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THERE’S a familiar name and shape on the cover this week, as BMW ramps up the technology on its iconic 3 Series saloon – to devastating effect. But three days in Munich last week showed us that while this iteration is all but certain to be the last 3 Series as we know it, BMW is right on track with what comes next. Sustainable mobility is a marketing buzzphrase that’s been clogging up the E-mail inboxes and notebooks of Auto Express journalists for years. But in the depths of its innovation centre, BMW showed us compelling evidence of what this approach will actually mean to the cars we’ll be buying from the middle of this decade. We’ll probably all notice it first when we realise – or are told –…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy ● Improving cabin tech has been major focus of facelift ● 3 Series remains superb to drive on any road THE days when the BMW 3 Series was a piece of automotive currency, like the Ford Mondeo or the Volkswagen Golf, have probably gone now, thanks to the inexorable transition towards SUVs. But sales of the Munich manufacturer’s iconic three-box premium saloon have actually remained steady in recent years, with it finding around 20,000 customers in the UK annually. This, plus continued big sales numbers from China, has been good enough to earn fresh investment in a facelift from BMW. And now it’s time to see if the money has been well spent. From the outside, not a great deal has changed compared with the G20 3 Series…

THE estate version of the 3 Series accounts for around half of the model’s sales in its native Germany, but barely 10 per cent in the UK. That’s an odd stat that’s likely to remain in place, even after the 3 Series Touring gets the same worthy updates as the saloon. Indeed, you could argue that the 320d Touring we’re trying here makes a good case for two lost causes – the estate bodystyle, and diesel power. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces 187bhp and a hefty 400Nm of torque, taking the car from 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds and ensuring that it can still make swift progress even when the loadbay is in full use. It’s a fantastic motor and one that has been cleverly installed, with little or no vibration…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● Concept previews future tech ● No plans for production DACIA has unveiled its Manifesto Concept, a two-seat off-road buggy that looks ahead as the Renault-owned maker reinvents itself for a new chapter. While the Manifesto won’t go into production, the tech on board will influence features that we may see on future models, such as the next Duster SUV coming in 2024, and the Bigster family SUV due in 2025. The Manifesto also affirms Dacia’s core pillars with a realigned focus: ‘essential but cool’, ‘robust and outdoor’, and ‘eco-smart’. According to Design Director David Durand, the Manifesto is a “great way to brainstorm ideas and design codes without the pressure of production – some that you will see in our future models. We’ve pushed back limits and removed…

We talk to the man at the top of Dacia about future challenges and what lies ahead for the brand Q Are you worried about Euro NCAP results? A “No. It’s about choices. We are serious on passive safety, but active safety – lots of people deactivate lane-keep assist, for example, so we don’t sell it. It’s philosophical and a serious choice we make. ” Q How will you manage the switch to electric? A “Dacia’s job is to be late, to arrive at the right moment. We will look at it segment by segment. The more you wait, the more clever you are, because technologies are not completely settled. We’ll do it the Dacia way. We’re not going to develop a 35,000-Euro Sandero with 500 miles of range and…

● 5.0-litre V8 under bonnet ● Dash features twin screens THE world is running short of sports cars, let alone those powered by pure combustion, but Ford still believes there’s a place for this type of vehicle, so has invested in an all-new Mustang, which is hotly tipped to be the last generation of the car to feature petrol power. Revealed at last week’s Detroit Motor Show, the world’s best-selling sports coupé has an evolutionary exterior look and upgraded V8 and four-cylinder engines under the bonnet, plus a cabin with much greater in-car technology. Available as a coupé and a convertible, the new Mustang has LED headlights (which are slimmer than on the previous car) hooded by an aggressive bonnet, dual air intakes in the front grille to improve performance,…