BMW 3 Series shows off new features<\/p>\n
Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Sports car aficionados will have another option for their
\nshopping lists with the launching of the new BMW 3 Series here.<\/p>\n
The fifth generation of the BMW's sports sedan icon -- which
\naccounts for 44 percent of the company's global sales, or around
\n10,000 million units, since it first rolled off production lines
\nin 1975 -- was launched on the Jakarta market just a month after
\nits launching at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show in March.<\/p>\n
\"The 3 Series represents sporting performance and supreme
\ndriving qualities combined with elegant design and outstanding
\nproduct features,\" PT BMW Indonesia president Josef Honsel said
\nduring the ceremony at the Sentul circuit in Bogor last week.<\/p>\n
The new 3 Series still retains the BMW coupe-like silhouette
\nand has BMW's \"family design\" double-kidney grill and twin
\nheadlamps, making it similar to its big brothers; the 5 and 7
\nSeries cars.<\/p>\n
But the new 3 Series has new side mirrors and new rear lights,
\ngiving it a sportier look.<\/p>\n
During the product presentation by the company's vice
\npresident of sales and marketing Harald Meyer, The Jakarta Post
\nhad the chance to sit inside the car.<\/p>\n
In the back seats, BMW offers additional high-end diversions
\n-- hip portable iPods and DVD players that can be removed and
\ninstalled inside your house if you think this is all too high-
\ntech for a car.<\/p>\n
The longer wheelbase, by 35 millimeters, also enables back
\nseat passengers to sit more comfortably.<\/p>\n
The 3 Series models are available in three variants -- the BMW
\n330i, BMW 325i and BMW 320i; the 320d diesel engine is not
\navailable from BMW Indonesia.<\/p>\n
However, during last week's launch only the 330i and 320i were
\non show.<\/p>\n
The BMW 330i has a six-cylinder 3,000cc-engine that can result
\nin 258 horse power (hp) with a maximum torque of 300 Newton
\nmeters (Nm) at 2,500-4,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The
\nengine has Valvetronic technology that reduces load change
\nresistance to a minimum but guarantees efficient use of the fuel
\nsupplied and a much better engine response. The maximum speed of
\nthis car is 250 kilometers per hour (kph) with an acceleration
\nfrom 0 to 100 kph of 6.3 seconds.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the BMW 320i has a four-cylinder 1,995cc-engine
\nthat produces a maximum output of 150hp at 6,200 rpm and maximum
\ntorque of 200Nm at 3,600 rpm. It accelerates from 0-100 kph in
\n9.0 seconds and its top speed is at 220 kph.<\/p>\n
My group of journalists had the first session of the \"flat
\ntire\" run, where we drove the car at a top speed of 80 kilometers
\nan hour with one flat tire and slalomed through cones.<\/p>\n
\"Did you feel anything when driving the car?\" was the question
\nfrom our instructor Stephen Schimft. My colleague, who had
\nforgotten that were driving with one tire completely flat, said
\nhe felt a slight oversteer when making the curve at high speed.<\/p>\n
\"With this technology, the car can travel for 250 kilometers
\nwith two passengers at 80 kph maximum speed or for 150km with
\nfour passengers at the same speed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The next session was to try out the 320i and 330i to feel the
\ndifference of Active Steering and to test both cars' Anti-lock
\nBraking System (ABS).<\/p>\n
Our instructor, Aswin, told us to drive both the 320i and the
\n330i at least 80 kph before making a sudden stop to test the ABS,
\nand continue with the slalom at a constant speed to feel the
\nActive Steering.<\/p>\n
The benefits of both systems were readily apparent. The 330i
\nis equipped with active steering and the car was stable even when
\nI slalomed past the cones, noticeably handling better than the
\nActive Steering-less 320i.<\/p>\n
Both cars are lighter than their predecessors thanks to the
\nuse of magnesium in the crankcase, for the first time in volume
\nproduction, that reduces the weight by 30 percent compared to
\naluminum.<\/p>\n
The last session was a pace lap in which we tried the 320i on
\nthe circuit to feel the handling of the car.<\/p>\n
With safety features become more concern for both carmakers
\nand customers, the BMW new 3 Series are also equipped with
\nDynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC),
\nDynamic Brake Control (DBC) and, of course, airbags.<\/p>\n
Meyer said the new 3 Series cars have six airbags -- side ones
\nfor front-seat passengers located in the seats rather than in the
\nfront doors. \"It is to protect the passenger's side and pelvis,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Available in two colors -- black and silver -- the BMW new 3
\nSeries start at Rp 540 million (US$56,250) for the BMW 320i, Rp
\n659 million for the BMW 325i and Rp 800 million for the BMW 330i.
\nAll prices are on-the-road ones. The cars will be on the market
\nby the end of May.<\/p>",
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