BMW 3 Series Touring: Wagon Wheels

By Motoring Channel Staff - 20/04/2005

The new generation BMW 3 Series Sedan, which arrives in Australian in June, will be joined next year by a handsome wagon variant, the Touring.

The new Touring will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2005, alongside a slew of other highly anticipated German automobiles, including the new V8 powered M3.

The BMW 3 Series Touring shares a strong visual link with the 3 Series Sedan, largely identical to the Sedan from the front to the A-pillars.

From the A-pillars back, the car's sporting silhouette hides the immense degree of practicality for families and professionals seeking more space.

The enlarged, more flexible and practical luggage compartment blends harmoniously with the Touring's overall style. A sleek roofline tapers down gently and smoothly to the large tailgate, while the shoulder line moves up slightly in a pincer-like fashion to give the Touring a taut, muscular appearance.

This means the glasshouse offers a coupé-like appearance, accentuating the overall sporting presence. The wide D-pillar guides the eye to the rear axle, clearly accentuating the car's rear-wheel drive heritage in the process.

The external styling boldly announces a harmony of elegance, dynamism, and sportiness, while inside the accent is firmly on ease of use and flexibility and, as such, the fourth-generation BMW 3 Series Touring has been developed as an entirely different and unique car in parallel to the Sedan.

The Touring is typically BMW both in its looks and performance. Its lithe dimensions hide a roomy and practical interior.

The Touring is 42mm longer, at 4520mm, than the previous model, 78mm wider at 1817mm and 9mm higher at 1418 mm. The wheelbase is stretched a further 35 mm to 2760mm.

Occupants in both the front and rear enjoy extra space and comfort, while the enlarged luggage area grows to 460 litres (an increase of 25 litres).

By folding the rear 60/40 split fold backrest, up to 1385 litres of luggage space is available on an almost totally flat loading floor.

Even more important than the interior dimensions alone are the many innovative ideas included to enhance the everyday driving experience.

The luggage compartment cover, for example, automatically moves up together with the flip-up rear window in order to facilitate loading at the rear.

Thanks to run-flat tyres (no spare is needed), overall weight is optimised and luggage space increases, with an additional storage box beneath the floor of the luggage compartment.

The luggage compartment floor section is reversible, with a touch plastic cover to repel water or dirt. There are lashing points to securely fasten heavy goods on one side and a plastic cover on the other side that can be laid over panels and surfaces to protect against dirt and scratches. A watertight folding box beneath the floor of the luggage area serves additionally to house wet boots or similar items.

Dynamic roadholding is also one of the key strengths of the 3 Series Touring.

The ideal 50/50 weight distribution, rear wheel drive, long wheelbase and short body overhangs front and rear, allow the Touring to deliver supreme agility and driving safety.

Supporting the front wheels, the same new double joint, light weight aluminium front axle from the E90 Sedan endows the Touring with optimum balance of driving dynamics and motoring comfort. This innovative axle design allows superior tracking stability and particularly low roll noise.

Supreme agility and dynamic handling, in turn, are also ensured by the five-arm rear axle in lightweight steel design ensuring precise wheel guidance as well as excellent roll comfort.

Australian market specifications and pricing will be announced closer to the launch, with engine's likely to be offered being the 2.5-litre inline 6-cylinder and possibly the 3.0-litre engine.