When one particular German automaker unveiled not some supercar or luxury SUV, but a regular four-door sedan, the industry was forced to stand up and take notice. Why? Because it’s the new BMW 3-Series, that’s why!
Before we take a look at what the Bavarians did to make the car more appealing, we have to do the boring stuff - analyze the sales figure to see just how important the new 3-Series is.
BMW AG sold 1,224,280 units last year, up 14.6 percent over 2009. In the process, they topped both Audi and Mercedes to secure the top premium global brand title. During the year, they introduced a number of new products, but it was the 3-Series and the 1-Series that accounted for 49 percent of the total figure, not the SUVs and large executives. If BMW can nab both lower and middle management with these two, they can corner the market, so it’s no coincidence the 1er and 3er were reinvented in a relatively significant fashion and revealed in quick succession.
With the introduction of the F30, which is the sixth generation of the nameplate that dates back to 1973, BMW stands a chance to put a serious dent in Audi’s armor. You see, Munich best-seller will hit showrooms starting February 11, and the best Audi can do is not a lot, since their facelifted A4 isn’t revolutionary, an a replacement is about two years away.
But what about Mercedes, surely their C-Class stands a fighting chance. And of course it does, but to make sure the 2012 3-Series is up to this challenge, BMW has also increased the length of the car which plays its cars in the executive market and is also offering numerous customization options, like the availability of Sport, Modern and Luxury packages.
With so much on the table, surely, changing the formula of the 3-Series was as risky for BMW as changing their business would have been.
So let’s look from the outside in starting with the body, which has gown a bit. The most prominent change is the added length by 93 mm (3.66 inches), while the wheelbase is 50 mm (1.96 inches) bigger as well. This might not sound all that important, but it’s a huge deal, and we’re happy that it hasn’t transformed it into a barge. Rather, the impression is of an up-market vehicle.
“So what if the wheelbase is longer?” - you might way. Well, it’s now on par with that of the E23 7-Series, yes 7-Series, that was built until 1986. So basically, the 3-Series is now just the name BMW uses for the car that has to be their charts topper. The age of the truly compact executive is over!
Design wise, they haven’t reinvented it, but the F30 is more masculine and sporty, thanks to the wider stance and a front end that looks like it means business. We love they way the lights now end in the kidney grille, offering a look that’s makes you want to walk around the car to enjoy the 3D effect.
Inside, some people might say that its a regular BMW interior - “seen one, seen them all” was a recent comment we heard. However, given the fact that a significant proportion of customers will be previous 3-Series owners, this is actually a good thing, allowing designers to play with the details rather than starting from scratch.
The E46 was produced between 1999 and 2005, while the E90 you see on the road today picked up the mantle in 2005 and will soon be a thing of the past. So, with the way things are going, the F30 will be on the market for about six years. This means that it will have to meet BMW’s need for cleaner vehicles until 2017 or 2018, a tall order for the car that will represent the bulk of sales figures.
Yesterday, it was announced that the car will make its February 11th, 2012, market debut with four engines in total, two diesels and two gasoline units: the 320d, 320d EfficientDynamics, which uses the same engine in a more frugal setup, the 328i and the 335i.
The two diesels will make the bulk of corporate sales, but the 328i is also interesting because its a sort of nail in the coffin of normal aspiration. On the 2012 model, the 3.0-liter straight-six has been replaced by a turbocharged straight-four. BMW, who didn’t want to have anything to do with turbocharging in the past just can’t get enough of it. In addition, the eight-speed automatic gearbox is now available throughout the range and should help with economy.
The real magic under the bonnet will only come a few months from now. The engine range will be upgraded to include the new entry-level 316i will offer the driver 136 hp and will set you back €29,000 (about $40,000 if you converted it, but the actual US price will be much less). This engine was debuted on the 1-Series and the 184 hp version from that car will be used in the 320i.
Changing the game on the oil-burning front should be a four-cylinder 323d, which will replace the current six-pot 325d and even a 115 hp 316d. BMW has also officially announced the ActiveHybrid 3 is coming later in 2012.
The 2012 3-Series stands a chance to singlehandedly expand BMW’s global market position, and if one car can do all that, than it deserves to fill corporate car parks, even though they will buy boring silver and black ones. This car hasn’t broken the mold, it is the new mold.
