BMW 3 Series Coupé, Convertible and Compact

The New BMW 3 Series Coupé, Convertible and Compact Contents: 1. Overview: Setting the scene Coupé/Convertible 2003 model year enhancements Illuminating design Six appeal BMW 3 Series Compact The encore Great figures in (3 Series) history 2. Design: Fine tuning, outside and in BMW 3 Series Coupé BMW 3 Series Convertible 3. Gear'd up: New SMG Six becomes standard 4. Illuminating technology Adaptive headlights; LED technology; two-stage brake lights 5. Safety: DSC standardised 6. New BMW 3 Series Compact 7. BMW 3 Series news: Free service and maintenance New 3.0-litre diesel / 330Cd announced 318i ES / 320d ES New 'Sport' derivatives 8. 3 Series market Overview of 3 Series production and sales 3 Series customers 3 Series in the Corporate market Ownership and RVs Service costs 3 Series sales figures 9. History BMW Coupés BMW Convertibles 10. 3 Series range, prices and specifications 11. Technical data

1. New BMW 3 Series Coupé,
Convertible and Compact

Overview

"This makes the two-door, four-window BMW sports coupé the ideal touring car
for the demanding motorist wishing to enjoy the thrill of speed and the
pleasure of sports motoring." From a 1937 internal memo on the launch of
Europe's first coupé, the BMW 327.

Setting the scene:

Thankfully, it seems, very little has changed in BMW's philosophy towards its
Coupé models over the past 66 years. However, the product has clearly developed
since the introduction of the BMW 02 Coupé in 1966 established Europe's compact
sports Coupé market and BMW has consistently driven sales in the segment
through a strategy of clear, but subtle differentiation between
Coupé/Convertible models and other 3 Series body styles.

The new BMW 3 Series Coupé, now in its 6th incarnation as either a 2-door
sports saloon or coupé, features a number of stylish design enhancements and
technical developments that reinforce both this philosophy and the car's sporty
and dynamic nature. The Coupé retains its understated muscular looks, but
becomes even more clearly differentiated from its Saloon and Touring cousins
with major work to the front end and bonnet, design and safety enhancements at
the rear and added specification and technical features.

The introduction of the BMW 3 Series Convertible in 1985 had a similar effect
to the Coupé, establishing itself as the benchmark in the compact four-seat
convertible market. This latest model, a mid-life revision of the third
generation (launched May 2000), reinforces BMW?s reputation as the leader in
styling and dynamics for the soft-top market.

The Convertible receives exactly the same model year enhancements as the BMW 3
Series Coupé, minus a wider boot grab handle. 2003 therefore sees revised
versions of the four-cylinder 318Ci Coupé/Convertible and the six-pot 320Ci,
325Ci and 330Ci Coupé and Convertibles.

BMW 3 Series Coupé and Convertible 2003 model year enhancements:

.. More distinctive bonnet with raised power dome and 60mm wider kidney grille
.. Re-styled front bumper
.. Re-styled side indicators on new front wings
.. Larger front light housings (to incorporate optional Adaptive Front
Headlights)
.. New rear light clusters featuring Light-Emitting Diode (LED) technology
.. Re-designed rear apron with colour-coded Park Distance Control (PDC) sensors
.. Wider boot grab handle on Coupé
.. New six speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) optional on BMW 330i and BMW
325i Coupé and Convertible
.. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) standardised across the 3 Series range
.. New six speed manual transmission on all BMW 330Ci Coupé/Convertible, (plus
330i/330d Saloon and Touring, 320d Saloon and Touring, and 320td/325ti
Compacts).

These enhancements add to the already well-established reputation of the BMW 3
Series. Renowned driving dynamics are a given, generated by BMW's engineers'
zealous adherence to rear wheel drive, McPherson strut / Z-axle suspension
units and 50:50 weight distribution, linked to technologically advanced
engines.

Integral to driving enjoyment is the prospect of rewarding ownership. The 3
Series commands enviable residual values and CO2 levels and fuel consumption
figures that frustrate the taxman and belie the car's performance.

Illuminating design :

The new 3 Series Coupé and Convertible can be distinguished by major work to
the front of the cars with a more distinctive bonnet, featuring a raised power
dome and 60 mm wider kidney grille. These features clearly introduce design
cues that distinguish the Coupé and Convertible from the Saloon and Touring.

The front bumper is re-styled and brand new side-panels house new triangular,
side indicator lenses. The headlight clusters now merge with the front
indicators and free up space for state-of-the-art Adaptive Front Headlights
that can be specified. Adaptive Front Headlights are a revolutionary active
safety feature that swivel with the car as it corners. The headlights move left
to right by up to fifteen degrees, illuminating the bend ahead rather than the
verge directly in front of the car.

