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Elegance at Its Best:
The new BMW 3 Series Coupé.
• Coupé unique in its design and interior.
• Debut: straight-six turbocharged power unit developing 225 kW/306 bhp.
• Intelligent BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system featured for the first time in a coupé.
• Lightweight steel body: stronger and lighter.
• Bi-xenon headlights embellished by corona rings for daytime use.
• Exclusive interior: lights package and wide range of individual features.
• Automatic belt feed as an innovative comfort feature.
Individual style now comes in a new expression: the BMW 3 Series Coupé. Offering a brand-new look of all-round elegance, BMW’s two-door coupé sets a new benchmark in terms of elegant looks, value, and comfort.
And at the same time it significantly raises the standard of driving dynamics, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé introducing a truly exceptional power unit now making its debut in the world market: the first straight-six complete with a twin turbocharger, high-precision fuel injection, and an all-aluminium crankcase.
Through its supreme potential alone, this 225 kW/306 hp power unit in the BMW 335i Coupé ensures a significant increase in torque and acceleration, while keeping fuel economy on the same low level as before.
The other variants of the new BMW 3 Series Coupé entering the market in September 2006 – the BMW 330i Coupé (200 kW/272 hp), the BMW 325i Coupé (160 kW/218 hp), and the BMW 330d Coupé (170 kW/231 hp) – again reflect the principle of BMW Efficient Dynamics in every respect. Further versions of the new two-door model with six- and four-cylinder power units will round off the model range at a later point in time.
As an alternative to its six-speed manual gearbox, the BMW 3 Series Coupé will also be available with BMW’s new six-speed automatic transmission. Keeping gearshift times extremely short, the new automatic transmission ensures an even more spontaneous response to the gas pedal, thus enhancing not only driving comfort, but also driving dynamics.
Yet another new feature is the introduction of BMW’s intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive concept: The most sophisticated and highly developed all-wheel-drive system currently in the market, BMW xDrive is now proving its merits in terms of safety and driving dynamics for the first time in a coupé.
The unique position and character of BMW’s new two-door model is clearly recognisable from the start and is confirmed by each and every feature: Over and above the basic shape of the car and its special lines, the graphic design of the headlights, the structure and design of the rear lights, the interior and even the exterior mirrors were all specially created for the new Coupé. Indeed, these optical features are just as unique as the very character of this elegant four-seater.
All this makes the new BMW 3 Series Coupé a truly fascinating car at very first sight – and a truly convincing automobile to own and drive for a long running life. The entire drivetrain offers the very best in sporting performance combined with outstanding all-round efficiency. And the car’s suspension converts sheer engine power as well as sporting style and superior safety intro truly dynamic performance on the road. So that the new BMW 3 Series Coupé offers ideal conditions for a conscious experience of sheer driving pleasure in every respect and in all areas.
Choosing a coupé, the discerning motorist will always seek to express his – or her – individual style. Naturally, the connoisseur also chooses a coupé to reflect his or her significant demands in terms of both looks and driving dynamics. So taking all this in mind, BMW’s engineers developing the new 3 Series Coupé focused from the start on a convincing combination of these significant features and qualities. The result is a two-door performance car combining exceptional driving pleasure with equally elegant and unmistakable design.
The new BMW 3 Series Coupé thus demonstrates a high standard of self-awareness and individual class in particularly tasteful style. This is the ideal car for the truly demanding motorist consciously dedicated to a sporting and active style of driving while at the same time appreciating elegant looks, supreme quality, and refined appearance in everyday traffic.
Powerful design full of character to the last detail.
Despite its close technical ties to the Saloon and Touring, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is more unique and outstanding in its looks than ever before: This exclusive two-door model clearly stands out as a genuine BMW from every angle, but is nevertheless an individualist through and through. In its design, the body is completely free of any superficial effects, instead conveying a lasting impression of positive class. The overall balance of the car is smooth and harmonious, its proportions are absolutely perfect, and every feature has been enhanced to perfection. So it is fair to say that the new BMW 3 Series Coupé represents powerful elegance in its most modern and advanced style.
The character of a coupé is borne out in particular by the car’s side contours. On the new BMW 3 Series Coupé, the flowing silhouette particularly distinctive from the side clearly conveys a passion for dynamic motoring.
The long wheelbase, the passenger cell moved far to the rear, as well as the low and sleek roof line merging gently into the rear end all characterise the stretched and dynamic look of the entire vehicle, while the voluminous and extra-large wheel arches emanate a touch of power and solidity.
Apart from the car’s proportions, particularly the shoulder, character and sill lines highlight the optical effect of the car’s side view: Both the shoulder line and character line flush with the door handles stretch all the way back to the flat rear end of the car, none of the lines being shortened or interrupted and thus allowing the eye of the beholder to move quickly and smoothly from front to rear along the entire length of the vehicle.
