Out of all BMW‘s sold worldwide, 1 in 3 is a 3 series sedan. The BMW 3-series is one of the German automakers most iconic name plates and has been revamped with quite a few new options and new exterior styling.

The new 3 series sits a little bit longer and a little bit wider than its predecessor but has managed to trim some fat; 88 pounds of fat to be exact. The most noticeable change at first glance is the headlight brackets, taking the iconic circular front lights and stretching them out to meet the kidney grills which gives the front end of the car a much more angry and aggressive look. The longer and especially the wider stance is noticeable thanks to horizontal lines that are continuous along the front and rear of the car.

The 328i will come standard with BMW’s newest engine offering, a turbocharged 2.0L four cylinder which delivers 240hp and propels the 328i from 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds. The 335i will also be an option in the 3 series lineup and will come packing a turbocharged 3.0L six cylinder engine which puts out 300hp and runs the 0-60mph test in 5.4 seconds.

Each BMW 3 series will now be offered with a choice of three product lines, each differing from the others in small ways, but distinct enough to get noticed. The three choices are the Sport Line, the Luxury Line, and the Modern Line. The Sport Line will come with black exterior styling bits, a 10mm lower suspension setup, and black and red color scheme on the interior. The Luxury Line will come standard with wooden accents on the interior and chrome styling bits for exterior including a different grill. The Modern Line builds off of the luxury line and takes it a little further with matte chrome exterior styling bits, a choice of aluminium, pearl metallic, or textured wood finish on the interior and a “dark oyster” dashboard and steering wheel. Eventually, BMW will offer an M version of its 3 series which will be designed for racing and performance enthusiasts.

The new 3 series can also be outfitted with the all new Active Hybrid system which mates the six cylinder turbo engine with an all new electric engine, giving the 3 series upgraded fuel economy. The combined output of the Active Hybrid system is 340hp and pushes the 3 series from 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds. BMW says that the average fuel consumption of the Active Hybrid model will be between 40 and 44mpg and will have the capability to be driven in all electric mode.

All of the engine options for the 3 series will be combined with a six speed manual gearbox as standard technology but can be had with an eight speed automatic transmission which is all new.

The new 3 series is not a major departure from the previous five iterations, but its adds some really convenient and cutting edge features to an already successful car.

GALLERY: BMW 3 Series

GALLERY: BMW 3 Series

The 2013 BMW 3-Series will start at $35,775 when it goes on sale in February. For that amount of coin, you can walk away with a base model 328i, while a 335i will set you back $43,275.

The base price for the two models has only been bumped up by $300-$350, but the newest 3-Series is a radically different car from the outgoing version, chock full of technology and gadgets that weren’t previously available like a self-parking system and a no-charge 8-speed automatic gearbox. 328i models now get a turbocharged 4-cylinder making 240-horsepower, while the 335i continues on with BMW’s legendary turbocharged inline-6.

Diesel, hybrid and wagon variants will all arrive and some point, as will a coupe and convertible, but the only confirmed tidbit we have is that an M-Sport edition will be hitting our shores in July, and carry a $5000 premium over the base car. Consider the M Sport a stop-gap until a new M3 gets here in a few years time.

BMW’s new 3-Series is poised to hit showroom floors shortly, and sometime in the near future a diesel model will join the 328 and 335 sedans in the North American market. There’s no exact timeframe or official release from BMW in regards to a diesel model, but a company insider has confirmed that one will be coming… just when is unknown.

It’s not a huge surprise that BMW wasn’t immediate on announcing a diesel option, given its new ActiveHybrid 3 that it surely wants to push to the public. The outgoing 3-Series’ 335d packed a 3.0L diesel inline-six with 265-hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. The assumption though is that the 3.0L won’t be finding its way into the new model, but perhaps a 2.0L four-cylinder diesel with 181-hp and 280 lb-ft of torque from the European 320d.

GALLERY: 2013 BMW 3 Series

[Source: Car and Driver]

We’ve already gotten the details on BMW‘s new 2013 3-Series sedan, but now we have plenty of videos to go along with the specs. BMW released 10 videos highlighting the upcoming sixth-generation 3-Series sedan, allowing us to check out BMW’s revamped bread-and-butter model inside and out.

The North American market will be seeing the new 3-Series by February 2012 and will get to choose between two engine options (2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder, 3.0L turbocharged inline-six) that can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic. A hybrid model will arrive later. No pricing has been announced yet for the North American 3-Series, but we’re sure BMW will keep it competitive for its most popular model.

Check out all the videos after the break.

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The 2013 BMW 3-Series, codenamed the F30, was revealed today by BMW, and the most noteworthy change is the first four-cylinder engine for North America since the 318i of the late 1990′s.

So far, we know that the 328i will pack a 4-cylinder turbo displacing 2.0L and putting out 245 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Peak torque will come at just 1,250 rpm, an astoundingly low figure that should translate into excellent real world acceleration. The 335i will put out 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic or 6-speed manual will be available, and BMW even claims that the 335i is capable of 32.6 mpg on the highway.

The car is slightly larger (3.6″ longer overall, about 2 inches longer in wheelbase and slightly wider front and rear tracks) but sheds 88 pounds of weight, while a hybrid and M-Sport version will also be offered.

Gallery: BMW 3-Series

BMW has announced that it will be ending production of the E90 3-Series sedan this October, as the company gears up for the next generation of its volume seller.

Internally coded the F30, the 2012 3-Series is expected to be built off a modular platform, though will keep much the same dimensions as the outgoing model. Styling is said to be more toned and ‘muscular’ adopting many of the cues seen on BMW‘s more recent offerings, including the current 5-Series (F-10).

In an effort towards increasing efficiency, the 2012 3-Series will employ such technologies such as aerodynamically tuned wheels, a solar roof panel, a stop/start engine feature and re-generative braking.

Powertrain options are said to include a range of four and six-cylinder engines, both normally aspirated and turbocharged, as well as the possibility (however unlikely) of a three-cylinder engine for the first time. Look for the entry level 328i model to toss its straight-six in favor of a newturbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder making 245-hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

A new M3 model will also make it’s debut, powered by a twin-turbo inline six, slated to make as much as 450 horsepower. Watch this space for further developments.

[Source: BMW Blog]