A FEW YEARS back we tested a BMW 330d at the Towcar Awards. Of the 50 or so cars on test none was quicker from 30-60mph than the BMW.

 

There’s now a new 3 Series on the way, and BMW has released the first official pictures of the car. UK sales of the saloon start in February, with prices starting from £24,100.

 

From, launch, four engine variants will be available. The 328i petrol has 245hp and 258lb.ft of torque. The 335i ups those numbers to 306hp and 295lb.ft of torque.

 

The diesels look like the most sensible buys. The 320d has 184hp and 280lb.ft of torque. The 320d Efficient Dynamics has the same torque as the regular 320d but trades some power for even more impressive economy figures: expect 68.9mpg on the combined cycle. That’s an incredible figure for a car of this size and power, although how close owners will get to that in day-to-day driving remains to be seen.

 

A hybrid version is also on the way, as are four-wheel-drive models. That’s good news for caravanners, although the new models’ lower kerbweights aren’t. Exact figures haven’t been confirmed, but BMW says the new 3 Series will be lighter than the old car.

 

You can see more pictures here:

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/all-new-bmw-3-series-pictures/259576