(May 14, 2012) The new BMW 3 Series Touring will offer an even stronger blend of practicality and driving dynamics when it comes to the UK in September. BMW said the Touring should be available in the U.S. about a year from now.

BMW says, "A load capacity that is the largest in its class, complete with innovative storage solutions, is wrapped in a dynamically styled, strong but lightweight body that follows the same winning formula of previous BMW 3 Series Tourings over the years. After all, it was BMW that invented the premium Touring segment back with the E30 3 Series and it has proved a winning formula ever since then with an average 8,500 new car buyers a year."



Three engine choices are available at launch in Europe. For example, the new BMW 330d Touring produces 258 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, enough to reach 62 mph from rest in just 5.6 seconds. Further engine variants will join the range later

From the tip of the nose to the B-pillar, the 3 Series Touring is exactly the same as its sedan: an expressive front end, accentuated by a wider track over the previous generation model, creating the perfect foundation for the frontal styling. Twin headlamps, with LED accent lights, combine with the gently forward sloping BMW kidney grille to generate a purposeful face, further highlighted by the additional outer air intakes below the headlamps and the sweeping lines of the bonnet that converge on the grille.

From the side, the new 3 Series Touring is defined by the sweeping silhouette, with its smoothly sloping roofline and glasshouse that extends to the rear of the vehicle. The new car is 3.7 inches longer overall and 2 inches longer in the wheelbase than before and that, together with the steeply raked D-pillars, angle of the rear window and the traditional ‘Hofmeister kink’, adds a real sense of forward motion to the profile.

The interior design of the new BMW 3 Series Touring is identical to that of the recently introduced 3 Series sedan. It’s a cockpit with a traditional BMW driver focus creating a sporty interior ambience that is conducive to driving enjoyment.

The new BMW 3 Series Touring has a split rear hatch opening with the upper glass area able to open independently of the overall unit. This is unlocked electrically via a button located on the rear wiper arm, and then opened manually. It is particularly convenient when loading in small items, perhaps where space behind the vehicle is limited.

At launch, the new BMW 3 Series Touring is powered by a choice of a gas or two diesel powerplants, all using BMW’s TwinPower turbo technology. In due course, a much wider selection of engines will be offered, in line with the 3 Series sedan models.

Likely to be the biggest selling model, the 320d uses the 2.0-liter TwinPower turbo diesel engine from the previous generation, but with its own set of modifications to make it both cleaner and more frugal. The common rail fuel injection combines with a variable geometry turbocharger (with enhanced thermodynamic properties) to produce 184 hp and 280 pound-feet torque.

The initial gas-powered offering is the 328i, the perfect demonstration of BMW’s current cutting-edge engine philosophy. This four-cylinder, 2.0-liter engine features all the latest TwinPower technology: high precision direct fuel injection, a twin scroll turbo charger, Double Vanos variable camshaft timing and BMW’s VALVETRONIC variable valve control.