A Sneak Peek at the New BMW 3 Series
These revealing pictures of the BMW’s most popular model were allegedly leaked from an East European printer
By Justin Lee
WHILE the new BMW 3 Series (code- named E90) is not due to be revealed until the Geneva Motorshow next March, CarBuyer has managed to locate these supposedly official pictures of the car off the internet that were allegedly leaked from a Slovenian printer who had been preparing marketing materials for the car.
As the pictures indicate, the new 3 Series appears to have grown in size and follows the frontal treatment from the present 5 and 7 Series. The headlamps wrap around the front like the new 1 Series. For the rest of the car, the BMW styling department seems to have toned down the controversial “flame” design by reducing the body sculpting to a single design line that emerges from the front wheel arch and tapers off as it reaches the tail lamp.
The rear end styling is also less controversial than other recent BMW designs although the new car’s increased height definitely makes it heavier looking than the present model. It seems the days of BMWs looking lean and athletic are definitely over.
The new car’s increased girth means a larger passenger compartment and boot, but the E90 will definitely not be more spacious than the present 5 Series. On the other hand, the new 3 Series, as with all BMWs, has a 50:50 weight distribution between the front and rear axle, and this limits the amount of legroom available.
A feature like the i-Drive control system that is found on the 5 and 7 Series will also be available on the new 3 Series. Cars not specified with i-Drive, will reportedly get a different dashboard.
Engine-wise, CarBuyer understands that the 320i will no longer be powered by the 2.2-litre engine but replaced by the excellent Valvetronic 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that powers the present 318i. The 325i and 330i will get new six-cylinder engines that also feature Valvetronic technology that promise better power and more efficient fuel consumption.
So it seems that BMW are treading more carefully with the E90 and have decided to make it less controversial than the 5 Series and especially the 7 Series. The new car is larger, but not radically different from the car it replaces.
BMW has an important reason to be more cautious with the 3 Series as it is BMW’s core model and volume seller. For the first half of this year, over one third of all BMWs sold in Singapore were 3 Series models (536 units were 3 Series against a total of 1,455 BMWs sold). More importantly, 399 of the 536 were 318i’s (sedans, coupes and cabriolets).
