By Kaustubh Shinde
The bread winner for BMW – the 3 Series is all set for an upgrade in the next year. Codenamed the F30 (BMW is officially out of ‘EXX’ project codes), this car will make its formal debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. BMW has promised that the new 3 series will be (and I quote) “cleanest, thriftiest, most technically advanced 3 Series ever”. We presume it will also be the priciest 3 series ever 
The design language of the new series looks like it has been heavily influenced by its elder sisters the 5 series Gran Turismo with a very snooty (shark like) nose and a few bulges on the hood. BMW say that the design is more ‘evolutionary’ than ‘revolutionary’. Nonetheless, we like the new design of the 3 Series. It has some really nice lines along the body and is certainly better than the out going car.
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BMW’s bread earner is all set to go for an upgrade in 2012. The testing has already begun on the Nurburgring with many spyshots floating on the internet. Internally called as the F30, the model promises to be a Back-to-Basic philosophy with aggressive lines dominating the design.
Speaking about the design; the new 3 series is expected to have a pushing kidney grill (like the one seen on the Z4) coupled with a bulging bonnet. The L-shaped headlamps will wrap around the back with subtle concave and convex lines flowing throughout the body.
The 3 Series will be offered in a myriad of 4 and 6 cylinder engines. Speculations are that the Munich giant is also planning a 3 cylinder engine for better fuel mileage. The performance version of the 3 series, the M3 may drop the V8 and adopted a turbo-charged 6 cylinder engine.
The new 3 Series should also be assembled in India with around 10-15% localization. It should be here by the end of 2012.
The 2012 BMW 3 Series will be longer, albeit weighing the same
The next generation BMW 3 Series is at least two years away and BMW is planning to make it look aggressive to maintain uniqueness.
The images released bare a close resemblance to the CS concept unveiled a couple of years ago. Sure, the CS concept will donate many of its styling elements to the forthcoming BMWs, but the next 3, we believe, will be even more radical and revolutionary.
The next generation 3 Series will benefit from the usage of lighter materials like aluminium. Being longer than the current model, this is how it will manage to maintain exactly the same weight. The new generation 3 Series will have plenty of bodystyles like sedan, estate, coupe, convertible and even GT!
Facts on the next generation 3 Series
* Cd figure of 0.24
* use of three-cylinder engines
* climate control system — will be completely re-engineered
* data from thousands of existing BMW cars through black boxes that were fitted recently, will shape the next generation car.
* to come in both hybrid and fully electric forms.
* headlights and other electrical items to become more energy efficient
The 2012 3 Series will also borrow technologies from the bigger 5 Series. The Efficient Dynamics version will get aerodynamically designed wheels, Active Aerodynamics, solar roof panel, regenerative braking, stop-start and many others. A new range of 3 cylinder engines, 4 cylinder engines and inline 6s are expected on the new 3 Series whose pricing should remain close to the current cars.
BMW’s new 3 Series will be reinvented for the new age of environmentally friendly cars. The car is set to make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in 2011 and by 2016, it will undergo a mid-life refreshment.
We’ve already shown you spy shots of the next 3 Series mule, rendering of the 2012 BMW 3 Series and also discussed on the engine line-up of the future 3 Series in previous occasions.
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An official announcement has arrived from BMW that the 3 Series GT, inspired by the larger 5 Series GT is heading to the Frankfurt Motor Show which happens in September. The 3 Series GT will carry the design cues of the 2012 BMW 3 Series as well.
Is this the BMW 3 Series that is supposed to arrive in 2011? We are not quite sure but this does look worthy enough. The folk from Teknikensvarld have come up with this rendering that was featured on BMW Blog.
The computer generated images of the next generation BMW 3-Series(above), made its debut appearance in the German AUTO ZEITUNG magazine. Chris Bangle’s creations certainly have a good road presence, and this rendering is no exception. It looks much more aggressive, sleeker and upmarket than the existing 3-Series. 2012 BMW 3-Series Gallery Source- German Car Zone
By Kaustubh Shinde
