Even though you won’t spot many visual changes between the original F30 BMW 3-Series and the facelifted 2016 model, there are still plenty of “technical things” to be excited about.

BMW says that the refreshed 3-Series has a sharper design, though most of us will hardly look twice at the revised air intakes, LED taillights and optional full-LED headlights. The interior does have a few more chrome highlights, and customers can now personalize their 3-Series more extensively than before.

It doesn’t sound exciting yet, does it? That’s because the “good stuff” can be found underneath the bonnet where the 2016 BMW 3-Series now comes with a 136 PS three-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit – remarkably competent with a 8.9 sec 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time.

There’s also a range-topping 340i version, powered by a 3.0 liter turbocharged petrol engine, good for 326 PS and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque. Coupled to the 8-speed Steptronic transmission, the BMW 340i can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 5.1 seconds.

The 340i is heavily featured in the gallery below, as is the ever-popular 330d xDrive in Touring form, powered by a 258 PS, 560 Nm (759 lb-ft) straight-six turbodiesel engine.

The 330e plug-in Hybrid will join the 3-Series range in 2016, and could return as much as 134.5 mpg UK (2.1 liters/100 km / 111.9 mpg US). In terms of fuel consumption, those types of numbers are pretty darn great.

BMW has also upped the ante in terms of connectivity, where the 3-Series will now support LTE – the fastest mobile standard available. Customers will need to order the Professional Navigation system and the extended smartphone connectivity option in order to fully enjoy this feature.

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