news

2012 BMW 3 Series On Sale In Australia

BMW Australia has announced the release of its all-new 3 Series sedan. The new '3er' debuts with a family of turbocharged engines, and, for the first time, a new eight-speed automatic transmission across the range.

The new line-up starts at


BMW Australia has announced the release of its all-new 3 Series sedan. The new '3er' debuts with a family of turbocharged engines, and, for the first time, a new eight-speed automatic transmission across the range.

The new line-up starts at $56,400 for the entry-level 318d diesel, through to $91,900 for the 335i flagship. Between those two, you'll find the 320d diesel, and the 320i and 328i petrol models.

While the 335i, 328i and 320 will be in showrooms this month, buyers keen for the 318d and 320i will need to hold out until March.

Mechanical

Diesel - 318d

Power for the 318d is provided by the same four-cylinder turbo engine that drives the up-spec 320d (see below), but in this detuned form it delivers 105kW and 320Nm of torque.

Paired with BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission, fuel consumption for the miserly 318d is listed at 4.5 l/100km. The 0-100km/h time is listed at a claimed 9.3 seconds.

Diesel 320d

The more powerful 320d utilises a higher tune of the same four-cylinder turbodiesel to produce 135kW and 380Nm of torque.

Fuel consumption for this variant is listed at 4.5 l/100km for the manual and 4.4 for the auto. The 0-100km/h is completed in a claimed 7.5 seconds and a hair slower for the auto at 7.6 seconds.

Petrol - 320i

Powering the 320i is a lower-output version of the four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that drives the 328i (below), producing 135kW and 270Nm of torque.

Again fitted with the new eight-speed auto, the 320i lists fuel consumption figures of 6.0 l/100km. BMW claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds.

Petrol - 328i

The 328i, again demonstrating the virtues of sharing in a family, shares the turbocharged four-cylinder engine driving the updated 528i. This engine produces 180kW and 350Nm of torque, with a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds.

Fuel consumption for this variant is listed at 6.4 l/100km when paired with the six-speed manual and at 6.3 l/100km with the auto.

Petrol - 335i

Topping the petrol options is the familiar 335i, driven by a turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 225kW and 400Nm of torque - identical to the current model.

The 0-100km sprint is completed in a claimed 5.5 seconds (a 0.3 second improvement) for both transmissions, while fuel consumption has fallen from 8.7 to 7.9 l/100km for the manual and an even sharper 7.2 l/100km for the automatic.

Suspension for the new 3 Series is managed by a double-joint arrangement at the front, including ultra-light aluminium struts and wishbones designed to reduce unsprung weight.

At the rear is a "refined and revised" version of the outgoing model's multi-link set-up, gaining widened mounts and supports on the rear wheel carriers, along with stiffened control arms, axle subframe and thrust arms.

Features

The new 3 Series rides on a 50mm longer wheelbase and offers an overall length increase of 93mm, freeing up interior space and increasing rear storage capacity by 20 litres, now up to 480 litres.

Standard features for the Australian-delivered 3 Series includes dual-zone climate control, cruise control with braking, power-adjustable front seats with memory functions, automatic lights and wipers, and Park Distance Control.

Depending on the variant, there is also a 6.5-inch or 8.8-inch colour display, along with USB audio activity, Bluetooth hands-free calling, and Dakota leather upholstery throughout.

While the 320d will feature a six-speaker sound system, the mid-range 328i adds BMW's Navigation System Business package and a nine-speaker arrangement. Both variants are fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels.

Safety features include six airbags, and Dynamic Stability Control that includes ABS, Brake Assistant, Cornering Brake Control and Dynamic Traction Control.

A new Active Protection system is also featured across the range, automatically activating at speeds above 18km/h.

The system tensions the driver's and front passenger's seat belts, and if a crash is determined to be likely, the belts are tightened further and windows and sunroof automatically closed.

Optional items in the ConnectedDrive safety range include lane-change warning, lane-departure warning, rear-view and surround view.

Pricing

  • BMW 318d - $56,400
  • BMW 320i - $57,600
  • BMW 320d - $60,900
  • BMW 328i  - $66,900
  • BMW 335i  - $91,900

Trim / Equipment options

BMW 318d – Modern Line - $3900, Sport / Luxury Line - $4900
BMW 320i/d - Modern Line - $3100, Sport / Luxury Line - $4100
BMW 328i / 335i – Modern Line - $1000, Sport / Luxury Line - $2000

Note: Manufacturer’s Recommended List Price is shown and includes GST and Luxury Car Tax (LCT) but excludes dealer charges, stamp duty, statutory charges and on-road charges.

MORE:BMW Showroom
MORE:BMW News
MORE:BMW Reviews
MORE:Search Used BMW Cars for Sale
MORE:BMW Showroom
MORE:BMW News
MORE:BMW Reviews
MORE:Search Used BMW Cars for Sale
Chat with us!







Chat with Agent