It has been nearly nine months since we last caught up with BMW’s 2012 3-Series in the wild, and six months since we shared our illustrations of what we think BMW’s next bread and butter sedan will resemble. Today, we can gladly report a fresh set of spy shots of the 3-Series sedan as it completed winter testing in northern Sweden.In many ways the flagship of BMW’s lineup, the 3-Series sedan has never been a blank canvas for BMW design. Instead, it pursues a trickle-down approach that defines “evolutionary, not revolutionary.” Despite its conservative style, the 2012 3-Series is set to be the sportiest looking and driving 3-Series yet as BMW continues to hone its performance credentials as the competition draws ever nearer.
Codenamed F30, the car has been in development since the E90-coded (BMW is out of EXX project codes) 3-Series debuted as a 2006 model. We expect the F30 to formally debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Convertibles, coupes, M3s, a traditional wagon and a 3-Series Gran Turismo will follow as BMW expands the 3-Series model lineup.
Bmw 2012
Our illustrator consulted with inside sources who revealed that the new car will ride on a slightly longer wheelbase – up around an inch and a half – but will have considerably shorter overhangs. In addition to giving the car a sportier look, the longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs preserve its small exterior dimensions that help give it its legendary handling.
Look for some of the upcoming X3′s design language to carry over into the 3; Chris Bangle’s flame surfacing is long gone and the X3 is expected to introduce a series of design cues. Yet don’t count out the current 5-Series, which has returned to its crisply tailored look for the 2011 model year. The 5-Series and the Z4 lend their forward-pushing snouts and increasingly sharp angles.
