BMW Launches New 3 Series (Now With Lots Of Pictures)
Today, at 4pm in Munich, the sixth generation 3 series was launched to the press. Usually, this happens in an exotic place. Today, BMW picked a super-exotic place: Its plant in Munich. More than 10,000 people work here, and the launch in the factory was meant to underscore how important BMW’s volume model is in keeping the 10,000 employed.
First to see the daylight was a 320d, followed by a 328i, bunches of additional 320d, a 328i, a 330i, and finally a 335i. You’ll see lots of pictures after the jump …
The sports sedan features a full-color heads-up display, all engines come with the latest BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and can be combined with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
According to BMW, “the pioneering history of the 3 Series serves as inspiration for the new sports sedan, whose powerful styling represents a fresh interpretation and conscientious development of traditional BMW design cues. The new BMW face, with flat headlights reaching along as far as the BMW kidney grille, emphasizes the elegantly dynamic design of the new BMW 3 Series.” For the rest of the 65 page press package, click here.
The car will be available in 3 equipments lines at all dealers around the world on February 11, 2012. An M sport package will follow in Summer 2012.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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As an E39 owner who has hated just about everything BMW has done in the past 8 years, I'll give it a B+. Shame about those Run Flat Tires. Again. Still.
The exterior is design isn't a great departure from the current model with the exceptions of a Z4 snout and a 5 series rear end - but its not bad. I'm happy to see the interior is still driver focused and devoid of the proliferation of buttons that some manufacturers seem to have indulged in. I guess the big news is that entry level engine is all you'll ever need. Like the on the E36 323 -> 328, the engine upgrade just doesn't appear to be worth the money.