While we wait for images of the new BMW F30 3 Series to become available here’s a few official videos to help you become acquainted with BMW’s most important and highest selling model. BMW’s designers are on hand to provide commentary as well.
BMW has today launched its new F30 3 Series range. The sixth generation 3er will go on sale across the globe on 11 February next year.
The new 3 Series is 93mm longer than the previous model and its wheelbase has increased by 50mm. In line with the growing dimensions the front track is now 37mm wider, while the rear has expanded by 47mm. Pleasingly, overall weight has dropped by 40kg.
The F30 debuts a new face for BMW. New headlight styling now extends to a widened version of the famous kidney grille. We reckon it looks pretty good, too.
BMW will offer the new 3 Series in three trim/equipment levels: Sport Line, Luxury Line and Modern Line. Munich claims the F30 is the first car in the mid-size premium segment to offer an 8-speed automatic. A colour head-up display is also featured.
At launch BMW will provide a choice from four turbocharged engines; get used to the term TwinPower Turbo technology as we’re going to hear it a lot from now on. There’s be two diesel engines, an inline six cylinder and a four cylinder. The 3 Series will also be offered in all-wheel drive and hybrid models in the future.
There’s a couple of teaser pics for you now and some images from the live webstream are shown below. Official pics to follow after BMW’s press website regains its sanity.
BMW Australia believes the new 1 Series can match the performance of the all-conquering Volkswagen Golf GTI. Speaking at the recent launch of the F20 1 Series, BMW’s Toni Andreevski said, “We want to price [an upcoming 1-Series model] it as a Golf GTI competitor. It will have Golf GTI-rivalling performance.â€
At initial launch the 118i is, on paper, the closest match to the GTI. With just 125kW on tap it is 30kW down on power, which translates in a 0-100km/h time 0.5 seconds slower than the GTI. However, BMW say they have a new 160kW 1er powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged engine on the way which they expect will tempt buyers away from Volkswagen.
In order to help make that case more compelling they will sharpen their pencils. Helping to offer a competitive price they will cut out some expensive equipment options.
“We are looking at more of our performance models in the 1-Series hatch and bringing them in a lot more sharply priced,†says Andreevski.
“You’ll see from us a lot flatter price structure [in future]. We want to communicate the performance of the car and let the customer choose [what options they want]. It’s all about being more customer focused.â€
So, if you were in the market for a hot hatch would you pick the 1 Series hatch over a similarly priced GTI. Or would you choose another hot hatch altogether?
[Source: Drive]
BMW Australia has announced the local launch of the new F20 1 Series will take place on 22 October. To begin with dealerships will have three models on their floors: 116i, 118i and 118d.
The 116i and 118i will be powered by a 1.6 litre four cylinder petrol engine fitted with a twin-scroll turbocharger. The 118d is helped along by a 2.0 litre four cylinder diesel featuring common-rail direct injection.
BMW’s marketers have come up with TwinPower Turbo to label the 1 Series engine range. Terms such as “new generation”, “sporty personality” and “exceptionally low fuel consumption” follow close behind.
Entry level pricing is marginally less than the outgoing 1er and BMW boasts improvements in efficiency and equipment across the range. One example is the optional 8-speed auto transmission, which joins the standard 6-speed manual box. BMW say the 8-speed slushbox is a first for its class.
Other standard equipment includes Bluetooth, cruise control with brake function, dual zone climate control, auto stop/start, a 6.5 inch colour display, 17″ alloy wheels and more.
BMW Australia’s introductory press release is available below. For more coverage of the new 1 Series click here.
BMW 1 Series – Australian pricing*
BMW is congratulating Sebastian Vettel after he wrapped up his second F1 world driver’s championship at the Japanese Grand Prix. Why you ask?
Back in 2004 young Vettel annihilated his opposition in the Formula BMW category. He won 18 of 20 races, started from pole 14 times and collected 13 fastest laps. Unsurprisingly that’s still the most dominant season in the junior category.
After reading BMW’s press release we figured it might be worth searching their motorsport archives to see if we could find any pics of Sebastian from back in the day. And, here’s the results.
