The new BMW 3 Series is go. With a sleek look, upmarket interior and a range of fuel efficient engines, the new 3 Series will build on the appeal of its predecessor to deliver the luxury of the 5 Series in a smaller, more affordable package.
As you can tell from the pictures, the new BMW 3-Series has been totally redesigned for the 2012 model year. When compared to the outgoing model the new 2012 model seems to have grown up and become more elegant while keeping its sporty appeal. The new 3-Series is bigger than its predecessor, being 93 mm longer, offering up 15 mm more legroom and 8 mm more headroom for the passengers at the back.
Inside, the 2012 BMW 3-Series also gets completely redesigned. BMW says that the interior is now more driver-focused than ever with the cockpit is angled towards the driver by seven degrees.
BMW will initially offer the 3-Series in four variants – the 328i and 335i on the petrol side, and the 320d and 320d EfficienctDynamics on the diesel end. The range-topping 335i comes with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder unit producing 225 kW. The new 320d EfficientDynamics delivers 120 kW with a fuel-economy rating of just 4.1 L/100km and a CO2 quotient of 109 g/km. The 2012 3 Series will also offer the option of an 8-speed automatic gearbox as an alternative to the 6-speed manual ‘boxes that feature across the range.
The new BMW 3 Series will continue to be built locally, in Rosslyn, as well as at the Group’s plants in Munich and Regensburg.
As for pricing, in Europe the 320d will sell for €35 350 and the 335i will start at €43 600. The new BMW 3-Series will go on sale in February 2012 to international markets and we expect an announcement shortly regarding South African pricing and availability.
