GT are the letters on the tailgate but Gran Turismo is the name and the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo being launched for the start of summer is a sleek but roomy coupe more for a businesslike grand touring style than the go-faster brigade .

The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo combines a powerful sporting character with inspiring size. Its generously proportioned, comfortable and versatile interior concept is made for long days on the road, while the expressively sculptured exterior ensures your fleet looks as good as it performs, says BMW.

Highly developed BMW TwinPower Turbo engines extract the maximum amount of energy from every drop of fuel to deliver remarkable driving dynamics, all in partnership with impressive efficiency that will keep tax implications to a minimum.

The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, 200mm longer than other 3 Series models and with a 110mm longer wheelbase for greater interior space and comfort, also offers exceptional practicality with a convenient powered tailgate, 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats and class-leading luggage capacity of up to 1,600 litres.

It combines a powerful sporting character with inspiring size, athletic stature and a flowing roof line reminiscent of classic coupés that are a magnet for admiring glances.

Passengers enjoy comfort and have individual space to spread out. Technologically, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is far ahead, with its double-round LED headlights, optional Head-Up Display, dynamic BMW TwinPower turbo engines and active rear spoiler it is a constant source of inspiration.

And with the many and varied models, you can adapt the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo to your personal style.

Standard specification includes BMW Navigation with 6.5in display, two-zone automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth, rain sensor with automatic headlights, BMW Emergency Call and automatic tailgate.

The new, standard-fitted LED headlights for dipped and high beam and the LED front foglamps lend the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo a more sporting appearance. The car has a visually broader stance on the road. And the combination of updated LED rear lights and more zestful lines brings extra brawn to the rear styling.

The active rear spoiler – BMW’s first – not only looks sporty, it also optimises the airflow and ensures the best possible road holding characteristics. Even the BMW 340i M Sport Gran Turismo offers combined fuel consumption of 38.7-40.4mpg, with 166-161g/km CO2.

Blending the elegance of a coupe with the spaciousness of a luxury saloon and the boot capacity of an estate, the 3 Series Gran Turismo has previously enjoyed strong sales – see New Gran Turismo model extends BMW 3 Series appeal – but now it’s even better. The interior impresses with its high-quality materials, the new user interface for the Navigation system Professional (taken from BMW’s luxury class cars) and even better smartphone connectivity.

Sportiness coupled with the elegance of a coupe, the comfort and convenience of four doors, a seating position raised by 59mm with excellent all-round visibility, and a generous feeling of space are key attractions of a BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.

The new generation of engines available for the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo offer compelling levels of sports performance, agility and economy. The range consists of three all-new petrol units developing 184hp to 326hp and five diesel variants producing 150hp to 313hp – with classical rear-wheel drive or BMW xDrive all-wheel drive, with manual or Steptronic automatic transmission (fuel consumption combined: 36.7– 65.7 mpg; CO2 emissions combined: 175–112g/km).

All the four- and six-cylinder petrol engines and four-cylinder diesels are taken from the newly developed, modular BMW EfficientDynamics engine family and enjoy the benefits of cutting-edge BMW TwinPower Turbo technology.

Considerable efficiency gains have been made with the new engines, despite their increased output. The reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions range from 4.5% in the BMW 318d Gran Turismo to 13.8% for the BMW 320d Gran Turismo.

And further improved manual and automatic transmissions, the Auto Start Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, on-demand operation of ancillary units and the ECO PRO mode also help the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo to set the benchmark for fuel economy and emissions.

New BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo powertrains

The BMW 320i Gran Turismo, 318d Gran Turismo and 320d Gran Turismo come as standard with the six-speed manual gearbox, but can also be ordered with the eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission as an option. All other engine variants feature the automatic as standard.

All petrol-engined BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo variants and the diesel-powered BMW 320d Gran Turismo and BMW 330d Gran Turismo can be specified as an option with BMW xDrive. The BMW 335d xDrive Gran Turismo has this all-wheel-drive technology as standard.

A total of 18 engine, transmission and drive configurations are therefore available for the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.

BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo customers can choose between Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport variants. The Estoril Blue colour shade is available exclusively for M Sport models.

The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is fitted with an extensive selection of equipment items as standard, including automatic climate control, keyless engine ignition, Servotronic, six airbags, LED headlights for dipped and high beam, LED front foglamps, a high-resolution colour screen with iDrive Controller, a hands-free facility for phone calls – including a USB port and Bluetooth audio streaming – and a leather multifunction steering wheel.