BMW 3 Series Saloon sneak peek

It won’t be on sale until February 2012, but BMW has released the first pictures and a few important details on the new 3 Series Saloon, the sixth generation of this sales success story for the Bavarian automaker.

The newest 3 Series line-up will feature new powertrains and additional EfficientDynamics technology for better fuel economy and reduced emissions. A creature of contradictions, it is 50kg lighter yet it’s larger and more spacious inside, nimbler than past models and also safer and more fuel-efficient. There is also a wider choice of trims with this new model and a personalisation programme. All variants are rear-wheel drive and there’s 480 litres of luggage space, a 20-litre increase on the last model.

Other kit that is standard across the whole range includes a stop-start function, Brake Energy Regeneration, super-precise electromechanical power steering, and on-demand control of engine ancillary components and tyres with less rolling resistance.

The 328i is the most affordable of the petrol range, priced from £29,060 OTR. Even at the base level, there’s plenty of power to be had at 245bhp, 258lb-ft of torque, a 5.9 second 0-62mph sprint and electronically limited top speed of 155mph. Combined fuel economy is 44.1mpg and CO2 emissions are 149g/km.

Priced at £35,525, the 335i has 306bhp, 295lb-ft of torque and sprits to 62mph in 5.5 seconds. Fuel economy is at 35.8mpg and emissions at 186g/km.

The diesel-powered 320d is priced from £28,080 with a stunning combined fuel economy stat of 62.8mpg with emissions at 120g/km. But the greenest of the new 3 Series line-up is the £28,080 320d EfficientDynamics saloon with fuel economy at 68.9mpg and emissions at just 109g/km, a stunning effort for a premium saloon that can still pump out 163bhp and 280lb-ft of torque.

By March 2012, four more engines will be added to the line-up to make a grand total of eight engine options. The 320d EfficientDynamics engine, the cleanest, greenest in the range, with sub-110g/km emissions allows businesses which outright purchase, to write off 100 per cent of the cost of the car against tax in the first year, so it’s a good option for fleet buyers looking for something luxurious.

All versions have four driving modes, ECO PRO, Comfort, Sport and Sport +. In manual variants, the ECO PRO alters the gearshift points advised by the Optimum Shift indicator and in the automatics, ensures the car is always in the best gear for the conditions and adjusts the power consumption of features such as the climate control, heated mirrors and heated seats. With eight gears on offer in the automatic, it makes it much easier for the car to always be in an appropriate gear so the automatics are as fuel-efficient as the manuals and even more so in some variants.


















































































www.bmw.co.uk


By Georgia Lewis

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