The BMW 3-series has been unveiled to the North American audience at today's Detroit motor show.
The roomier, faster and more economical BMW 3-series saloon - know internally as the F30 - is new from the ground-up, has been four years in the making, and is tasked with continuing BMW’s dominance over key rivals such as the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-class and Volvo S60.
So thorough has the design and development been that BMW R&D chief Klaus Draeger, describes it as ‘BMW’s most ambitious engineering program to date’.
Holding true to a front-engine, rear-drive layout, the new 3-series will initially be sold with the choice of three engines in four models – the 320d, 320d EfficientDynamics, 328i and 301bhp 335i.
Following the launch cars into the showrooms a month later, in March next year, are the entry-level diesels and a petrol model: the 320i, which gets a 181bhp 2.0-litre four-pot, and the 114bhp 316d and 141bhp 318d, both of which use versions of the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit. Later in the year comes the rest of the cavalry, including the 318i petrol and the 325d, 330d and 335d diesels.
And in a move mirroring that of the 1-series, the new 3-series will introduce three new trims – Sport, Luxury and Modern — to complement the usual ES, SE and MSport.
Also being readied for late next year is the 3-series ActiveHybrid that mates a turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor combined into the automatic ’box housing. It will produce 335bhp and 332lb/ft and return 44.4mpg. A UK-first late next year will be four-wheel drive models.
Styling/Dimensions/WeightBMW’s design team, headed by Adrian von Hooydonk, was charged with delivering more models and a greater styling variation than ever before.
The starting point is von Hooydonk’s distinctive long-bonnet, cab backward proportion, chosen to emphasise BMW’s rear-drive running gear.
In that sense the 3-series follows the 5 and 7-series, but the departure is the details to avoid the ‘salami-sliced’ family look that BMW was once criticised for.
Shapely headlamps positioned close to the near-vertical kidney grille accentuate the width up front, while double swage lines along the bodysides emphasise the wedge profile and break up the visual bulk of the flanks.
This adds up to a more individual look than before, particularly necessary on the new F30, because the model range will eventually stretch to six body styles.
The new saloon has also grown – but not every dimension. Length is up by a considerable 93mm to 4623mm, some 50mm of which has been dedicated to increasing the wheelbase, now 2810mm.
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Re: New BMW 3-series revealed
Indeed, this is one of my bugbears too - particulary when each new varient/engine makes it onto the front cover without fail. Another car that this phenomena happens with is the Porsche 911. GT3, GT3 cup, Turbo, Carrera, Carrera 4s, GT3rs,.... every single one on the cover.
I hope that when new MG models come out that Autocar will be putting each engined varient on the cover, but i doubt it.
Re: New BMW 3-series revealed
I have to say that as the owner of an 320 M Sport, the interiors of the new models are very disappointing. The red bits in an M Sport? Have BMW gone mad? Might be OK in a Fiesta XR2, but not the supposedly class leading 'sports exec' - most BMW owners are not 18 years old boy racers. The interiors other other two are not much better - what's all the funny wavy stuff about? Great way to trap the dust, will look a fright in three weeks.
Not that it will influence me about having another BMW. Poor build quality, poor reliability, many, many rattles, indifferent BMW service (they really do think it's normal for a car to missfire at 70mph), lousy ride and vague steering have all convinced me that BMW has been living off an ill deserved reputation for far too long. So no thanks, not when their cars are actually worse in many respects than my old 85k miles Vectra SRi!!
Re: New BMW 3-series revealed
I can hardly wait