BMW gave its popular 3-Series a revamp for the 2013 model year with the sedan model revealed back in October. We knew the 3 Series wagon variant wouldn’t be far behind, having seen spy photos back in February and now the German automaker has made it official for the European market.

Known as the 3-Series Touring out in Europe, the wagon variant will make its way to America (sooner or later) featuring plenty of space for passengers and luggage having 3.8 inches added to the car’s overall length and almost 2 inches to its wheelbase. Standard equipment will include a 40:20:40 split/folding rear seat bench, an automatic tailgate with separate rear window opening, a separate partition net, and a luggage compartment cover.

As expected, plenty of packages will be made available for the BMW 3-Series Wagon model: Modern Line, Luxury Line, Sport Line, and M Sport package. Out in Europe, buyers will be able to choose from a 328i, 320d, and 330d models, all of which pack BMW’s TwinPower Turbo technology. The four-cylinder 328i has 245-hp, while the updated 2.0-liter diesel will have 184-hp. The six-cylinder diesel will pump out 258-hp.

Transmission options for the 3 Series Wagon include a sporty six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic, which is standard on the BMW 330d. Both transmissions come equipped with Auto Start-Stop technology to help conserve fuel.

There is still no confirmation on which powerplants will make their way to America, but the 328i variant is most definitely a sure bet.

GALLERY: 2013 BMW 3-Series Wagon

With an expanding model lineup, BMW is broadening its naming structure to better differentiate between its cars, the most recent of which will be the 2 Series.

The automaker initially decided to branch its 3 Series coupe into the new 4 Series badge for 2013 in an effort to make the entry-level luxury car less confusing. Now, the brand is taking a similar direction with its 1 Series convertible, which according to CAR will be called a 2 Series in coming generations.

Changes to the 2 Series will be cosmetic, so we’re expecting to see the same engines and underpinnings making it into 2 Series as are already available in the 1 Series. Apparently, this is part of a move by BMW to move its two-door cars farther upmarket to command a bigger price premium.

Predicted for 2014, customers can expect both a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic in the car.

[Source: CAR]

BMW is recalling 7,600 of its 2013 3 Series models because of an issue with the head restraints. Units built between October 19, 2011 and March 18, 2012 are affected.

Federal requirements regulate headrest height to a maximum 25 millimeters, any headrest that can be raised beyond that point is in violation and it seems several thousand 3 Series fall under that category.

The flaw was revealed during testing, prompting the recall. While this particular recall isn’t as grave as some others, including the missing infant seat base we reported yesterday, if the headrest were fully extended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of neck injury.

There haven’t been any injuries reported as a result of the flaw, but BMW will contact owners so it can inspect the vehicles and repair the flaw if found. If a vehicle is found to have over-extending headrests, both the front passenger and driver’s seat will need attention.

If you own a 2012 3 Series and suspect it might be affected, you can contact BMW customer relations at (800) 525-7417, or NHTSA at (888) 327-4236.

BMW announced today that M Division performance parts for both the 3 Series and 5 Series will be made available to consumers.

Items being sold are the same as what would otherwise be found in the high-end M Division cars. An extensive list is being made available to allow enthusiasts to squeeze more performance out of their 3 and 5 Series sedans.

Starting with the wheels, 20-inch aluminum alloys are available for both cars. Thanks to a special forging process, each rim is about 2.4 lbs lighter than something else of similar size, which will translate into slightly better steering response.

A Brembo “big brake” kit is also available with painted calipers because putting 20-inch wheels on the car can make the stock brakes look a little silly. Of course improved brake discs are also available and will offer significantly better stopping power than the standard equipment.

High-gloss kidney grilles, sport stripes, carbon fiber mirror caps and a rear carbon fiber spoiler complete the exterior M Division masquerade. The interior can also be dolled up with carbon fiber including a new shift knob and selector level.

People with a 3 Series can also opt for a new steering wheel with a flattened lower rim.

The only part that could offer slightly improved performance, but doesn’t, is a new exhaust. Instead, it’s designed to make the car sound better.

BMW has issued out a statement that its 2012 328i automatic now has a rated highway fuel rating of 33-mpg as opposed to the originally announced 36-mpg.

