2011 BMW 3-Series Review and Prices

Styling: The 2011 BMW 3-Series styling continues as the poster child for automotive performance. The body seems pulled taught, crouched over wheels stretched to the very corners of the car. The stance is low and athletic, with no extemporaneous sheet metal. Styling alterations to the 2011 3-Series coupe and convertible are confined to detail changes: a new front bumper, revised headlights, taillamps that adopt light-emitting diode (LED) technology. Inside, the standard wood trim will alternatively be available in bamboo. As its name suggests the 2011 3-Series fits between BMW’s less costly subcompact-sized 1-Series and its more expensive midsize 5-Series. The 3-Series is slightly smaller inside and out than principal competitors such as the Audi A4, Infiniti G37, and Cadillac CTS. All four 3-Series body styles are based on the same 108.7-inch-wheelbase platform. Wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear axles and key to how much space a vehicle can allot for the passenger compartment. The rivals mentioned above all have wheelbases of 110.6-113.4 inches. But each of their manufacturers acknowledges the 3-Series as the bogey for design, performance, and image. The variety of 3-Series body styles also sets a target no competitor quite matches; the CTS, for example, lacks a convertible, the A4 a coupe, and the G37 a wagon. The 3-Series convertible has a retractable metal hardtop instead of a conventional folding soft top. Note that 3-Series sedans and wagons seat five passengers, the coupe and convertible four.            

Mechanical: The 2011 BMW 3-Series will retain the same basic mechanical spec introduced with the model-year 2006 launch of the current-generation design. Available are three six-cylinder engines – one a diesel – and a V-8. The 2011 BMW 325i models will again use a 3.0-liter six that should return with 230 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. (Think of torque as the force that propels you forward, horsepower as the energy that sustains your momentum). The 2011 BMW 335i models add twin turbochargers for a rating of 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. The 328i and 335i models come in all four body styles. The 2011 BMW 335d is a sedan only and has a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel six; it should repeat a 265 horsepower and an impressive 425 pound-feet of torque. These engines have BMW’s traditional inline arrangement of cylinders as opposed to rivals’ V-6 layout. On paper, the 328i’s 230 horsepower is among the lowest in the class, but its engine is buttery smooth and responsive enough to perform as if it has more power. The diesel is even faster and nearly as smooth, while the twin-turbo six turns the 335i into a hot rod. Transmission choices with the gas sixes are a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic; the 335d is automatic only. The automatic is optionally available with steering-wheel paddles to facilitate manual-type shifts. For 2011, the paddles are reconfigured so the driver pulls the left one to downshift and pulls the right to upshift. This is a welcome change from the less intuitive push-upshift/pull-downshift arrangement. Offered in all but the wagon body style, the line-topping 2011 M3 models have a ferocious 4.0-liter V-8 that should repeat with 414 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It mates with a six-speed manual transmission or a special seven-speed dual-clutch unit. The seven-speed can perform the duties of an automatic but is actually a paddle- or floor-lever-shifted manual without a clutch pedal. All 3-Series models are built around rear-wheel drive engineering that distributes the weight of the powertrain into create a near-50/50 front/rear balance. Combined with inspired steering feel and suspension tuning that seems to draw on black magic, the result is remarkable handling and poise. Rear-wheel-drive, however, isn’t always the best formula for snowy-surface traction. So BMW offers the 325i and 335i coupes, sedans, and wagons with its xDrive AWD system that distributes power to all four tires for improved grip. Joining the 2011 3-Series lineup is the new “iS” sport version that combines high-performance M3-spec suspension components with the 335i’s twin-turbo six tuned to produce some 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque.

Features: The 2011 BMW 3-Series will continue to follow BMW’s philosophy of building content around performance and safety and charging dearly for luxury amenities like leather upholstery and navigation systems. Thus, every 2011 3-Series will come standard with powerful four-wheel disc brakes with antilock and antiskid systems to improve control in emergency stops and in fast cornering. Air conditioning, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a tilt/telescope leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls also are included. So is wood cabin trim, windshield wipers with heated fluid jets, power windows and locks, and a height-adjustable driver’s seat. Some rivals include premium-class essentials like power front seats and leather upholstery among standard features. In the 3-Series lineup, you’ve got to move to the 335i to get standard power seats. And leather is standard only on the $50,000-plus 335i convertible and the M3s. Still, willingness to move up a trim level or pick through the long options sheet with an open checkbook will leave you wanting for little. Steering-linked xenon headlamps, voice-activated navigation with hard-drive music and data storage, Bluetooth cell phone and iPod USB interface, adaptive cruise control, and aluminum interior trim are just a sample of what’s available. A variety of handling-enhancing suspension and wheel/tire packages also is on tap. Many shoppers, however, thank BMW for making the controversial iDrive control an option on the 3-Series; it’s standard on most other BMW cars and SUVs. The iDrive system uses a center-console-mounted knob to remotely access and adjust myriad vehicle functions, from audio and climate settings to navigation programming. Intended to minimize button-proliferation, iDrive’s commands display on the dashboard navigation screen, but deciphering its logic and scrolling its layers of page views can be difficult while actually driving. To BMW’s credit, it has simplified iDrive over the years and the latest iteration brackets the console knob with conventional buttons that provide direct access to audio, navigation, and telecommunications menus. The system also displays on a higher-definition 8.8-inch-diameter screen.