The sill line on the lower edge of the door also flows into the front and rear air dams, helping to give the new Coupé a particularly sleek and sporting look.
The combination of lines flowing into one another ensures a particularly dynamic impression: While the shoulder line moves up slightly but consistently from front to rear, thus conveying a touch of true elegance together with the flat roof line, the character line follows a long and stretched arch all the way from the front wing to the rear lights. With the sill line, by contrast, moving up slightly to the rear in a slow and gentle curve, the distance between the character and sill lines becomes smaller around the rear wheel arches.
Here, the powerful design of the wing wrapped around the wheel also serves to give the character line extra tension in both an upward and outward direction.
This interplay of lines and surfaces ensures a truly striking, three-dimensional effect, guiding not only a lot of light, but also the eyes of the beholder to the area around the rear axle. This effect is indeed intentional, with the optical impression of the car – its clear and straightforward looks – reflecting the actual driving experience: As in the other models, the rear axle of the BMW 3 Series Coupé sets the foundation for truly outstanding driving dynamics.
The front view again shows a significant distinction from the Saloon and Touring, the contours of the engine compartment lid as well as the design of the front air dam and headlights giving the new BMW 3 Series Coupé a particularly low and sporting look. The powerdome bulging above the drive unit is particularly dynamic in its contours, its lines following a powerful silhouette extending all the way from the A-pillars to the outside edges of the BMW kidney grille.
The kidney grille itself, the typical feature of every BMW, stands up steeper than the surfaces around it, interaction with the three-dimensional kidney frame creating a beautiful look of power, unique style, and refined value.
The headlight units on the new BMW 3 Series Coupé also come in a new, individual look. With the engine compartment lid extending beyond the headlights as such, the double round headlights would appear to have been cut off at the top, creating the impression of a powerful, self-confident and concentrated focus.
The new BMW 3 Series Coupé comes as standard with bi-xenon headlights, a further feature of the round headlight units being corona rings for daytime use. Hence, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé offers an optically attractive option for switching on the headlights during the day, now a legal requirement in many countries. Thanks to these striking light rings, the Coupé is easy to recognise also at dusk and can be immediately identified as a genuine BMW with all its distinctive features.
Through their design alone, the rear lights ensure safe perception and a truly individual look. Integrated flush into the rear end of the car, the lights are split into two sections and extend all the way up into the rear lid, the character lines at the side continuing all the way to the rear light clusters as such.
Horizontal light rods with bright LED illumination give the car an unmistakable look also at night, ensuring particular night design like the corona rings around the headlights. The entire rear view is thus characterised by horizontally flowing lines accentuating the wide track of the car and its flat, sporting look also from this angle.
The designers’ objective was to give the new 3 Series Coupé a perfectly balanced look full of harmony to the last detail. Precisely this is why the legendary “Hofmeister kick” at the bottom of the C-pillar now comes in new design extending in an even more distinctive angle into the shoulder line of the car at the front. To further accentuate this flow of lines highlighting the dynamic appearance of the new Coupé, the chrome surround on the side window frame is now made in one single piece as yet another highlight of sophisticated class and value.
Yet a further point is that the exterior mirrors have been specially designed and matched to the 3 Series Coupé, their contours taking up the side lines of the car and the mirrors themselves blending harmoniously with the car’s overall design.
Such individual style is ultimately also borne out by the colours of the car’s body, with a choice of no less than six new paintwork colours marking the launch of the BMW 3 Series Coupé.
This emphasis on individual style, dynamic performance and exclusive class is continued also within the interior. Horizontal lines dominating the surfaces on and around the instrument panel, as well as flowing surfaces along the centre console and side panels, give the interior a light but dynamic touch. At the top the instrument panel is angled towards the driver, and at the same time the controls for air conditioning, the audio and navigation systems are within easy reach also from the front passenger’s seat. The surfaces on the side panels are characterised by a smooth swinging flow extending all the way from the dashboard to the backrests on the two rear seats. The form and function of the centre console, in turn, are reflected by the storage compartment between the rear seats.
Special light effects, carefully matched colours, and the choice of materials all interact in the new BMW 3 Series Coupé to ensure a truly unique atmosphere. The light contour edge on the door inner and side panels, in turn, adds a particularly touch as an optional extra. The row of lights extending upwards flows above the armrests from the door pillar all the way to the rear, offering a particularly warm, indirect light effect. Controls and switches used frequently often by the driver and passengers such as the door openers and gearshift lever are finished in exceptionally high-class metallic trim ensuring not only very attractive looks but also an exclusive touch.
Given the low-slung roof and the high-rising shoulder line, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé has smaller windows than its Saloon counterpart.
