It’s close but don’t light that cigar just yet. The all-new BMW 3-Series is undergoing the final and crucial stages of testing before serial production gets underway.
With the likelihood of a global unveiling sometime next year, as multiple foreign reports have suggested, here’s a few new tech to tickle your heartstrings in anticipation of its arrival locally.
The new sports sedan is some 50 kg lighter, sits lower than its predecessor and strikes the ideal 50:50 weight distribution. The car’s agility and steering precision benefits from the extended track widths, while increased wheel camber promises to offer improved cornering dynamics.
It will also play host to the most powerful 4-cylinder engine ever to be fitted into a BMW series production model mated to a further developed 8-speed Steptronic transmission.
On the damping side of things, the new BMW 3-series features the first ever “lift-related dampers” to be fitted in a BMW model that functions continuously and progressively in relation to the respective spring travel.
As such, vibrations that occur over bumps on the road and during hard cornering can be neutralised with precision and finesse. The dampers will be a standard feature for the new car, and with some tweaks (10mm lower) forms part of the M sports suspension package along with 18-inch light alloy wheels and mixed tyres.
There’s 20% increased damping forces from the M sports suspension compared to the standard suspension. The M sports suspension also includes more rigid bearings and stabilisers, harder springs and additional body struts.
Linked to the vehicle’s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is an active locking differential that distributes torque selectively between the rear wheels to prevent slip on a wheel from reduced grip while ensuring that the engine power can be used unrestrictedly for sheer driving pleasure.
“Unlike conventional mechanical locks, the regulated M sports differential can optimise so much more than just traction. In addition to cornering dynamics, there is a particularly tangible increase in drive stability in the event of load changes, for example. This allows the new BMW 3 Series Sedan to be driven remarkably confidently and effortlessly even when travelling in dynamic style,” said Head of Driving Dynamics, Peter Langen.
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