After last year’s mid-life facelift of the regular 3-Series sedan and Touring, as well as the M3 saloon, BMW has updated the Gran Turismo liftback.

As you would expect, the changes made to the longer and roomier Gran Turismo (GT) mirror those of the rest of the 3-Series range with barely noticeable exterior and interior styling tweaks, improved engines, new colors and updated tech.

BMW’s exterior revisions are limited to the standard-fitted LED headlights for dipped and high beam and LED front fog-lamps, updated LED rear taillight fixtures, and mildly reworked front and rear bumpers on non-M Sport models. Also new is an Estoril Blue color exclusively for M Sport models, two more metallic paint finishes for the rest of the range, three wheel rim designs and additional upholstery variants and interior trim strips.

Inside, BMW is attempting to address criticisms on quality with “upgraded materials and accents”, including extra chrome around controls, new decorative wood elements, colors and leather trim variants to “take perceived quality to another new level” – always according to the Germans. There’s also fresh switchgear, a new color LCD display for the air-conditioning system, and an updated user interface for the infotainment system.

The 4,824mm (189.9 in) long GT’s biggest benefit and the main reason to choose it over the regular 3-Series sedan – the interior airiness and rear legroom thanks to the increased height and a 110mm (4.3 in.) longer wheelbase at 2,920mm (115 in.), as well as the large tailgate that opens to reveal a boot offering 520 to 1,600 liters of load space, remain intact.

In Europe and other select international markets, the 2017MY 3-Series GT will get three updated turbocharged petrol units, a 184PS (181hp) 2.0-liter four-pot in the 320i, a 252PS (246hp) 2.0-liter four in the 330i, and a 326PS (322hp) 3.0-liter straight-six in the 335i, and five diesel variants producing 150PS (148hp) to 313PS (309hp), including a new addition to the range, the 224PS (221hp) 2.0-liter four in the 325d. All petrol-engined 3 Series GTs and the diesel-powered 320d and 330d can be optionally specified with BMW’s xDrive, while the 335d comes with all-wheel-drive as standard.

Despite the increase in output, BMW says that reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions range from 4.5 percent in the 318d to 13.8 percent for the 320d. Improvements were also made to the manual and automatic transmissions, the Auto Start Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, on-demand operation of ancillary units and the ECO PRO mode. Only the 320i, 318d and 320d are offered with a 6-speed manual as standard and an optional 8-speed automatic, with the rest of the models coming with the automatic as standard.

While BMW’s North American division hasn’t graced us yet with any details on the US-spec 2017 3-Series Gran Turismo, we suspect it will continue to be offered with 2.0-liter turbo four gasoline and diesel units and the revised 3.0-liter turbo straight-six in the renamed 340i.

Photo Gallery