This reduces the level of direct sunlight within the interior, presenting the designers with new challenges in designing the interior and its principal features. The choice of colours for the interior and upholstery in the
BMW 3 Series Coupé, for example, not only has a significant influence on the atmosphere on board the car, but also offers numerous options for personalisation and individualisation. New colour schemes are therefore available for the upholstery, roof lining and other interior trim features, specially designed and tailored exclusively to the BMW 3 Series Coupé.
Light colours within the interior emphasise in particular the elegant style of this two-door model, while a darker ambience enables the driver to highlight the sporting and dynamic character of his Coupé.
Straight-six power units entering new dimensions of performance.
The first impression the new BMW 3 Series Coupé gives the beholder is one of stylish elegance and powerful dynamics. And precisely this impression is also borne out by the car’s drivetrain – an impression ensured above all by straight-six power units fitted, as a reflection of an old BMW tradition, lengthwise at the front.
The new BMW 3 Series Coupé is making its entry into the market with a choice of three six-cylinder petrol engines, and with a truly outstanding new power unit making its debut in the top-of-the-range model: the world’s first straight-six with twin turbo technology, high precision fuel injection, and an all-aluminium crankcase. The most powerful engine within BMW’s wide range of straight-six driving machines, this brand-new version develops maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp from 3.0 litres and generates peak torque of 400 Newton-metres or 295 lb-ft for powerful acceleration at all times. And it almost goes without saying that the new 335i Coupé conveys this supreme potential into truly outstanding driving dynamics wherever you go.
The combination of turbocharging and direct gasoline fuel injection offers a particularly fascinating experience of efficient dynamics. Featuring high-precision fuel injection, the engine for the first time boasts a highly sophisticated and advanced direct fuel injection concept ensuring a significant reduction of fuel consumption also in practice and thus meeting the strict demands and standards applied by BMW.
A further advantage of turbocharging is that this is the most economical option to boost engine power and performance to a supreme standard: The turbocharged straight-six power unit weighs approximately 70 kilos less than an equally powerful eight-cylinder displacing 4.0 litres. And this lower weight means a significant advantage not only in fuel economy, but also in spreading out the axle load harmoniously on BMW’s straight-six models.
This new high-performance power unit gives the light, aerodynamically optimised Coupé designed and built from the start for active handling truly outstanding acceleration and flexibility on the road, offering the driver an equally thrilling driving experience. The twin turbo power unit in the BMW 335i Coupé develops its superior power and performance much more spontaneously than a turbocharged engine of conventional design.
And thanks to their lower inertia, the two small turbochargers build up pressure much faster than a single, large turbocharger, thus eliminating even the slightest turbo “gap” while allowing the engine to rev up full of power all the way to 7,000 rpm.
At the same time the new engine offers all the smoothness and refinement which has made BMW’s straight-six power units famous the world over.
And last but certainly not least, the impressive increase in power on the twin turbo engine versus the conventional normally aspirated six-cylinders comes without any significant increase in fuel consumption.
Featuring two turbochargers each supplying compressed air to three cylinders, the new turbocharged power unit offers a standard of spontaneity never seen before on an engine of this kind. Peak torque of 400 Newton-metres or 295 lb-ft comes smoothly and without delay, extending over a wide speed range from 1,300–5,000 rpm.
On the road, this superior power ensures outstanding supremacy so far provided only by much larger normal-aspiration power units: The BMW 335i Coupé accelerates from 0–100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds, with acceleration from 80–120 km/h (50–75 mph) in second-highest gear in 6.2 seconds. This superior power and performance then continues all the way to a top speed of 250 km/h or 115 mph, where the car’s dynamism is finally limited by electronic speed management. Average fuel consumption under the EU standard is just 9.5 litres premium/100 kilometres or 29.7 mpg Imp, certainly a very moderate figure for an engine of this calibre.
This extremely efficient increase in power and performance is attributable in particular to direct gasoline injection, the high-precision fuel injection concept developed by BMW ensuring a measurable advantage in fuel economy also in practice, without in any way limiting the dynamic qualities of the engine.
The main reason for this outstanding progress is the central position of the piezo fuel injector between the valves, the innovative injector opening up to the outside being able from this central position to spray fuel conically and consistently into the combustion chamber in the interest of smooth, overall coverage. This not allows only more precise dosage of the fuel/air mixture, but also provides a superior cooling effect for higher compression optimising the entire combustion process in its efficiency.
To enhance this efficiency to an even higher level, the turbochargers are made of a particularly heat-resistant material making them immune to high exhaust gas temperatures in the interest of a fuel-efficient combustion process particularly under full load. As a result, twin turbo technology in the BMW 335i Coupé offers significant progress in terms of both performance and fuel economy, advantages over a conventional turbocharged engine not only clearly measurable, but also easy to feel on the road.
