Sunday, July 31, 2011

BMW 3 Series (E92)

The BMW E90 series is the fifth generation of the BMW 3 Series range of compact executive cars. The car is also available as a touring (designated as E91), coupé (E92) and coupé cabriolet (E93). A high performance BMW M3 version of the E90, E92, and E93 is also available. It is the successor to the E46 model, and was launched in March 2005. The E90 is slated to be replaced in 2012 when a new 3 Series body is introduced.In 2002, Head of Production Norbert Reithofer and Development Chief Burkhard Goeschel started an initiative to halve the time it took to reach full production of the next generation 3-series from six months to three. First marketed in March 2005, the car quickly became BMW Group's best selling automobile worldwide, and by the end of the year 229,900 vehicles had been delivered. It is by far the best-selling entry-level luxury car in Canada and the United States.In 2009, the saloon underwent an extensive mid-cycle facelift. In 2011, the coupe and convertible were facelifed as well. Facelifted 3-series are commonly referred to as "LCI" (Lifecycle Impulse) models.

The two-door iteration of the 3-Series became available in August 2006 as a 2007 model, being released one year after the saloon. It is the second BMW coupe offered with BMW xDrive, BMW's moniker for all-wheel-drive, after the 325ix of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The E92 is available in the 320i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335is, 335xi, 320d, 325d, 330d, 335d and 330xd trims (availability of certain models depends on region).The coupé's body is its own design and no longer derived from the saloon with two fewer doors like its predecessors, being longer and narrower than the E90 counterpart, seating two passengers in the rear instead of the three-person bench. The coupé also features frameless doors like its E46 predecessor. There are also retractable arms that extend from the B-pillar to hand the seat belt to the driver and/or passenger when the key fob is in the ignition and the door is closed. Compared to the E90 saloon, an E92 is generally $3000 USD more expensive; E92s also have more features such as standard Xenon HID headlights.The M3 high-performance variant of the coupe debuted in 2007 at the Geneva Auto Show. It features a V8 engine for the first time in a 3-series, the S65B40, which is derived from the BMW S85 V10 that powers the E60 M5.The BMW M3 GTS is high-performance variant of M3 coupe and it debuted in November 2009. It features a modified 4.4 M3 V8 engine with 450 bhp (336 kW; 456 PS). In addition to engine upgrade it has improved brakes with 6 pot front brake calipers, new sports suspension, light weight body and adjustable rear spoiler.