What Is It?
2006 BMW 3 Series
What's Special About It?
There was no dramatic unveil of the 2006 BMW 3 Series, just a simple pull of the sheet and there it was. It's almost as if everyone expected it to be just another excellent sport sedan, and by all accounts it is. With revised, but less controversial styling and much of the hardware already found in the 5 and 7 Series sedans, the 3 Series promises all the perfection of last year's model and then some.
Contrary to its nomenclature, the base 325i now uses a 3.0-liter straight six tuned to produce 215 horsepower — a 31-hp improvement over the previous 325i. The top-of-the-line 330i also uses a 3.0-liter six but it develops 255 hp and 217 pound-feet of torque. Both cars come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, but a six-speed Sportshift automatic is optional. BMW's Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) will be available a few months after launch.
Compared to its predecessor, the 2006 BMW 3 Series is almost 2 inches longer and 3 inches wider yet gained less than 100 pounds of additional weight. BMW claims a 0-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds for the 330i. A nearly perfect 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution assures the athleticism of its predecessors while a newly optional Active Steering system offers tight high-speed steering and easy low-speed maneuverability.
The larger dimensions on the outside translate into a slightly bigger cabin on the inside as well with just over 2 cubic feet of additional passenger space and a trunk that's larger by 1.3 cubic feet. BMW's much maligned iDrive control interface is optional in the 3 Series for the first time along with active cruise control and a keyless ignition.
What's Edmunds' Take?
BMW played it safe with this redesign and it should pay off. Few will be offended by its styling and many will be sucked in by its performance. In a segment crawling with so many worthy competitors, this is the kind of car that BMW needed to stay on top. — Ed Hellwig
2006 BMW 3 Series
What's Special About It?
There was no dramatic unveil of the 2006 BMW 3 Series, just a simple pull of the sheet and there it was. It's almost as if everyone expected it to be just another excellent sport sedan, and by all accounts it is. With revised, but less controversial styling and much of the hardware already found in the 5 and 7 Series sedans, the 3 Series promises all the perfection of last year's model and then some.
Contrary to its nomenclature, the base 325i now uses a 3.0-liter straight six tuned to produce 215 horsepower — a 31-hp improvement over the previous 325i. The top-of-the-line 330i also uses a 3.0-liter six but it develops 255 hp and 217 pound-feet of torque. Both cars come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, but a six-speed Sportshift automatic is optional. BMW's Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) will be available a few months after launch.
Compared to its predecessor, the 2006 BMW 3 Series is almost 2 inches longer and 3 inches wider yet gained less than 100 pounds of additional weight. BMW claims a 0-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds for the 330i. A nearly perfect 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution assures the athleticism of its predecessors while a newly optional Active Steering system offers tight high-speed steering and easy low-speed maneuverability.
The larger dimensions on the outside translate into a slightly bigger cabin on the inside as well with just over 2 cubic feet of additional passenger space and a trunk that's larger by 1.3 cubic feet. BMW's much maligned iDrive control interface is optional in the 3 Series for the first time along with active cruise control and a keyless ignition.
What's Edmunds' Take?
BMW played it safe with this redesign and it should pay off. Few will be offended by its styling and many will be sucked in by its performance. In a segment crawling with so many worthy competitors, this is the kind of car that BMW needed to stay on top. — Ed Hellwig
Add A Comment »