BMW’s twin turbo power unit featuring high-precision fuel injection is making its world debut in the new BMW 3 Series Coupé. But at the same time the six-cylinder normal-aspiration power units to be admired in the new models also reflect the latest state of the art in drivetrain technology. A particular example is the engine of the BMW 330i Coupé, a model boasting a very special designation always acknowledged as the synonym for exceptional dynamism in a particularly attractive car. This will remain the case in future, the latest version of BMW’s 3.0-litre straight-six developing maximum output of 200 kW or 272 hp, plus peak torque of 315 Newton-metres or 232 lb-ft.
At the same time the engine is not only more powerful than ever before, but also extremely efficient and, weighing in at just 161 kg or 355 lb, exceptionally light. This low weight is attributable in particular to a new combination of materials, with the crankcase of the engine consisting of a magnesium outer shell and an aluminium insert. The cylinder head cover and the bedplate are also made of extra-light aluminium, with lightweight camshafts developed especially for the 3.0-litre straight-six again helping to optimise the car’s weight.
Fully variable VALVETRONIC valve management, the electric coolant pump, and a fully controlled oil pump are further features serving to optimise the car’s all-round level of efficiency.
In terms of both performance and motoring refinement, the six-cylinder normal-aspiration power unit is the most demanding and sophisticated engine of its kind the world over. And like BMW’s twin turbo drive technology, the naturally aspirated power unit is a particularly thrilling example of efficient all-round dynamics: Compared with its predecessor bearing the same model designation, the new BMW 330i Coupé offers a substantially higher level of power and performance combined with a significant increase in economy. Acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h comes in just 6.1 seconds, with the car’s top speed limited electronically to 250 km/h or 155 mph.
Returning average fuel consumption of 8.8 litres in the EU test cycle (equal to 32.1 mpg Imp), finally, the new BMW 330i Coupé is 12 per cent more fuel-efficient than its predecessor.
The third straight-six power unit available in the new BMW 3 Series Coupé enables the more price-conscious enthusiast to enter the range at a similarly high level of excellence: The 2.5-litre in the BMW 325i Coupé, like the larger 3.0-litre version, comes with the same type of composite magnesium/ aluminium crankcase, infinitely variable VALVETRONIC valve management, an electrically controlled coolant pump, and a fully controlled oil pump. So here again, the combination of all these innovations serves to optimise the car’s performance and all-round efficiency, with the power unit in the new BMW 325i Coupé developing maximum output of 160 kW/218 hp and peak torque of 250 Newton-metres or 184 lb-ft.
This kind of power is sufficient for a top speed of 247 km/h or 153 mph, with the new BMW 325i Coupé accelerating to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds. Offering average fuel consumption of just 8.4 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 33.6 mpg Imp), this new power unit also sets the benchmark in its class in terms of all-round fuel economy.
Currently available only in Australia, there is yet another version of the 2.5-litre straight-six developing maximum output of 130 kW/177 hp in the BMW 323i Coupé, and thus once again convincingly proving the qualities of this engine principle. In Germany and other markets four-cylinder versions of the new Coupé are also to be expected at a later point in time, with the BMW 320i Coupé and, respectively, the BMW 320d Coupé then marking the entry-level models into the range in the petrol and diesel segments.
BMW has already paved the way for the diesel engine in the coupé. Indeed, it was the predecessor to the new BMW 3 Series Coupé which, through its diesel version, made a significant contribution in overcoming the old prejudice against such a combination. And it is a fact that BMW’s modern six-cylinder diesels, through their high dynamic potential, significantly enhance the very character and nature of a coupé. Offering unique pulling force and a high level of fast-revving engine response combined with superior refinement, these outstanding power units combine sports motoring of the highest calibre with a high level of all-round economy.
Given all these qualities, the harmonious combination of diesel technology and the new BMW 3 Series Coupé hardly comes as a surprise. Indeed, this combination is highly impressive in every respect, particularly as the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is entering the market from the start with a very powerful and muscular straight-six diesel. This outstanding engine develops its power and torque from 3.0 litres engine capacity and features newly developed turbochargers with variable turbine geometry, electrical throttle butterflies and common rail fuel injection boasting the latest generation of piezo-injectors.
Another standard feature is the diesel particulates filter interacting with pre-catalysts close to the engine not only to absorb the very finest particles, but also to reduce nitric oxide emissions. Hence, BMW’s six-cylinder diesel stands out not only through enhanced power and performance on even better fuel economy, but also through all the requirements and qualities required for fulfilling strict environmental standards also in future. And last but certainly not least, the reduction in weight by approximately 25 kilos or 55 lb provided by the all-aluminium crankcase has a significantly positive effect on the car’s handling.
