F30 3 Series

In the middle of its fortieth year and its sixth-generation, BMW updated its venerable 3 Series with a slight tweak to exterior looks, but a more significant refresh of drivetrains.

A new 340i took the place of the previous 335i flagship with an increase of 15kW to 240kW, while the more affordable end of the line-up got an equally notable newcomer with the return of the 318i variant.

Its three-cylinder 1.5-litre turbo engine brought 100kW and 220Nm and was the first time the nameplate had been worn by a 3 Series since the 1990s when the E46 was introduced.

The mid-life facelift also introduced an exclusive 40 Year Anniversary option, which was based on the 340i range-topper and strictly limited to – you guessed it – 40 examples.