What is it?
The archetypical sports sedan, BMW's 3-series has long set the benchmark for every automaker looking to play in the segment. Its superb agility and engaging character have defined the very act of driving for generations of enthusiasts, so when a new one comes along, we do more than just sit up and take notice. We gorge ourselves and then beg for more.
The sixth-generation car rolls out in two sedan variants to start. BMW does take some risk with the base 328i in moving to a turbocharged four-banger for power, but on paper, the 2.0-liter turbo four outmatches the 3.0-liter naturally aspirated straight-six, with 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque to the six's 230 hp and 200 lb-ft. Moreover, that peak torque hits 1,500 rpm lower in the rev range, riding flat from just 1,250 to 4,800 rpm. Along with the boost in power, BMW also claims that fuel economy improves with the turbo four, although EPA numbers have yet to be released.
The upper-trim car continues as the 335i, drawing power from the carryover 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six turning out an even 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. All cars come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, but new for 2012 is the keen eight-speed automatic, available across the board.
The sixth-gen 3-series grows a fair amount in size, too, adding 3.7 inches of length over a wheelbase stretched by 1.9 inches. The track widens, too, with an additional 1.2 inches between the wheels up front and 1.7 inches in back. Still, the extra size is more easily felt than seen, with rear passengers benefiting from an extra half-inch of knee room, while all passengers enjoy more headroom.
A host of fuel-saving measures are standard across the line, too, including an auto stop/start function that shuts the engine off at stoplights. But for those who are really serious about saving some fuel, the central Driving Experience Control switch offers an “eco pro” mode in addition to the more familiar comfort, sport and sport-plus modes. Eco pro not only reduces how much power is delivered in response to pedal travel but it also upshifts more quickly and reduces the amount of power sent to the auxiliary systems, such as air conditioning. It's also a nag. Press the throttle too much, for example, and an icon will light up on the dash advising you to lift. Still, BMW does claim that driving in eco pro mode can reduce fuel consumption by up to 20 percent.
Perhaps the most notable change for 2012 affects how folks will purchase their 3-series. For the first time, BMW will offer the car in three major lines: Sport, Modern and Luxury. The lines are distinguished by their look and basic content, with unique 18-inch wheels, grille treatments and trim pieces differentiating them. High-gloss black marks the Sport models, both inside and out, while Luxury cars get chrome bits, and Modern cars see a lot of brushed aluminum. In addition, Sport models get leatherette-clad sport seats with red stitching (the other lines get standard seats in leather) and a sport-tuned suspension.
What is it like to drive?
To say that it drives like a 3-series is too easy, and yet, for those familiar with the car's classic dynamics, the sixth-gen 3-series will feel instantly recognizable.
We only had the chance to try out a 328i Sport model, equipped with the optional adaptive M suspension, eight-speed automatic transmission and optional variable steering. It's a compelling package, to be sure, the engine displaying a delightful flexibility, surging up steep mountain passes, inhaling and exhaling around bend after bend and opening up with a blare down long straights, the torque feeding the wheels well past 100 mph. The eight-speed is easy to work, with the optional paddle shifters quickly rowing up and down all those gears, each popping off in surprisingly quick fashion. It was equally a joy to work the 328i out around the Formula One track at Catalunya outside Barcelona, Spain, where the tight corners and elevation changes did a good job of mimicking the mountain passes surrounding the area--although a steady downpour turned the test into more of a slippery handling exercise than anything approaching a top-speed test. The car comports itself brilliantly; the rear-driver is as manageable on and off the throttle as ever. Dive deep into the corner, flick the wheel and feed the gas, and feel the rear end rotate around. Rinse and repeat.
The turbo four, called N20 internally, displayed no lag to speak of, but it did at times sound much like a diesel. At start-up and idle, the clack-clack-clack from the rockers and the vibrations they send through the cabin very much resemble that of an oil burner. The effect is especially noticeable when the stop/start feature is on; taking off from every stop sign sends shivers, both palpable and audible, through the car. Otherwise, it is remarkably quiet on the road, with little tire noise and less engine noise to speak of.
All 2012 3-series get a standard electromechanical power-steering system. Our test car, however, came with a new system BMW calls Variable Sports Steering. Unlike the Active Steering system found previously on BMW's bigger cars--which often acted like too much ghost in the machine--this new variable-steering system provides different ratios depending on the angle of the steering wheel, with much quicker ratios after 100 degrees. The effect is barely noticeable and only really comes into play around tight hairpins or in parking situations.
We did notice the vast difference in performance among the various modes offered by the Driving Experience Control. After tooling around in comfort mode for a while and dipping quickly into eco pro, we were content switching up to sport and just leaving it there. The throttle response is vastly quicker, and the steering is markedly more direct. Even the transmission transforms, with shifts cracking off much more promptly. Toggling back down to comfort or eco pro proved to be an exercise in frustration afterward; the car just feels sluggish overall in comparison.
Our test car also came stuffed to the gills with optional equipment, much of which we could do without. The full-color head-up display works well and can be nicely configured to show whatever info you want. The optional Surround View, however, is of less use. Getting a 360-degree view of your surroundings might be helpful when reversing, but seeing the sides of your car when it's just sitting still feels gimmicky, at best. The lane-departure-warning system gets seriously annoying after a while, but the trick trunk opener is seriously cool. Just kick a foot under the rear bumper and the trunk pops open. Sheer brilliance--and it's standard on all 3-series.
Then there's the design. Everywhere your eyes land, there are creases, and all of that surface motion only works to give the car an air of Hyundai Sonata--if not literally, then certainly in effect. As the last-gen car suffered from a less-than-inspired styling effort, it would have been nice to see this sixth-generation car take a more clean-sheet approach, rather than this evolutionary tack. Mostly, it just looks as if it's trying too hard.
Although it's still too busy (the taillights are eight-sided!), the rear end has definitely improved; the current car looks pinched off from behind, which to our mind isn't exactly the sort of anthropomorphizing a carmaker should aim for.
The interior, likewise, feels overworked. The center console itself is made up of three polygons mashed together crazy-quilt-style and at three different altitudes: the iDrive controller sits highest, the shifter sprouts from a slightly lower level, and the parking brake tucks in below both in a hollow in front of the armrest (BMW calls the whole assembly a “deliberately asymmetric centre tunnel”). And while we're rather keen on the clean, horizontal lines of the center stack and the large iDrive monitor, there are simply too many trims and panels and planes in too many materials to feel like a cohesive interior design.
Do I want it?
“Who doesn't want a 3-series?” might be a more apt question for enthusiasts. It still sets the standard for sheer driving chops in its segment, and the new turbo four is a nice piece of work, more powerful and efficient than, if not nearly as smooth and refined as, a straight-six. BMW offers as robust a list of standard features as ever and more optional techy goodies than the 3-series has ever known. We're seriously hesitant when it comes to the car's styling, however. When placed next to an Audi or a Mercedes-Benz--even a Volvo--of the same class, the 3-series looks the least elegant, the least put-together of the bunch (especially inside).
Of course, for most 3-series buyers, it's the driving that matters most, and in that regard, the sixth-generation car is as put-together as anything that tries to vie with it.