The EPA reserves the right to validate the fuel economy figures that automakers submit through their own testing and reporting. Most of the time, the discrepancy is negligible – maybe a 1-mpg difference – but this time the EPA fuel economy figures has the new 3-Series automatic at 3-mpg (highway) less than BMW’s reported figures. City mileage also drops one tick to 23 mpg.

Of course this comes as a shock to BMW (surprise, surprise) and the German automaker is currently working to determine how it was possible. Unfortunately for them, the EPA doesn’t allow for re-testing this year, so BMW has done their due diligence in updating all of its 2012 3-Series automatic information to reflect the 33-mpg highway rating.

Even though it’s quite the hit to its numbers, the BMW 3-Series’ 33-mpg highway rating still bests all its rivals within the segment.

Those who opt for the six-speed manual will see fuel economy unchanged at 23/34.

BMW will continue their tradition of providing patrol cars to the Munich police force thanks to a new contract that will contribute several hundred vehicles a year to the force.

The German automaker provided cruisers for the past 50 years and will continue to do so with its new 2012 3-Series and 5-Series sedans and wagons. They will also be adding the X3 crossover to the fleet for the first time. The updated police cars will come equipped with a customized iDrive system to control the sirens and lighting.

“I am glad that in the coming years, new BMW models will work for the police in Bavaria’s roads. As a longtime partner of the Bavarian police, we are proud that our expertise has convinced authorities and we continue to make our contribution to security in Bavaria, “said Alexander Thorwirth, head of sales to public authorities, operational and security vehicles.

[Source: Carscoop]

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]

At the LA Auto Show today, BMW announced pricing on their new 2013 3-Series. The 328i will start at $35,775 while the 335i will start at $43,275.

Even though the 2013 BMW 3-Series hasn’t yet hit North American soil – it will do so at the Detroit Auto Show on January 12th – they are more than excited for the new generation of their best seller.

As with any BMW, we would take the MSRP with a grain of salt. A couple of add-ons and luxury necessities and your final sum will be substantially higher.

GALLERY: 2013 BMW 3-Series Sedan

Snow or no snow, BMW will be braving the Detroit winter to show off the 2013 F30 3 Series in its public debut January 12.

The announcement comes after the initial debut earlier this month in Munich and reveals that there will be the standard and M Sport packages along with three new lines: sport, luxury and modern.

The exterior design is courtesy of Christian Weil, who also designed the 5 Series GT, while the interior comes from Christian Bauer who designed the current generation 6 Series coupe and convertible, ultimately offering a melting effect that shares features of both designers previous projects.

The exterior design builds on the pervious model’s rounded shaping but there’s a new face to look at. The headlights now stretch to the nose, just touching the grill, which also has a more pronounced and aggressive look borrowed from the 6 Series. The rear end will stay much the same, maintaining BMW’s L-shaped design.

The interior materials will vary based on trim level, but an instrument cluster tilted seven degrees towards the driver will add to the driver-oriented feeling of the car.

GALLERY: 2012 3 Series

[Source: BMWBlog.com]

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 walls of BMW headquarters whispered rumors of a BMW 3 Series ActiveHybrid model, according to Autobild. If a 3 series hybrid is in the works, expect technologies from the big brother ActiveHybrid 7 series to be mated to BMW’s staple straight six engine. A compact electric motor will provide the hybrid with an additional 15-hp, with power supplied from a 120-volt lithium-ion battery pack. No word yet on when the hybrid will debut.

As for the rest of the upcoming F30 BMW 3 series line-up, the four cylinder turbo found in the Z4 sDrive28i will now be provided alongside the straight six.

It will be interesting to see what rumors of the hybrid 3 series hold true as more details leak in the coming months.

GALLERY: BMW F30 3-Series

[Source: Autobild]

BMW is recalling 241,000 3-Series models due to faulty tail lights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed that certain 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i and 330xi models built between September 1, 2001 and March 1 2005 may experience resistance in the electrical contacts of one or more rear lamp functions.

The resistance could eventually lead to the one or more rear lamp functions from working. That failure could reduce the ability to warn other motorists of the drivers intentions, potentially leading to an accident.

BMW dealers will repair the electrical components free of charge once the recall begins in October of this year. Concerned BMW owners may contact customer relations at 1-800-525-7417