- 2015 BMW 3-Series
- Interior / Exterior »
Over several decades and many generations, BMW has evolved the 3-Series, from a simple, rather stark sport sedan into something more sophisticated and nuanced. And while the last generation of the 3-Series arguably got a little too complex, BMW has stepped back with the current F30 versions and embraced those classic proportions.
Versus 3-Series models of the recent past, the roofline of the current sedans looks longer, lower, and a little swoopier without looking impractical. It’s surely more dynamic than that of its predecessor, with a rising beltline that cuts through the sheetmetal alongside the doors and helps visually lower the hoodline.
Overall, the 3-Series bucks an ongoing (and somewhat tired) trend of making sport sedans more and more wedge-like in profile, and with relatively level doors, lower doorlines, and a little more window space, it’s a refreshing departure here as the ‘weight’ of the car visually downward (adding perceived width).
Neat and nicely detailed is the best way to sum up the 3-Series’ exterior up close. It wears the current BMW-family front end better than of the other current sedans in the lineup; headlights curve around the corners of the wide kidney grille, also contributing to the wider and more aggressive appearance. In back the 3-Series sedan is traditional and conservative, but very handsome.
Inside, there’s really nothing retro or nostalgic about the current 3-Series models, and we appreciate that; the horizontally oriented instrument panel helps maximize space, and overall the interior layout provides a coherence missing from the last-generation 3-Series. In keeping with the latest trend for dash design, the dash itself is quite low while a slim, tablet-like widescreen display on the dash stands alone but fits right in. Meanwhile, understated but high-tech-looking appliqués on the face of the dashboard, done in brushed aluminum or wood, make your statement of luxury, whatever that might be. Just try every color and trim combination before you buy, as some of them are pretty visually busy.
The 3-Series sedans can be equipped with many different trim lines and appearance packages, and they tend to make the most difference inside the cabin. For instance, Sport cars have blacked-out detailing and red accents; Luxury-line cars come with chromed grille slats and more chrome on the outside, and glossy wood trim on the inside; Additionally, for 2015, there’s new Oyster Dakota leather and brushed aluminum trim, while dark burl walnut wood is now available with the Sport Line and Fineline Anthracite wood trim is offered in the M Sport. Through the BMW Individual line, you can get a number of other special trims, including a leather dash.
- Performance »
Whether you opt for the sedan or the Sports Wagon, what you get fully lives up to those long-held standards for handling and dynamics. Opt for the Gran Turismo (3GT) and what you get is a little softer and more comfort-oriented, yet still confident and responsive.
With an all-turbocharged lineup (and yes, the model numbers don’t correspond to engines anymore), the 2015 BMW 3-Series gets a lot of forward thrust from four- and six-cylinder engines.
At the lower-priced end of the lineup, the BMW 320i and 328i both come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. In the 320i, the four makes 180 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque, while in the 328i it makes 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Step up to the turbo six in the 335i and you get 300 hp and 300 lb-ft. There’s also a 181-horsepower four-cylinder diesel, offered in the sedan or Sports Wagon models.
No matter which of these you’re considering, keep in mind that laggy turbocharged engines are a thing of the past. These turbo fours and sixes have boost that comes on so quickly that you probably won’t guess that they’re turbos; if it weren’t for the sound, the 328i’s four, especially, feels like a larger-displacement six most of the time (peak torque happens at just 1,250 rpm).
The 328i is probably our pick of the lineup, if you need to ‘optimize’ power, fuel economy, and sticker price. In manual-transmission form, the 328i sedan can get to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds with the manual transmission—only 0.3 faster than the 335i—and it churns out the torque in the low-to-mid rev range, where it matters to feel perky with an automatic transmission. Ante up to the 335i models and you get performance that just a few years ago would have been the exclusive domain of the top-performance M3.
You can add some of that seriousness, if not the outright punch, to the lesser cars, though. There’s an available M Sport package that drops ride height for sedans by 0.4 inches, firms up springs and dampers, and includes larger anti-roll bars along with larger 18- or 19-inch M alloy wheels. Other performance options include the Adaptive M Sport suspension package, with electronically controlled damping. While both of these options do provide improvements you can feel, the base car’s setup is still a hoot, with good ride quality combined with satisfying, crisp control for all but serious track use.
There’s still the M3, by the way. It was completely new this past year, and it’s lighter overall, yet more powerful than its predecessors, with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six making 425 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A special M-DCT dual-clutch gearbox and Active M Differential make a dreamy pair on the track, but we can’t help but think we’d rather have the precise-shifting manual (yes, you can still get it) for ours.
