What's the difference?
Over 44 years BMW has produced more than 15 million examples of the 3 Series. That's roughly one every minute and a half... for over four decades.
And the latest, seventh-generation version of what the famous German maker defines as the "heart and soul" of its brand has landed in Australia.
The new '3' is longer and wider. It's also claimed to be slicker aerodynamically, up to 55 kilos lighter, more fuel efficient, and faster.
And it'll need every advantage it can muster to take a chunk out of its arch rival, the all-conquering Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
The all-new Citroen C5 X is different. It takes just one look at the car to realise that.
It’s partly an SUV, has more than a hint of wagon to it, and it’s nothing like the old Citroen C5s of years gone by. That’s no bad thing - because this is the sort of Citroen that people who have never even heard of the brand will likely pay attention to
The brand has shaken off its ‘quirky and French’ vibes for a more ‘modern European’ look, and let me tell you - this is a very interesting car. Read on to find out all the stuff you want to know, plus the things you need to know.
Despite BMW's wholehearted embrace of the SUV its 3 Series is still a critically important model for the brand in Australia. And this new version certainly has the spec and tech to take the fight up to Merc's C-Class. And if you're in the happy position of making that choice, it's now a whole lot harder. For our money the 330i marks the sweet spot with extra performance, safety tech and standard features for only a fraction more than $3k over the 320d entry-point.
This is a new take on the Citroen station wagon, and it’s an impressive one at that. It may not tick all the boxes, but it is a comfortable and practical car, with stunning design, decent equipment and a pretty agreeable price tag.
Now, just get that plug-in hybrid version in at a reasonable price please, Citroen.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.