BMW 3 Series Sedan given a thorough test

THE next generation of the BMW 3 Series Sedan is just completing the crucial stages on the way to serial production maturity.
There was only one possible setting when it came to driving dynamics testing and set-up runs: the legendary Nordschleife at Nürburgring. Test runs at the “Green Hell” traditionally serve as an endurance test for the drive and suspension technology of newly developed BMW models. A particularly extensive testing programme was developed for the camouflaged prototypes of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan.
After all, the comprehensive renewal of the wheel suspension, steering, damping/suspension and brakes provided the developers with a broad range of opportunities to optimise ride comfort and dynamic performance, enabling the ultimate sports sedan for the mid-range premium segment to mature lap by lap.
The underlying concept of the four-door model shows just how much the development process for the new BMW 3 Series Sedan is geared towards enhanced sporty flair. The car’s agility and steering precision benefit from much-expanded track widths, while increased wheel camber levels offer additional potential for maximum transverse dynamics.
In terms of the engine portfolio, one particularly striking feature is a thoroughly revised 4-cylinder petrol engine. It is the most powerful 4-cylinder engine ever to be fitted in a BMW series production model. Yet its fuel consumption figures are still some 5 per cent below those of the predecessor engine: one contributing factor here is the further developed 8-speed Steptronic transmission. What is more, a particulate filter optimises the emissions response of the new engine, enabling it to meet the Euro 6d-TEMP exhaust standard.
Not only is the body lighter and more rigid in design than that of the predecessor model, the same is also true of the front and rear axle in the new BMW 3 Series Sedan.