The new power unit featured in the BMW 330d Coupé establishes a new benchmark in particular in terms of midrange torque and acceleration in the middle segment of the market and, perhaps even more so, in the segment of sports coupés. Maximum output of 170 kW/231 hp, together with peak torque of 500 Newton-metres or 369 lb-ft, are clear signs of extremely powerful and muscular performance. Thanks to its newly developed turbocharger and the latest generation of common rail fuel injection, this power unit is in a position to combine impressive performance with supreme motoring culture and a level of all-round efficiency up once again over the previous model.
Acceleration to 100 km/h, therefore, comes in 6.6 seconds and top speed is 250 km/h or 155 mph, placing the new BMW 330d Coupé firmly within the exclusive group of particularly dynamic two-door performers. Average fuel consumption of just 6.5 litres/100 kilometres, equal to 43.5 mpg Imp, finally, sets a new standard also in terms of fuel economy and cost of ownership.
All petrol and diesel versions of the new BMW 3 Series Coupé come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox. Despite the wide range between the lowest and highest gear, close gear increments ensure an ongoing, continuous surge of power with each gear picking up from the former gear at the optimum engine speed. On the road, this guarantees spontaneous and lasting, powerful acceleration as well as fuel consumption optimised also at high speeds.
As an option the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is available with a fundamentally upgraded six-speed automatic transmission meeting the demands made of an automatic gearshift more convincingly than ever before not only in terms of superior comfort, but also in the dynamic conversion of engine power into genuine driving pleasure.
The hydraulic system enhanced to an even higher standard than before, an innovative torque converter, and management software significantly improved in performance ensure not only even better responsiveness to every movement of the gas pedal, but also extremely rapid choice of the optimum gear. The response time of the automatic transmission on the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is down by approximately 40 per cent compared with a conventional automatic transmission, with shift time as such being almost halved. And thanks to direct determination of the appropriate gearshift lane, shifting down by more than one gear at a time does not take any longer than shifting down in the usual process gear-by-gear.
A further point is that the almost fully enclosed converter lock-up clutch, being directly connected to the engine, enhances the impression of particularly dynamic performance to an even higher standard. Should the driver wish to give the transmission an even more sporting and dynamic character, in turn, he is able to select the appropriate gear by means of paddles on the steering wheel. This ensures a very spontaneous and fast gearshift, since the driver is able to activate the paddles directly whenever the gear selector lever is in position D.
While a short and fast gear response benefits above all an active style of driving, optimised selection of the appropriate gear also helps to reduce fuel consumption, again showing to what extent the principle of Efficient Dynamics has determined the development of BMW’s new automatic transmission.
Chassis and suspension: where power becomes performance.
The fascinating supremacy of the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is based on the car’s ability to combine truly outstanding engine and performance data with an equally exclusive and elegant look at all times. And the objective set by
BMW’s engineers in choosing the right chassis configuration again reflects this demanding standard, the agility offered by the new BMW 3 Series Coupé being quite unique even in this high-class segment.
This agility is enhanced to an even higher standard in the new 3 Series Coupé through the combination of the car’s significantly enhanced dynamic potential, on the one hand, with the most sophisticated chassis control and the assistance systems, on the other, efficiently providing for any situation in which the car might reach the limits to driving physics. In other words, the driver and passengers in a BMW 3 Series Coupé enjoy superior safety at all speeds.
Rear-wheel drive and a 50 : 50 front-to-rear weight distribution give the new BMW 3 Series Coupé ideal qualities for optimum driving dynamics at all times. This is also borne out by the high-tech suspension perfectly converting the power and performance of the engine into sheer driving pleasure on the road. Indeed, boasting a double-joint tiebar front axle with spring struts made almost entirely of aluminium in combination with a five-arm axle at the rear, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé has the currently most advanced and sophisticated wheel suspension in its class.
Reinforcement and support elements on the underfloor of the car serve to optimise the all-round stiffness of the body, interacting with the low centre of gravity and the specific set-up of the dampers to enhance the active driving character of the new Coupé.
Extra-precise rack-and-pinion steering absolutely free of any drive forces thanks to the transmission of power to the rear wheels ensures a high standard of directional stability and exact feedback on road conditions. This standard is enhanced to an even higher level by BMW’s innovative Active Steering specially tailored to the new 3 Series Coupé and available as an optional extra. Adjusting the steering transmission ratio, steering angle and power assistance to the speed of the car, Active Steering enables the driver to manoeuvre his BMW 3 Series Coupé with minimum effort when parking and keep the car precisely on track at high and very high speeds.
The high-performance brake system requiring 17-inch wheels to match the larger diameter of the brake discs ensures outstanding stopping power and deceleration with virtually no fading. Brake performance is further enhanced by the innovative functions of BMW’s DSC Dynamic Stability Control of the latest generation serving on the new 3 Series Coupé not only to mastermind ABS brake functions and ensure superior stability on surfaces with inadequate wheel grip by applying the brakes individually on the respective wheels, but also to perform new, additional functions: As an example, DSC now sets off even the slightest brake fading effect even at extremely high brake temperatures by increasing brake pressure according to current requirements. This ensures maximum brake power even under the toughest conditions, without requiring the driver to exert any higher pressure on the brake pedal or press down the pedal any further.