From the back, the design tweaks are a little more subtle, but also feature
innovative new lighting.

The rear apron has been re-styled and now houses body-coloured Park Distance
Control sensors. The Coupé features a wider boot grab handle. The most dramatic
rear-end treatment sees brand new Light-Emitting Diode two-stage brake lighting
in new rear clusters. This technology is not yet EU homologated, but still
fitted to all new BMW 3 Series Coupés and Convertibles.

Once homologated, it's simply a matter of 'switching' on the system that
communicates emergency braking by the BMW driver to other cars behind. Normal
braking illuminates a single corona of LED brake lights, but heavy braking
lights a second corona offering an extra split second of recognition for the
drivers behind.

NB: The new rear lights and wider boot lid grab handle are the only 2003-model
year upgrades for the M3 Coupé and Convertible.

Six appeal:

A brand new six-speed version of BMW's F1-style paddle-shift transmission
system and a new six speed manual gearbox are added to the new Coupé and
Convertible, increasing the flexibility and driver-oriented feel of the 3
Series.

The latest version of BMW's Sequential Sports Gearbox (SSG) is now closer to
the Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG with DRIVELOGIC) technology of the M3 and,
therefore, takes the SMG title to a wider range of BMW owners. Available on
325Ci and 330Ci Coupé, Convertible, Saloon, Touring and 325Ti Compact, the new
SMG costs £1,150 and offers F1-derived gear changes via steering-wheel paddles
and a shortened, sporty gear stick that can be 'blipped' forward and back.
Though not as 'extreme' as the M3 SMG with DRIVELOGIC, the new SMG still
provides a truly rewarding experience that brings driver and car ever closer.

For the more traditional driver, a six speed manual transmission (as on the new
5 Series) is now standard on the 330Ci Coupé and Convertible. Top speed of an
electronically limited 155 mph is achieved in fifth with sixth, now, a refined
cruising gear that also improves fuel consumption at high speeds. You could say
a BMW 330i Coupé or Convertible is quite the caring, sharing performance car!

Where performance is being challenged however, active safety remains of
principal concern to BMW?s engineers and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is now
standardised across the 3 Series range, rather than limited to the six cylinder
models.

BMW 3 Series Compact:

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Compact can be defined as
'condensed' and the success of the car in the UK suggests that it offers all
that is rewarding in the 3 Series models, but in a condensed form.

The third generation Compact, and BMW's entry-point model, was launched in
2001, therefore this year's model update is a fine-tuning job rather than a
serious makeover.

The bodywork detailing is confined to a sporty new side sill, a wider boot grab
handle and a re-designed rear light cluster (NB: does not feature LED
technology). DSC is now standard on all Compacts, whilst the six-cylinder 325ti
petrol and the four cylinder 320td diesel cars now incorporate the six speed
manual transmission. The SMG system from the 330Ci and 325Ci is also added as
an option to the 325ti Compact.

The Compact remains 15 kg lighter than its 3 Series Coupé cousin, and in its
super-agile 325ti form, achieves an outstanding 0-62 figure of 7.1 seconds and
a top speed of 146 mph. Impressive figures are not, however, limited to
petrol-power. The 320td Compact features BMW's renowned 2.0-litre diesel unit
and manages over 64 mpg on the out-of-town cycle. With nearly 14 gallons
available, that's a potential of almost 900 miles between fill-ups.

Warm off the press:

Recent 3 Series news has not been limited to the 2003 model updates. The new
year announcement of a 330Cd, marrying the 3 Series Coupé with BMW's brand new
version of its already legendary 3.0-litre diesel unit, caused a minor heart
murmur amongst petrol devotees, whilst the introduction of sporty ES models in
January launched a BMW 318 for less than £20,000.

Free Service and Maintenance packs on BMW diesels have also been introduced and
the availability of the ever-popular 'Sport' derivatives was extended within
the range.

The encore:

Jim O'Donnell, BMW Great Britain's managing director said: "The 3 Series
remains key to BMW's success in the UK. The company's ability to remain focused
on the model, whilst brand new BMW products like the new 5 Series and Z4 are
being launched, continues to provide an incredibly tempting proposition to new
and used customers, whether in the retail or corporate sector. We are certainly
not complacent about 3 Series and 2003's model year enhancements will keep the
range fresh."

"It is important to appreciate that the 3 Series success is due, in no
uncertain terms, to the fact that it is a 'range' of models. We sold a record
number of 3 Series cars in the UK last year, but less than half were Saloon
versions. The beauty of the 3 is its versatility combined with one constant -
it remains a great driver's car in all its forms," he concluded.