2012 BMW 3-Series - BMW 3, Generation Six

A new generation of BMW 3 Series has been born. This premium compact sedan comes out in February as a 2012 model; for you code freaks out there it’s an F30. It’s the sixth incarnation of a badge that has truly become legend and, unsurprisingly, there isn’t much that’s radical about the design. Many familiar elements abound: the double kidney grille, short overhangs, Hofmeister kink and a minimum of metal between the top of the hood and the highest part of the front wheel arch. But the car is also a tad bigger than its predecessor. There will be two versions available initially, both with turbocharged engines: a 335i, with a 3.0-liter, 300-hp six (the N55), and a 328i, featuring the same 240-hp, 2.0-liter four found in the 2012 Z4 sDrive28i. Either one can be linked to a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission. Following these models will be an M3 (of course) and a hybrid version. A 2011 328i sedan starts at $34,600, so expect something similar for the 2012 counterpart.