BMW 3 Series set for 2012 launch in India (Upcoming Cars)

WHEN: 27 July 2012

HOW MUCH: Rs 22-30 lakh

ENGINES: 320d 185 PS diesel, 328i 250 PS petrol, 335i 310 PS petrol, 8-speed automatic transmission

COMPETITION: Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Volvo S60

BMW has just launched it's all-new, 6th generation 3 Series, with four engine options. The all-new 3 Series will go on sale in Europe by the end of this year, and could be in India as soon as the first quarter of 2012.

You wouldn't mistake the new 3 Series for anything but a BMW, and the familial presence is very strong. It looks like the perfect baby brother to the new 5 Series, which is what BMW intended. The most dramatic changes to the familiar silhouette of the previous generation model comes in the form of the new nose, with the elongated headlights and stretched signature kidney grille. The dual-straked bonnet is a complex shape, with a convex and concave structure, which definitely adds a lot of muscle, but yet makes the new 3 Series appear lithe.

There's also the familiar pronounced crease which runs the length of the car, rising along the belt-line of the new 3 Series, where it meets the wrap-around tail lights. The tail lamps too mirror those of the bigger 5 Series, with the same "L" shape, and at a glace you could easily mistake one for the other.

The new 3 Series has grown in every dimension, and as a result, now sports a 2810mm wheelbase, longer by 50 mm. The car is also 93 mm longer overall. The front track has increased by 37mm, while at the rear it is wider by 47 mm. One thing BMW engineers have not compromised upon is the 3 Series' famed 50:50 weight distribution, which has been maintained even with this car. This will surely appeal to purists.

At launch BMW is offering four engines with the new 3 Series, with three more slated for next year. There will also be a Active Hybrid version thereafter, followed of course by the all-new M3. Presently, the four engines offered are the 328i and 335i petrols, and two versions of the 320d. The 328i and 335i both boast of BMW's TwinPower Turbo technology, with the 2.0-litre 328i pumping out 250 PS, while the 3.0-litre 335i manages a staggering 310 PS. The 320d and 320d EfficientDynamics put out 185 PS and 164 Ps respectively. For now, BMW is offering all versions with a 6-speed manual gearbox, with the option of an 8-speed automatic on all engine variants. For India however, it is likely that BMW will stick to only the automatic option for our market.

Three new trim levels are on offer, which BMW has called the Sport Line, Luxury Line and Modern Line. The Sport Line boasts of glossy black accents, with contrasting red accents and red stitching, the Luxury Line gets lashing of chrome and wood veneer and the Modern Line makes do with brushed aluminium and satinated chrome.

The new 3 Series comes with a host of impressive driver aids and safety kit, including ESP, 8 airbags, Lane Change and Lane Departure warnings, head-up display, and something called Advanced eCall, which sends an automatic distress signal in the event of an accident, giving the car's exact location, so that help can reach sooner.

BMW's drive control is also standard, with four preset modes: ECO PRO, Comfort, Sport and Sport +. The names are sef explanatory. However, BMW has not compromised on the essence of the 3 Series, which includes multi-link transmission, perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and electromechanical steering with a vairable ratio steering rack.

We expect BMW to begin assembling the new 3 Series in India in the beginning of 2012, with sales commecning soon after. It should be more than able to walk the talk, considering the current A4 is well into its product life-cycle, and the C-Class has just had a facelift. The competition has been warned.