Pre-loading of the brake pads enhances brake standby in situations potentially requiring spontaneous, all-out deceleration. Regular Dry Braking, in turn, optimises brake performance in the wet, while DBC Dynamic Brake Control automatically maximises brake pressure whenever required.
The Soft Stop function brings the car smoothly to a halt when slowing down without the usual, final “jolt” when coming to a standstill, and the Start-Off Assistant prevents the car when setting off on an uphill gradient.
Yet another highlight of DSC Dynamic Stability Control is BMW’s CBC Cornering Brake Control preventing the car from oversteering when applying the brakes slightly in a bend.
Interacting with Active Steering, finally, DSC keeps the car stable and well under control also when applying the brakes on surfaces varying in their frictional coefficient. So wherever the driver was formerly required to intervene manually, DSC now corrects the steering quickly and precisely for optimum control. And last but certainly not least, BMW is the world’s first car maker to equip its cars with a continuous, ongoing brake pad wear indicator informing the driver of the current condition of the brake pads at all times.
Fully integrated ASC Automatic Stability Control optimises the car’s traction by controlling dry slip on rough, loose surfaces through application of the brakes on the drive wheels whenever necessary. Activation of DTC Dynamic Traction Control, in turn, raises the thresholds for intervention by the brakes, enabling the driver of a BMW 3 Series Coupé to set off smoothly on, say, loose snow with the drive wheels intentionally slightly spinning. A further benefit of DTC is that it promotes a sporting and active style of motoring by allowing slight, easily controllable slip on the drive wheels also on a dry surface, once activated. This enables the sporting and ambitious driver to enjoy all the benefits of a controlled drift in fast and sporting bends.
The final but equally important point is that the driver also has the option to completely deactive DSC in the new BMW 3 Series Coupé whenever he wishes.
BMW’s intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive system available as an alternative to rear-wheel drive ensures a particularly experience in traction. Acknowledged as the most sophisticated system of all-wheel drive quite unique in its enhancement of driving dynamics, BMW xDrive gives the new 3 Series Coupé superior driving characteristics not only on difficult surfaces. Acting as the perfect partner for the car’s agility and superior performance, xDrive spreads out engine power variably on all four wheels, ensuring an even more sporting and active style of motoring. And now BMW xDrive guarantees even more precise and spontaneous reaction to changing driving conditions in the new Coupé, with the DSC and xDrive control units being networked with one another in a new, unprecedented concept. This ensures perfect distribution of engine power to all four wheels for maximum traction and drive force even in particularly dynamic bends and in fast steering or acceleration manoeuvres.
The new BMW 3 Series Coupé comes as standard on light-alloy rims combined with 225/45 R 17 tyres. Featuring the most advanced failsafe running qualities, these tyres allow the driver to continue for up to 250 kilometres or more than 150 miles even under complete loss of pressure. A further point is that tyre pressure is monitored permanently by TPC Tyre Pressure Control warning the driver as soon as pressure drops more than 30 per cent below the ideal level.
Ultra-modern body structure: lower weight, greater safety.
The new BMW 3 Series Coupé is light, strong and stable all in one, combining supreme agility with equally outstanding solidity. Benefiting from its modern and sophisticated body structure, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is able to combine features and qualities also in this area formerly regarded as incompatible.
This superiority is attributable to the innovative skills of BMW’s safety engineers now using the most advanced materials and production methods. Compared with its Saloon counterpart, for example, the new
BMW 3 Series Coupé is 10 kilos or 22 lb lighter. Inter alia, this reduction of weight is attributable to the use of plastic side panels at the front of the car.
Like low weight, a high standard of torsional body stiffness is also crucial to the car’s fascinating agility. And in the event of a collision, the use of high-strength steel on the extra-large carrier structures, together with the exactly defined deformation zones, ensures effective absorption and, respectively, transfer of forces acting on the body of the car.
Reinforced B-pillars are a particularly impressive example of the high standard of development and excellence in design the new BMW 3 Series Coupé has to offer, with a tubular structure throughout the B-pillars featured for the first time in the interest of extra strength. This tubular reinforcement is made of ultra-strong steel in a warm-moulding process and is heat-treated for top quality while still in the mould. A further feature is that the reinforcement tube is variably contoured in its cross-section, exactly matching the space available. Together with the crash box precisely tailored to the loads actually acting on the body, this ensures maximum safety at all times.
