BMW has revealed it plans to launch a hybrid-powered 3 Series towards the end of 2012. The confirmation is part of the Group’s launch plan of the new sixth generation 3 Series set to arrive in the UK next February.
The hybrid 3 Series, known as the ActiveHybrid 3, will utilise the same powertrain found in the ActiveHybrid 5. This sees a powerful 306hp six-cylinder engine (found in the 335i) coupled to a 40kW electric motor. No news on CO2 emissions or fuel economy figures just yet, however with such a large engine we would be surprised if it managed to better the frugal 320d EfficientDynamics model.
Across the model range BMW has managed to make significant efficiency improvements, with the green star of the show the new 320d EfficientDynamics model which will emit just 109g/km of CO2 and have a combined fuel economy figure of 68.9mpg.
By the end of March 2012, BMW has promised that eight variants of the new model will be available that sit on or below the 120g/km threshold.
All engines feature BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, they include a new four-cylinder 2.0-litre petrol unit, developing 245hp and 350Nm of torque, in the 328i. It replaces the six-cylinder 3.0-litre engines in the previous 325i and 330i, with inherent advantages for weight and fuel consumption. Efficiency is also significantly improved and both manual and automatic versions of the 328i have fuel economy of more than 44mpg and CO2 emissions below 150g/km.
Also coming to all new 3 Series’ is the additional of the ECO PRO driving mode. While the car is in this driving style the throttle mapping changes so that a firmer push of the accelerator pedal is needed to extract the power, encouraging more economical driving. ECO PRO also alters the manual gearshift points advised by the Optimum Shift Indicator, modifies the gearshift strategy on models with automatic transmission and even adjusts the power consumption of features such as the climate control and heated mirrors and seats.
Auto Stop-Start is fitted to all versions, manual and automatic, along with Brake Energy Regeneration, on-demand control of engine ancillary components and tyres with less rolling resistance. Weight has been reduced by up to 50kg compared with the previous model, while the drag coefficient (Cd) is down to as low as 0.26 thanks to optimised aerodynamics.
A fuel efficient eight-speed automatic is also available giving a wider spread of ratios than the former six-speed unit without taking up any more space in the engine bay, and is available as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual gearbox. BMW is offering the autobox right across the range and it can significantly improve efficiency. For example, the new 318d automatic model now emits 22g/km less than the previous 318d automatic model.
