AS ITS MOST popular model, BMW’s 3 Series generates plenty of interest whenever a new model is set to debut. With the next generation due in 2012, it’s no surprise that unconfirmed reports about the car’s details are now beginning to circulate.
The lines of the new car are reported to borrow heavily from the latest 7 Series and concept CS to deliver a look that is less-polarising than the current car.
The bonnet and belt-line are expected to sit higher than on the current model, offering improved pedestrian protection, as this rendering of the 2012 3 Series Touring demonstrates.
Tightening emissions and fuel consumption regulations are expected to see the 3 Series debut with a three-cylinder turbocharged engine. Power is expected to be somewhere between 110 to 125 kW with torque figures of around 200 to 300 Nm.
As part of BMW’s EfficientDynamics technologies, the new car will feature an eight-speed automatic transmission, wind-cheating aerodynamics, on-demand electronics and more efficient heating and cooling systems.
One of the new EfficientDynamics features will be an aerodynamic ‘air curtain’. A series of ducts and vents around the bodywork will direct air more cleanly around high-drag areas, such as the car’s wheel wells.
The car’s construction will benefit from the used of advanced materials and lightweight metals such as aluminium to keep weight to a minimum.
BMW is looking to cut manufacturing costs for the new model. Whether BMW will offer lower specification versions of the new 3 Series is not yet clear, but the aim is to maximise production volumes without increasing cost.
Also under consideration is a slightly less-complex version of the hybrid drive system set to debut in the 7 Series and X6.
While BMW already has a range of fuel-efficient diesel engines on offer, the hybrid option is expected to be aimed primarily at the US market, where diesel take-up rates are lower than in Europe.
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A 3 cylinder engine. Like the current entry model 3 series wasn’t slow enough……..
It really depends what displacement and how big the turbo is. However I don’t really see it being more efficenty over a decent na 4 cylinder.
I think the idea is that the turbo would be more likely to offer power on demand when it’s needed but otherwise off boost the 3 cyl arrangement would provide better economy?
Not sure how it would fare on the motorway though, because at higher freeway speeds the turbo would likely be spooling anyway.
It might need to be teamed with at least a 6 speed gearbox with the final gear set quite high…
EVERY and anybody worth its weight is doing “downsizing”, its the way to go without a day, the days of bigger-is-better are over, even our Falcon is getting in on the act.
FIAT was one of the first, and really taking to the next level with a tiny twin cylinder as in just 2 pistons, 900cc i think, so yeah smaller cc’s and smaller size than a V twin Ducati for instance…
The Alfa Romeo Mito 1400cc/4 with have MultiAir fitted, [first production this September] as will the above mentioned 900cc/2, MultiAir, THE greatest engine development this century thus far…
What’s next, 1 cylinder?
Cheers,
F-0
Personally, I don’t care how many cylinders it has. If it has the ponies and torque of the 4 cylinder, then I don’t see the issue.
When they talk about an 8-speed gearbox, I assume it’ll be one similar to Audi’s, which in reality is a stepped CVT? Still, they’re not bad. I test drove a couple of Audi A4’s last night. Both had the multitronic, as it’s called, and the 2.0T diesel was pretty good.
3 cylinders are badly balanced motors, so there might be a lot of vibration. It is basically half of an inline 6. For the 6 cylinder the vibrations for the front half and rear half of the engine cancel out very nicely including some of the harmonic vibrations. That is why 6 cylinder engines are so smooth. 3 cylinder is worse than 4 cylinder for vibration. Most manufacturers use 4 cylinder engines because of this. So BMW is now in the company with Daihatsu as 3 cylinder engine manufacturer.