variants now come as standard with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission with gearshift paddles on the steering wheel and a newly designed selector lever.

Production of the new 3 Series will begin in July 2022 in Germany and Mexico. Prices start from £36,670 through to £52,965 for the M340d xDrive and M340i xDrive models.