2012 All-New BMW 3-Series Officially Unveiled

The 2012 all-new BMW 3-Series has been unveiled much to the excitement of the automotive world, after all this is a car that has set the benchmark in the compact luxury segment since the introduction of the first-generation 3-Series in 1975. The numbers do not lie: more than 12 million units of the 3-Series were sold over five generations; in 2010, the current, fifth-generation E90 3-Series accounted for almost 33 percent of the total BMW sales with 399,000 units.

Heading for launch in mid-February 2012, the sixth-generation BMW 3-Series, codenamed F30, has been engineered and designed from the ground-up over four years, a project that BMW R&D Chief Klaus Draeger described as the firm's “most ambitious engineering program to date”. The end product is an entirely new car that is still the sportiest compared with the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volvo S60, while being faster, roomier and more economical than the current 3-Series.

The all-new BMW 3-Series looks instantly familiar, but for the new face, where the sleeker headlamps link up with the twin-kidney grille to accentuate the car's width. The character lines running along the bonnet and the sides bring the 3-Series closer to the new crop of BMW models like the 5-Series, 6-Series and 7-Series. Inside, the driver-focused cabin is furnished with instruments and switchgear borrowed from the 5-Series, while the iDrive controller is now standard on all 3-Series variants.

The BMW 3-Series' excellent proportions and dynamic design elements hide a body that has been lengthened by 93 mm to 4623 mm, 50 mm of which goes to the increase in wheelbase which now measures 2810 mm. The height has grown by 9 mm to reach 1429 mm, though the width at 1811 mm has been trimmed by 4 mm. In what should enhance the 3-Series' handling are wider tracks: the 1543 mm front track and the 1583 mm rear track have gained 37 mm and 47 mm, respectively. Despite the bigger footprint, BMW claims that the 3-Series weighs up to 45 kg lower than before, depending on the variant and equipment level.

The longer wheelbase is aimed at addressing the relative lack of rear room. While the front accommodation remains largely unchanged, the rear legroom has grown by 15 mm, complemented by an extra 8 mm of rear headroom. Moreover, the rear door aperture is 18 mm longer at the base, easing access to the seats. Boot capacity, another one of the 3-Series' traditional weakness, increases by 20 litres to 480 litres. 40:20:40 split-folding rear seatbacks are again on hand to boost the loading ability when necessary.

Unsurprisingly, the all-new BMW 3-Series holds true to a front-engine, rear-drive layout that now boasts a perfect 50:50 weight distribution, which BMW believes is fundamental for the 3-Series to retain its best-handling title in the increasingly competitive segment. The aluminium intensive chassis, which borrows a number of architectural elements from the 5-Series', employs a double-wishbone front suspension coupled to a multi-link rear suspension with variable damping control, replacing the front MacPherson strut and rear multi-link arrangements of old.

Also new to the sixth-generation BMW 3-Series is an electro-mechanical steering system, which debuted on the Z4 before introduction on the 1-Series and 5-Series. For purists who firmly believe that BMW has compromised steering feedback for fuel efficiency with that change, a hydraulic variable-ratio steering system is provided as an option. Servotronic, a feature that adjusts the amount of steering assistance to suit the driving speed, is standard for the 328i and 335i.

From launch in February 2012, four variants—the 320d, 320d EfficientDynamics, 328i and 335i—will make up the all-new BMW 3-Series' lineup. The 320d draws motivation from the carried-over 184 PS, 380 Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, while the 320d EfficientDynamics uses the same engine but with a lower output of 163 PS, though the identical maximum torque of 380 Nm produced across 1750–2750 rpm should ensure a good level of drivability.

Indeed, the 320d sprints from rest to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds, topping out at 235 km/h; the 320d EfficientDynamics requires 8.0 seconds and hits 230 km/h. The tables turn on the efficiency front: the 320d consumes 22.2 km/litre of diesel and emits 118 grams/km of carbon dioxide; the 320d EfficientDynamics returns 24.4 km/litre and 109 grams/km—easily class-leading figures.

Succeeding the naturally-aspirated 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine in the 328i is BMW's new turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine—fully equipped with a twin-scroll turbocharger, piezo-valve direct injection, Valvetronic variable valve timing and double-Vanos variable camshaft timing—that produces 245 PS at 5000–6500 rpm and 350 Nm at 1250–4800 rpm. The century sprint takes 5.9 seconds, and the 328i will reach an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h. Fuel economy is still brilliant, however, as the 15.9 km/litre figure shows.

Also carried over untouched is BMW's venerable twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that continues to churn out 306 PS and 400 Nm at 1200–5000 rpm. Performance is almost identical compared with before: 0-100 km/h requires 5.5 seconds and the top speed is electronically-limited to 250 km/h. Thanks to a series of EfficientDynamics measures standard across the range, including brake-energy recuperation and automatic engine start-stop, the 335i impressively returns 13.9 km/litre and emits 169 grams/km.

The segment's first eight-speed automatic transmission is offered as an option alongside the standard six-speed manual gearbox, though the automatic route is most probably the only that BMW Malaysia will take when the 3-Series arrives next year. (Malaysians will likely also miss out on the all-wheel-drive xDrive versions which are scheduled to launch in the third quarter of 2012.) The Driving Experience Control system now adds an Eco Pro mode, on top of the basic Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes, that improves fuel economy by up to 20 percent.

BMW is offering three new trim levels—Sport Line, Luxury Line and Modern Line, catering to buyers with differing preferences. Like before, the M Sport Package, complete with a body kit, M Sport suspension and M short-shifter, is available. You can select items normally reserved for higher-end models, such as Heads-Up Display; Active Cruise Control; Active Blind Spot Detection System; Lane Change/Departure Warning System with Collision Warning; and Surround View (with Top View and Side View) camera-based parking system. Enjoy the 2012 all-new BMW 3-Series official gallery below!