What's all this about?

BMW has outlined its plans for July and August, with a raft of models joining existing product lines. All of the 3 Series, 5 Series, 8 Series, X2, X3, X4, X5, X7 and Z4 families will be seeing changes. In a lot of instances, it's just new trim colours, interior finishes, the adoption of technologies (on some cars) that have been seen elsewhere within the brand and possibly new alloy wheel colours. And, in the case of the 'non-Series' cars, just a few little updates too.

Such as?

Well, the Z4 sDrive20i will get a manual gearbox from July. The X2 will gain LED headlamps and front fog lights, as well as the option of the M Sport brakes from the M35i flagship; furthermore, the standard nav is now on an 8.8-inch screen, instead of a 6.5-inch item, while the Navigation Plus is presented on a 10.25-inch display. All of the X3, X4 and X7 SUVs have extra kit available to them, while the X5 gains two new models: the 231hp/450Nm, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder xDrive25d and the electrically augmented petrol xDrive45e plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which delivers a peak of 394hp and very low emissions and fuel consumption.

OK, so what about the Series cars?

The 3 Series will see the introduction of the first fast model, the M Performance M340i xDrive with a 374hp turbocharged straight-six. All of the 320i, 330i and 330d will also be available with xDrive as an option from this summer, for those who like all-wheel-drive traction. Like the X5, a PHEV 330e offers a 41-mile all-electric range, up to 176.6mpg and CO₂ as low as 37g/km from its 2.0-litre electrified drivetrain, while any Three that isn't an M Sport can now be specified with M Sport suspension as an option - or even M Adaptive suspension. Up at the 5 Series level, the M550i has gone from 462hp/650Nm to 530hp and 750Nm, while the Five's PHEV representative - the 530e - gets a slightly more capacitive battery, which improves its CO₂, mpg and EV range figures. Laserlight with Selective Beam illumination will be an option on the M550i and also the full-fat M5. Finally, we've got a new version of the 8 Series. The straight-six petrol 840i comes with a choice of two body styles (Coupe and Convertible) and two transmissions (rear-wheel drive and xDrive) in each, making for four new models. It churns out 340hp from its engine and is capable of up to 39.2mpg with CO₂ as low as 164g/km. It joins the 840d and M850i in the line-up, and all three Eights can now be specified with M Sport seats for a premium.

Is that it?

Not quite. As the hottest model in the outgoing 4 Series range, the last flickerings of the M4 see the 450hp Competition Package becoming standard fit on both the Coupe and Convertible variants. We've always said an M4 with the Competition Package fitted is the car the M4 should always have been from the start; shame it has only become a reality right at the death.

Matt Robinson - 21 May 2019