The New BMW 3 Series

BMW has released details of its all-new BMW 3 Series. To be shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show next March, the E90 3 Series is will go on sale in mid-2005. The E90 3 Series adds an armoury of impressive, innovative improvements for engine, chassis, safety technology as well as driving comfort.

Three new engines.

The new BMW 3 Series comes with three engine options: two all-new six-cylinder engines and an optimised iteration of the famous 2.0-litre four-cylinder slots into the 320i entry model.

Six-cylinder with extra-light magnesium crankcase.

The all-new 3.0-litre R6 straight-six cylinder fitted to the top-of-the-range BMW 330i offers190 kW, with torque at 300 Nm between 2,500 and 4,000 rpm. The new R6 is the most powerful and lightest six-cylinder engine in its segment.

To minimise weight, BMW has employed magnesium for the first time in large-scale series production, achieving a substantial 30 percent weight saving compared with an all aluminium alloy engine. Magnesium is used for the crankcase, the crankshaft bearings, and on the cylinder head cover.

Maximising the weight saving and boosting performance across the rev range is BMW's Valvetronic infinitely-variable intake valve control. This technology is teamed with the long-standing BMW double-VANOS variable camshaft adjustment on both inlet and exhaust valves.

The combination of VALVETRONIC and double-VANOS spurs the new BMW 330i from 0-100 km/h in a very impressive 6.3 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. Despite this remarkable performance from a compact sedan, fuel consumption is a meagre 8.7-ltr/100 km on the composite EU cycle.

Its new engine produces 160 kW at 6,500 rpm thanks to VALVETRONIC and double-VANOS technology, with maximum torque of 250 Nm available between 2,750 and 4,250 rpm. The BMW 325i accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 7.1 seconds with a top speed of 245 km/h. The BMW 325i uses just 8.3 ltr/100 km on the combined EU cycle.

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