And a manual is widely offered in the lineup, rather than reserved for an entry model or high-end performance trim. In any of the 328i or 335i sedan models, you can opt for either a six-speed manual gearbox or eight-speed automatic transmission. The only exception to that is 328i xDrive models, which are automatic-only. Sport-model automatics come with special programming for faster shifts, and in sedans with the eight-speed it’s so good out on the racetrack that we might actually choose the automatic over the manual.
All the 3-Series sedans now get an electric power steering system that loads and unloads nicely, and gives you—when you finally reach the 3’s impressive limits of grip—a little feedback from the road. We’d only wish for a little more sense of the roadway surface before you approach those limits, which is what the hydraulic steering in the former F90 (and the current Coupes) provided. A premium Variable Sports steering option permits easier parking along with sharper handling, by altering the ratio mechanically (avoiding the digital transitions that sometimes make electric power steering systems frustrating.
That said, BMW definitely hasn’t forgotten that the 3-Series is first and foremost a sport sedan. You’d be hard-pressed to find a model in the lineup that isn’t rewarding to drive on a curvy mountain road; yet nearly every model in the lineup today will return more than 30 miles per gallon on the highway if you keep it smooth and responsible.
It’s out in the open about that intent, with classic sport-sedan proportions on the outside. With aggressive headlights, a modern take on the kidney grille, and flared air intakes, all the right details are here to enhance the profile. The hood is lower at the nose, but rises higher than the previous model thanks to pedestrian safety regulations; the cabin is larger and longer; and we especially like how the greenhouse doesn’t get pinched by a rising beltline near the back. Inside, the BMW 3-Series’ cabin is spacious for those in front, and roomy for cargo, although back-seat space is still a bit limited. The modern interior design makes good use of the space, though; just beware that some of the many trim combinations can get a little too ‘splashy,’ visually.
With the same basic 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine as found in the 328i, but de-tuned to 180 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque, the 320i is BMW’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz CLA Class and Audi A3 sedan. The next step up the ladder is the 328i, rated at 240 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque. The top-tier standard model is the 335i, with a 3.0-liter turbocharged in-line six-cylinder rated at 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. For those seeking better fuel economy, the 328d is the way to go, with 181 horsepower from a turbodiesel four-cylinder engine. Rear-wheel drive is standard on all sedan models, with available all-wheel drive. A six-speed manual transmission is also standard, with an available eight-speed automatic transmission as an upgrade.Whichever body style you choose, the 3-Series range delivers balanced, well-crafted handling and dynamics, though most notably so in rear-wheel-drive sedan form. Some of the edge of previous 3-Series is gone, replaced instead with a softer, more comfortable feel, but the 3-Series is still a capable back-road hustler. The 335i models are the most potent, but the four-cylinder turbo in the 328i offers nearly as much speed and arguably more fun as you work to keep it at full boil–with better gas mileage. A 3-Series Sports Wagon is also available; all wagons come with standard all-wheel drive, and with one of two engines: the same 240-horsepower unit found in the 328i sedan, or the 181-horsepower four-cylinder diesel for 328d xDrive Sports Wagon models. All 3-Series Gran Turismo models also come with standard all-wheel drive. Engines for the Gran Turismo range mirror those found in the 328i and 335i sedans.
The new 3-Series Gran Turismo versions don’t look all that different in some respects, but they drive quite differently, with a little more weight and a softer suspension calibration and a tune that simply doesn’t feel as sporty, but adds up to a very agreeable family vehicle.
Pricing for the 2015 BMW 3-Series can be daunting, but the flip side is that loads of a la carte options let you essentially build the car you want. Among the many luxury and technology options are: a head-up display (HUD), which is especially well-placed and useful here; a Cold Weather Package with heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and retractable headlight washers; a Driver Assistance Package with Lane Departure Warning and Active Blind Spot Detection; and a Park Distance Control system (part of the Parking Package), which includes a rearview camera and the Side and Top View camera system.
Features and equipment are good even in base models, though the new 320i does strip out much of the standard infotainment and technology. From the 328i and up, however, the standard iDrive system ties its multi-function controller into the center stack display for entertainment, navigation, audio, and other functions. Often maligned in years past, iDrive has matured into a more usable, if still complex, system, and the available navigation system includes excellent 3D maps.
For 2015, the 3-Series lineup gets a number of minor trim and feature changes. Wood, leather, and other trim materials have changed in some cases; and functionality-wise, Bluetooth audio streaming is now included in all models.
Photo Gallery: BMW
0 Response to "2015 BMW 3-Series"
Post a Comment