BMW has confirmed the wraps will officially come off its new F30 3 Series at a special launch event this Friday, 14 October.
The event will be streamed live from Munich via the BMW Group Facebook page. For those of us living on Australia’s eastern seaboard, we’ll need to wait until 1am on Saturday 15 October.
Video reviews of the new F10 BMW M5 will start appearing online very soon. Already you can see a brief test from Car magazine after the break. We’ve also found a few bonus clips to keep you entertained.
A reminder, too, the 412kW F10M is expected on Australian shores within the next 3–4 months.
In 2010 BMW presented the Gran Coupé concept at the Auto China show. Recently this 6 Series Gran Coupé prototype was seen circulating at the Nürburgring.
The car you see here will be on sale in mid-2012 after making a show debut at Geneva next March. So, if you really like the Audi A7 Sportback but prefer a BMW badge, then this 6 Series derived “coupé” is for you.
[Source: Car]
US publication Motor Trend has assembled a group of 11 incredibly desirable cars, sent them to an empty airstrip and planted the go pedal. Check the list below, form your opinion on which car you think will be quickest. Also consider which cars you reckon will make the top three. Which one will be the slowest? Then take the jump and watch ex-pat Aussie and former Wheels editor Angus MacKenzie guide you through the results.
[Thanks to Tim for the tip]
Renowned German tuning firm AC Schnitzer are bringing their version of the ultimate BMW 1 Series M Coupé to the Frankfurt Motor Show. They’ve called it the ACS1 Sport Coupé. Here’s a few pics that might make you think twice.
On the plus side they have upped power from 340hp to 400hp (250kW to 300kW). Brakes and suspension have been uprated, too, so you can be sure you’ll have the ability to better control that horsepower.
On the downside; well, just look at it. We reckon they’ve taken a great looking car from BMW and turned into a real shambles.
Just look at the interior. It’s horrible! What were they thinking with that iDrive controller cover. To us, it looks cheap and nasty.
What do you think? Have we got it wrong; is this ACS1 jobbie a fine example of performance and cosmetic perfection, or is it just butt ugly?
[Source: AC Schnitzer]
BMW Australia has announced it will introduce TwinPower Turbo technology to its entire Z4 range, with the rollout due in November. Out go the old normally aspirated inline six cylinder engines from the 150kW sDrive23i and 190kW sDrive30i. In comes the new world order of 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo power in the form of a 135kW sDrive 20i and a 180kW sDrive28i.
These changes have been made in the chase for cleaner and greener engines. Fuel consumption figures for the two entry models have fallen to 6.7l/100km, a reduction of 1.7l/100km against the old six cylinder units. This means the sDrive20i and sDrive28i will be exempt from the luxury car tax. And that means they will be cheaper to buy. Compared to the replaced models pricing has dropped $9300. Quite a tidy saving really.
While it is a shame to lose BMW’s classic inline six from the Z4, performance won’t be greatly affected. Indeed, the sDrive28i can reach 100km/h in 5.7 seconds (0.1 second faster than the sDrive30i).
The existing six cylinder 225kW sDrive35i and 250kW sDrive35is will remain, albeit with reduced pricing. Gotta be happy with that.
More from BMW Australia after the break.
Forget everything we’ve told you about the BMW model code for the next M3. Bimmerpost brings word the F3x coding has been dropped and will be replaced by a unique F80 codename.
That’s not all, however, with suggestions the M3 sedan will receive a stay of execution. This follows earlier reports predicting the M3 saloon would be scrapped.
Moreover, with the expected move to 4 Series badging for the next 3 Series based coupé models, it could well be that the M3 badge will remain only on four-door models. Meaning the next ‘true’ two-door M3 will actually be an M4. Adding to this pedantry, the M4 will carry an F82 model code.
The F80 M3 is expected in mid-2013, while the F82/F83 (hardtop/covertible) will follow afterwards. That’s right, the sedan is now rumoured to be the first of the new 3 Series platform to wear an M badge. For now, at least.
[Source: BimmerPost]