Content

NEW BMW 3 Series

NEW BMW 3 series

Coming to the UK in February 2012.

On sale in the UK in February, the new 3 Series will make its public debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2012. The Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class rival has more space and comfort than before but is also lighter and, according to BMW, better to drive.

In addition to petrol and diesels, BMW will add a full hybrid and a four-wheel-drive model to the range. There will also be more scope for personalisation than ever before.

The new 3 Series takes its lead from the latest 1 Series with the addition of Sport, Modern and Luxury trim levels to standard ES, SE and M Sport versions.

Prices for the new car start at £24,880 for the entry-level 316d ES and top out at £35,525 for the 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder 335i, which has 302bhp, can do 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds and has a 155mph top speed.

The highlight of the engine range for many buyers will be the 320d Efficient Dynamics which has a 161bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, does 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds yet returns 68.9mpg and emits just 109g/km of CO2, making it tax-free in the first year.

Less than a month after the initial launch BMW will unveil 316d and 318d models with 114bhp and 141bhp respectively.

Sport

Sport models get unique alloys and black gloss trim with sports seats with red stitching, red highlighting, switchable ambient lighting and a sports steering wheel on the inside.

Modern

Modern models have matt chrome, unique bumpers and new 17-inch wheels, while inside there's a two-tone finish to the dash and part cloth/part leather seats.

Luxury

Luxury versions have bright chrome exterior trim and 18-inch alloys, with chrome detailing, leather upholstery and wood trim inside.

As for the more familiar trim levels, ES comes with air-con, 17-inch alloys Bluetooth and cruise control among other items, while SE versions add rear parking sensors, different wheels and dual-zone air con. M Sport models get lowered and stiffened suspension, 18-inch M Sport wheels and leather sports seats.

Weight has been reduced by 50kg compared to the previous model and the new model also features a much stiffer body and an all-new chassis with a longer wheelbase (up 50mm to 2,810mm) along with wider tracks (up 37mm at the front and 47mm at the rear) to improve handling.

There is a substantial increase in overall length of 93mm too, and there's more space inside. Indeed, there's 15mm more knee-room and 8mm more headroom in the back, while luggage space has increased by 20-litres to 480-litres.

Up front, the dashboard is angled toward the driver, but the iDrive controller and the 6.5-inch display screen that accompanies it (both are standard across the range) are arranged in the centre.

As you would expect the 3 Series is loaded with gadgets. All models come with Drive Performance Control, allowing the driver to swap between ECO PRO, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ (the latter available on Sport models). All cars have stop-start too.

Other gadgets making their 3 Series debut include Park Assist, which steers the car into a parallel parking spot, a Head-Up Display showing speed limits, and Dynamic Safety, which tensions the seatbelts and closes any open windows if its senses an imminent accident.

For the first time in the 3 Series all the engines are turbocharged, including a 2.0-litre petrol engine that will power the 328i from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds. The same engine will also be used in the 181bhp 320i.

Making an even stronger case for company car drivers, BMW says it will have eight versions of the 3 Series on sale by March 2012 that emit less than 120g/km of CO2. Standard transmission is a six-speed manual gearbox, but a new eight-speed automatic gearbox has been introduced for the first time too. Towards the end of 2012, BMW launch x Drive four-wheel drive versions and the Active Hybrid 3 which gets is essentially a 335i with a 40kW electric motor.

back to news