Before we take a look at what the Bavarians did to make the car more appealing, we have to do the boring stuff - analyze the sales figure to see just how important the new 3-Series is.
BMW AG sold 1,224,280 units last year, up 14.6 percent over 2009. In the process, they topped both Audi and Mercedes to secure the top premium global brand title. During the year, they introduced a number of new products, but it was the 3-Series and the 1-Series that accounted for 49 percent of the total figure, not the SUVs and large executives. If BMW can nab both lower and middle management with these two, they can corner the market, so it’s no coincidence the 1er and 3er were reinvented in a relatively significant fashion and revealed in quick succession.
With the introduction of the F30, which is the sixth generation of the nameplate that dates back to 1973, BMW stands a chance to put a serious dent in Audi’s armor. You see, Munich best-seller will hit showrooms starting February 11, and the best Audi can do is not a lot, since their facelifted A4 isn’t revolutionary, an a replacement is about two years away.
But what about Mercedes, surely their C-Class stands a fighting chance. And of course it does, but to make sure the 2012 3-Series is up to this challenge, BMW has also increased the length of the car which plays its cars in the executive market and is also offering numerous customization options, like the availability of Sport, Modern and Luxury packages.
With so much on the table, surely, changing the formula of the 3-Series was as risky for BMW as changing their business would have been.
So let’s look from the outside in starting with the body, which has gown a bit. The most prominent change is the added length by 93 mm (3.66 inches), while the wheelbase is 50 mm (1.96 inches) bigger as well. This might not sound all that important, but it’s a huge deal, and we’re happy that it hasn’t transformed it into a barge. Rather, the impression is of an up-market vehicle.
“So what if the wheelbase is longer?” - you might way. Well, it’s now on par with that of the E23 7-Series, yes 7-Series, that was built until 1986. So basically, the 3-Series is now just the name BMW uses for the car that has to be their charts topper. The age of the truly compact executive is over!
Design wise, they haven’t reinvented it, but the F30 is more masculine and sporty, thanks to the wider stance and a front end that looks like it means business. We love they way the lights now end in the kidney grille, offering a look that’s makes you want to walk around the car to enjoy the 3D effect.
Inside, some people might say that its a regular BMW interior - “seen one, seen them all” was a recent comment we heard. However, given the fact that a significant proportion of customers will be previous 3-Series owners, this is actually a good thing, allowing designers to play with the details rather than starting from scratch.
The E46 was produced between 1999 and 2005, while the E90 you see on the road today picked up the mantle in 2005 and will soon be a thing of the past. So, with the way things are going, the F30 will be on the market for about six years. This means that it will have to meet BMW’s need for cleaner vehicles until 2017 or 2018, a tall order for the car that will represent the bulk of sales figures.
Yesterday, it was announced that the car will make its February 11th, 2012, market debut with four engines in total, two diesels and two gasoline units: the 320d, 320d EfficientDynamics, which uses the same engine in a more frugal setup, the 328i and the 335i.
The two diesels will make the bulk of corporate sales, but the 328i is also interesting because its a sort of nail in the coffin of normal aspiration. On the 2012 model, the 3.0-liter straight-six has been replaced by a turbocharged straight-four. BMW, who didn’t want to have anything to do with turbocharging in the past just can’t get enough of it. In addition, the eight-speed automatic gearbox is now available throughout the range and should help with economy.
The real magic under the bonnet will only come a few months from now. The engine range will be upgraded to include the new entry-level 316i will offer the driver 136 hp and will set you back €29,000 (about $40,000 if you converted it, but the actual US price will be much less). This engine was debuted on the 1-Series and the 184 hp version from that car will be used in the 320i.
Changing the game on the oil-burning front should be a four-cylinder 323d, which will replace the current six-pot 325d and even a 115 hp 316d. BMW has also officially announced the ActiveHybrid 3 is coming later in 2012.
The 2012 3-Series stands a chance to singlehandedly expand BMW’s global market position, and if one car can do all that, than it deserves to fill corporate car parks, even though they will buy boring silver and black ones. This car hasn’t broken the mold, it is the new mold.
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