The choice of materials and the arrangement of components at other points on the body also serve to optimise crash safety to an unprecedented standard, naturally taking the various properties of different types of steel and other materials into account. The space available for deformation on the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is therefore used in perfection in order to avoid even the slightest impairment of the passenger cell. In a head-on collision, for example, dynamic deformation areas at the front keep impact energy away from the bulkhead and, accordingly, from the car’s footwells. In the event of a side-on collision, in turn, the specially designed floor assembly ensures controlled transfer of forces acting on the car to the opposite side of the body.
The bulkhead support is made of innovative multi-phase steel offering truly outstanding strength and stability even on thin-gauge panels. Efficient interaction of the doors, the reinforced b-pillars, the seat structure and the instrument panel between the A-pillars serves likewise to maximise the stability of the side structure. The consequences of a collision from the rear, in turn, are minimised by longitudinal carrier bars, a wide range of reinforcement elements, as well as the extra-strong luggage compartment floor panel, rear panel and side walls. Stable pillars and crossbars protect the passenger area even in a rollover.
Efficient interaction of all deformation areas and carrier structures was carefully analysed from the start in developing the new BMW 3 Series Coupé both in virtual simulations and in real-life crash tests. And an additional point considered in this context was the minimisation of repairs after a slight collision.
Naturally, BMW’s safety engineers also sought from the start to fully maintain the passenger cell as a survival area even in the most severe crash impact. Precisely this is why interacting, centrally masterminded restraint and support systems within the passenger compartment ensure individual occupant safety tailored to current requirements. The frontal, hip, thorax and curtain head airbags, belt latch tensioners and belt force limiters are activated by sensor-controlled electronic safety systems as a function of the type and severity of a collision. So that with its robust body enhanced by a wide range of active and passive safety elements, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé meets all requirements for optimum results in all crash tests relevant the world over.
With active motoring calling for optimum visibility at night for reasons of safety alone, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé comes as standard with bi-xenon headlights. As an option, these highly effective headlights may be further enhanced by adaptive headlight control for bends and winding roads, while light rods in the rear light clusters stand out distinctly for a significant improvement of safety in the dark.
Whether in the dark or during the day, two-stage brake lights make an important contribution in enabling motorists following from behind to recognise a dangerous situation well in advance: Whenever the driver applies the brakes particularly hard, and when the ABS function is activated, light intensity in the two-stage headlights is increased accordingly, prompting drivers following from behind to brake harder, too.
Individual and exclusive equipment.
The list of comfort features boasted as standard in the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is just as long and impressive as the list of safety elements.
Particularly in the interest of top-quality audio, navigation and telematic solutions, BMW offers optional high-tech concepts originally developed for the most outstanding luxury performance cars and now also available in this segment. Indeed, this once again underlines the exclusive character of the BMW 3 Series Coupé clearly proving its unique style and calibre through the design of the interior alone.
Here again, the focus is on the actual driving experience. The seating position at the rear far lower than in the Saloon, for example, gives the car’s occupants optimum headroom despite the low roof line of the Coupé. At the same time not only the driver and front passenger, but also the passengers sitting at the rear will immediately feel and enjoy excellent side support.
The door openers, handle trim, gearshift lever cover and vent grille adjusters, as well as the decorative trim in the leather sports steering wheel featured as standard, all come in Pearl Grey chrome surface finish developed exclusively for the new BMW 3 Series Coupé.
The starter button is also finished in this exclusive material, with the driver of both the petrol and diesel models merely being required to press the button in order to start the engine.
Through its design and configuration alone, the cockpit emphasises the sporting and driver-oriented character of BMW’s new Coupé. Taking his seat at the wheel, the driver will immediately focus on the speedometer and rev counter extending on the top-of-the-range BMW 335i Coupé all the way to 280 km/h (175 mph) and, respectively, a maximum engine speed of 8,000 rpm (and 260 km/h [160 mph] and, respectively, 7,500 rpm on the other models). The newly designed instrument units on the petrol-engined versions also include an oil temperature gauge positioned below the rev counter, while on the BMW 330d Coupé the fuel consumption gauge lies directly in the driver’s line of vision.
Buckling up in the new BMW 3 Series Coupé, both the driver and front passenger benefit from the newly developed belt feeder arm: The seat belt integrated in the B-pillar moved far to the rear in typical coupé arrangement is automatically “delivered” to the driver and front passenger once they close the door and once the smooth-sided transmitter key has been inserted in the shaft next to the steering wheel. With this belt delivery function being directly connected to the seat occupancy detector, the off-side belt delivery unit is only activated when the front passenger has actually taken his seat. And with the belt delivery unit being housed conveniently within the side panels, this new feed system does not in any way impair the harmonious look of the interior.
Access to the two seats at the rear is facilitated by the front seat Comfort Access function: The lever for releasing the seat position is fitted in perfect ergonomic arrangement at the top on the outside of the backrest.
