Station wagons are a permanent part of the European landscape, so it's no surprise that BMW is ready to launch the wagon version of the new 3-Series platform. Recently, TCC was among the first to drive the new Touring wagon, before even its world premiere at the IAA auto show in Frankfurt in September.
It looks like the 3-Series Sedan is going to be another sales success for the Bavarian car manufacturer, and we expect the Touring wagon will only add to that. After our driving experiences with the 3-Series Sedan , we expected crisp handling and quick acceleration, and we were not disappointed.
The design of the new station wagon is well-balanced and has quite an elegant touch. The Touring shares the same wheelbase, length and width as the sedan, but it is slightly higher due to the fact that BMW has modified the set-up of the suspension to meet the higher weight of the car (it's heavier by 44 lb) and the requirements of a wagon version. The adjustments resulted in a somewhat more comfortable ride, but you cannot say the Touring is not agile and the directional stability is excellent and steering is precise.
The somewhat more comfortable character doesn't hurt the Touring's feel at all, given that people may drive wagons with a little less sporting intent than a sedan. With the Touring wagon, the driver still can enjoy a very engaging driving experience.
Engines abound
BMW will offer the Touring with two diesel and three petrol engines. The gas engines include the 150-hp in-line four in the 320i; the 325i with the 215-hp six-cylinder; and the 255-hp, six-cylinder 330i. For North America, the Touring has not been officially confirmed, but we expect it to arrive at BMW dealers in the fall of 2006. As the sedan comes to the U.S. as the 325i and 330i, we expect that the Touring too will also be offered with both engines that fully comply with the U.S. ULEV-II standard.
In Europe, both diesel engines, the 320d and the new 330d, might account for up to half of the sales of the 3-Series. At some point, BMW expects to sell more diesel-powered cars than gas-engined cars: 3-Series Project Manager Mr. Becker admits the day is coming and confirms that "it may take another year and a half to two years."
Just like the sedan, all engine variants that are available for the Touring will be teamed to a six-speed manual transmission, while a six-speed automatic will be available as an option.
Easy access
The most important feature of a station wagon is its cargo area. With this generation, the Touring's cargo capacity has been increased by 0.88 cu ft to 16.2 cu ft, compared to that of the previous model. When the backrest is folded down, the cargo area above the almost-flat floor is 48.9 cu ft, up 1.41 cu ft.
BMW has made some improvements for practicality. By equipping the car with run-flat tires, engineers carved room for a storage bin beneath the luggage compartment floor. The compartment has an umbrella holder, bag holders, four tie-down points and a 12-volt power socket. A special luggage compartment package includes a watertight folding box, which can be turned inside-out. The liner has a washable surface that can be extended and folded out over the rear bumper to protect the paint job while loading and unloading gear.
Another nice feature is that the rear window can be opened separately. Of course, that's not new, but in the Touring the luggage compartment cover will slide up into the loading position when you open the window, or when you open the hatch. Too, loading will be easier than with the former 3-Series Touring as the height of the loading floor has been lowered to 23.2 inches.
All the usual safety equipment is included. BMW's new Trailer Stabilization Control registers imminent pendulum motion of the car and trailer at a very early point, stabilizing the combination by applying the brakes before the situation gets out of hand. Six airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control are standard.
Stay tuned for a full driving test of the new Touring wagon when it hits U.S. shores later this year.
2005 BMW 325i Touring
Base price: $32,000 (est.)
Engine: 3.0 liter in-line six, 215 hp/184 lb-ft
Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel-drive
Length x width x height: 178.0.0 x 71.6 x 55.9 in
Wheelbase: 108.6 in
Curb Weight: 3406 lb
Fuel economy (EPA cty/hwy): 20/30 mpg (est.)
Safety equipment: Dual front and side curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes and stability control
Major standard features: Air conditioning; power windows/locks/mirrors; 17-inch wheels; cruise control; tilt/telescoping steering wheel
Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles
Provided by TheCarConnection.com?The Web's Automotive Authority
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