All new BMW 3 Series unveiled

The sixth-generation of BMW's 3 Series will be lighter, more economical, larger and will even ride better than its ultra-successful predecessor.

The all-new 3 Series will launch across Europe in February next year before arriving Down Under a couple of months later. It will launch with two petrol and two diesel engines before being joined by a range of other engines including a hybrid by September or October 2012.

BMW has used light-weight engineering to pull the weight of the lightest 3 Series model, the 320d, down to 1415kg -- even though the car itself is 93mm longer and the interior is larger.

“We are confident that the new BMW 3 Series will build on the tremendous success of its predecessors,” said Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Norbert Reithofer, said.

“The sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series is the sportiest car in its segment and offers sheer driving pleasure at the highest level,” commented Reithofer.

BMW's top-selling car range adopts a host of high tech options and standard equipment, some from its larger siblings. New features including a parking assist system that parallel parks perfectly, every time, and a switch that can change the car’s character from comfortable to sporty and even into an economy mode.

The new 3's body engineering features more aluminium than ever before, even though BMW moved away from the more-expensive metal with its 5 Series in favour of 'tailored' steel.

There’s more metal here, too, for less weight, with some models up to 45kg lighter than their predecessors. The 320d is only 15kg lighter… But that’s not bad for a car that has picked up significantly more shoulder and elbow room in the front and the rear, as well as more headroom in all five seats and a bigger boot.

The wheelbase, a key factor in ride and stability, has grown from 2760mm to 2810mm. Track widths are increased at both ends and the car is also marginally taller than before.

It should still be quick enough in standard form, with the range-topping 335i featuring a TwinPower inline 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, complete with direct fuel-injection, twin-scroll turbocharging and variable valve timing and lift to give it 225kW and 400Nm.

While it will sprint to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds, the real strength of the 335i is that its maximum torque arrives at just 1200rpm and remains at 400Nm all the way up to 5000rpm.

BMW has also taken a leaf out of Audi’s book by delivering power plateaus as well as the now-familiar torque plateaus. For example, the 2.0-litre, TwinPower in-line four-cylinder 328i’s peak power of 180kW is delivered in a flat line from 5000rpm to 6500.

The engine also delivers a strong 350Nm from just 1250-4800rpm. In fact, both petrol motors deliver their best torque lower in the rev range than the new 3 Series' diesels do.

At 1430kg, the 328i is the lightest of the petrol variants, though its lower output means it carries 7.9kg of weight for every kilowatt of power it has. The 335i, on the other hand, carries only 6.7kg/kW, despite weighing 1510kg.

While their fuel consumption figures of 6.4L/100km and 7.9L/100km respectively are in the solid mid-field, the 328i's figure is a significant improvement from the old 'atmo' 320i which posted 7.6L/100km.

The diesels deliver more spectacular results. Indeed, the star of the economy show is the 320d Efficient Dynamics, which has been tweaked all over for better economy — and delivers — with just 4.1L/100km and 109 grams of CO2.

It shares the same 1995cc in-line, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine as its 320d sibling, though the more-efficient car has only 120kW of power compared to the 320d’s 135kW, though both cars peak at 4000rpm.

They share the same torque, too, with 380Nm arriving in a flat line from 1750-2750rpm, and their improved economy means they need only a 57-litre tank -- three litres smaller than the petrol 3 Series models.

Even if the 320d ED is the star of the eco show, the standard diesel isn’t far behind, with 4.5L/100km and 119 grams of CO2. It still runs to 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds (0.5s faster than the ED). By comparison, the old 320d posted 5.3L/100km with 140 grams of CO2, and was slower.

While Australian prices have yet to be announced, the 320d will start the ball rolling in Europe at €33,350, while the 335i will be the flagship, for now, at €43,600.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...