With the new BMW 3 Series Coupé being conceived from the start as a four-seater, comfort on the rear seats is further enhanced by the centre console comprising either individual storage boxes with a cover on top, an ashtray, additional air outlet vents, and footwell lights, depending on the driver’s personal preferences. Offering ample capacity of 440 litres/15.4 cu ft (430 litres/15.1 cu ft on the BMW 335i Coupé), the luggage compartment sets a new standard in the coupé segment. Large capacity is also offered by the folding storage boxes in the inner door linings, a further advantage of this feature to be seen for the first time in the new BMW 3 Series Coupé being absolute privacy, with all items carried inside the car remaining out of sight from outside the car.
The world of the BMW Coupés: combining tradition and new values.
The mission to develop a coupé has always been a particularly demanding but interesting and tempting challenge for the engineer in the car industry.
After all, the driver opting for a coupé is a truly discerning individualist looking for enhanced driving pleasure. And it is precisely with this in mind that BMW has succeeded time and again over the years in meeting the great demands made of a coupé and at the same time consistently pushing up the benchmark in this segment.
The coupé has a long tradition at BMW: Even back in the 1930s,
the BMW 327 was lauded as a truly outstanding two-seater and remains a legend to this day. And even back then, the coupé was widely appreciated as a particularly sporting grand tourer with two doors and a fixed roof.
These fundamental features remain virtually unchanged to the present day: The lines typical of a coupé combine a long and sleek front section with a dynamic roof line tapering out gently to the rear. And unlike a thoroughbred sports car, the typical coupé offers ample space for more than just two occupants, a separate luggage compartment providing room for ample luggage.
While the word “coupé”, in its original meaning, quite literally meant a car body “cut off” at the rear, the actual significance of a coupé, especially in this day and age, goes much further: The ideal coupé is a very personal car tailored to the mobile individualist – and precisely this standard is reflected and upheld in full by the new BMW 3 Series Coupé. For through the diversity of exterior colours, interior features and upholstery, BMW’s new 3 Series Coupé offers the truly discerning customer no less than 1,176 different combinations.
A further point is that the new BMW 3 Series Coupé takes up proven traditions also in terms of drive technology: Developing a coupé, BMW always seeks to enter new dimensions in driving dynamics. This is precisely why particularly powerful engines and new chassis control systems regularly make their debut in a coupé. And now the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is continuing this strategy with BMW’s new biturbo straight-six featuring high-precision fuel injection and thus offering a particularly impressive step into the future.
As a modern interpretation of a traditional car concept, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé is one thing in particular: a very special car. Even more than its predecessor, the new 3 Series Coupé stands out through its distinctive design from its Saloon counterpart, enabling the driver even more than before to enter the highest realms of driving dynamics. And in the process the new BMW 3 Series Coupé ensures a particularly refined combination of active driving pleasure and optical qualities, clearly ranking alone in its market segment.
The new BMW 3 Series Coupé is conceived and built for the genuine individualist with particularly demanding standards also of the car of his – or her – choice. Qualities based not only on short-lived and superficial pleasure, but rather on lasting values, thus contribute to the outstanding experience of sheer driving pleasure offered by the new Coupé. And the discerning motorist particularly appreciative of the good looks of the new BMW 3 Series Coupé can be sure to feel this satisfaction and superiority even after many years.
The interior of the car designed for superior comfort and pleasant handling will likewise maintain this inviting character for many years thanks to its high-quality finish alone. And at the same time this regular enjoyment of a dynamic driving experience goes hand-in-hand with the very pleasant feeling of ample safety reserves even in a difficult situation.
Last but not least, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé does not in any way curtail the pleasure of dynamic performance by a higher level of fuel consumption. On the contrary – this beautiful two-door sports coupé is a particularly fascinating example of efficient dynamics BMW style.
Benefiting from all these features, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé can really be regarded as an uncompromising driving machine in every sense of the word: The new BMW 3 Series Coupé does not make any of the concessions found so often on cars similar in appeal, performance and dynamism. Instead, the new Coupé will fascinate the driver and his passengers through supreme agility, pampering all the occupants with lots of space and comfort including a luggage compartment of exceptional size for a car of this kind.
Superior long-distance driving qualities make the travelling experience a genuine pleasure, with every manoeuvre offering a wonderful feeling of supremacy. And with its powerful drivetrain, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé leaves a lasting impression also on the race track, just as it looks equally good when returning to everyday motoring in town where the new Coupé will attract looks of attention and admiration everywhere through its straightforward design free of any pretentious, “loud” would-be eye catchers. Indeed, this refined combination of elegance and dynamism is truly unique, appealing in particular to the motorist who, in choosing the new BMW 3 Series Coupé, will be thrilled both by the car’s attractive looks and its convincing technical arguments.
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