We like the BMW 3-series, and we like station wagons. So here's good news: BMW has released the first round of info on the new 3er Sports Wagon, or Touring as it is called in the Old World. It will be offered in the U.S. once again, and we expect to see a 328i with the 2.0-liter four making 240 hp, a 300-hp 335i with the 3.0-liter turbo six, and a 330d with a 3.0-liter straight-six turbo-diesel and around 250 hp.
What, a 330d? "We haven't given up on the diesel in the U.S. at all," a company source tells us. As it does with the new 3 sedan, BMW will offer a six-speed manual and an eight-speed automatic on its gasoline-powered models, but the 330d likely will be automatic-only. No word yet on an M335i M Performance model, but it is a possibility for the sedan and wagon. Europe, by the way, gets a number of lesser versions, starting with the 316d that makes a positively pedestrian 113 hp.
Excepting a slightly shorter length for the five-door, the dimensions of the 3-series Sports Wagon are identical to those of the sedan, but the luggage-carrying advantage comes when the seats are folded down and its loaded up to the ceiling. In fact, BMW claims the 3-series is the most spacious station wagon in its class. That's true, according to the current European measurement methods, but only by a very slight margin. In fact, the difference when compared to the Audi A4 Avant and the not-for-U.S. Mercedes C-class T-model is absolutely negligible.
Depending on the model, the BMW 3-series Sports Wagon is about 175 pounds heavier than its sedan counterpart. That's partly due to the extra glass and steel, but it can also be traced back to extra equipment that makes life with this station wagon even more pleasant. The rear window can be opened separately, there is a sophisticated cover for the luggage compartment, and the rear seat can be split and folded down in 40:20:40 sections.
Thanks to: Car and Driver
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