Auto Design

By Giancarlo Perini ©

BMW Board of Directors,  managers and employees have presented their all-new 3 series limousine to the press gathered in Munich for an event that has been broadcasted on line for all car enthusiasts, in sometwhat retoric yet appropriate cerimony celebrating the BMW team at large and the Munich factory that produce the company most iconic and profitable range.

The new BMW 3 series is at ist 6th generation and the first units are going on sale next as of next Feebruary.

The new classic notchback is some 93 mm. Longer and sits on a 50 mm. longer wheelbase that the model it replaces but is nominally (4 mm.) narrower, despite its much wider tracks,. Yet, the car is some 50 kgs lighter and in some istances faster. Still it is more fuel efficient than its equivalent predecessor. The new dimensions do indeed set new proportions and deliver improved dynamics and aerodynamics.

The side and front views show the benefits of those additional 93 mm. length, with the long, flowing and very dynamic bonnet that does not sacrifice beauty and meets with pedestrian safety standards. The overall heigth just increases 9 mm.

The drag coefficient (Cd) is as low as 0.26 thanks to streamlined underside covers which create a diffuser effect at the rear and „Aero Curtain“ air channels in the front apron which reduce the turbulence created by the revolution of the front wheels in their arches.

The new look seems to be somwehat „typical“, indeed the new 3 is quite a step forward.   Give sometime to your eyes to see the cacr on the road and in daylight for few days and the difference will become obvious and, once again, trend setting.

Exterior design is back to a slightly wedge-shaped silhouette but with a the side highlight splitted in two sections that „work in harmony“ along the whole side and in combination with the charachter line front and rear.

Statements from the company´s officials have pointed to the key theme of the new generation: efficient dynamics delivering top fuel efficiecy and record low CO2 emissions. The premium carmaker is proposing four different engine options at lunch time but the range will eventually reaches 8 different powertrain versions, all turbocharged, gasoline or diesel and whether some will come only with 8 speed automatic geaboxes, a couple of them will be available both with standard manual 6 speed and optional 8 speed transmission.  As in the U.S.A.

In March 2012, when more engines are added to the four at launch, BMW will offer eight different versions, with CO2 emissions at or below 120g/km while competitors can presently offer only one each. In markets such as the U.K. this brings clear benefits to owners in terms of Benefit-in-Kind company car taxation and Vehicle Excise Duty, while the 320d EfficientDynamics model, with CO2 emissions of less than 110g/km, allows businesses which outright purchase, to write off 100 per cent of the cost of the car against tax in the first year.

Complete Photo Gallery

Here is a summary of the engine specifications.