The All-New BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.

Richmond Hill, ON. BMW Canada is pleased to announce that the all-new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo will soon join the BMW 3 Series line-up. The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is, first and foremost, a driver’s car, but one which combines the dynamics of a sports sedan with luxury seating for four and generous and flexible luggage capacity.  The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo will arrive in Canada in 328i xDrive and 335i xDrive variants, in the summer of 2013 as a 2014 model. Pricing and options information will be announced closer to the market launch.

Typical BMW proportions, four doors with frameless windows, coupe-like profile, sloping roofline and large tailgate define the distinctive exterior character of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo. An active rear spoiler – the first on a BMW – adds to the aesthetic appeal and reduces lift at highway speeds. The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is 200mm longer than the new 3 Series Touring, offers a 110mm longer wheelbase and stands 81mm taller. The clever use of proportions, surfaces and lines ensures that the 3 Series Gran Turismo is immediately recognizable as a BMW
3 Series.

 Impressive long-distance comfort in a unique ambience.

Generous interior dimensions allow passengers in every seat of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo to enjoy a feeling of space and freedom of movement. The front and rear passengers all benefit from a seating position that is 59 mm higher than the sedans, which provides outstanding visibility and makes entry and exit significantly more comfortable. The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo also offers extra headroom. The increase in space will be especially appreciated by rear seat passengers, where a full 70mm of additional legroom over the Sedan and Touring is there to be enjoyed. The cocooning nature of the interior, complemented by its design forms, color scheme and materials, creates first class ambience which allows passengers to enjoy short trips and long journeys alike in relaxed comfort.

Intelligent load area management.

The luggage compartment also reflects the car’s increased dimensions, its 520 liters of trunk space (based on European measure) outstripping that of the BMW 3 Series Touring by a full 25 liters. The large load aperture and high-opening tailgate make access easier. Practical features – such as the 40:20:40 split/folding rear seat with folding head restraints and tilt-adjustable backrests, and the two-piece parcel shelf – underscore the functionality of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo. The large load area can be utilized in many different ways, allowing intelligent space management. Practical features such as tie-down points, multifunction hooks and an underfloor storage compartment make it even more convenient to use, while the LED strips that illuminate the cargo area emphasize the premium quality of the 3 Series Gran Turismo.

Design: Innovative, Emotional, Practical

The first impression delivered by the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo invariably centers on the striking combination of dynamic and aesthetic appeal. Attractive proportions, four doors with frameless windows, the coupe-style, gently falling roofline and large tailgate define the distinctive character it has chiseled for itself within the BMW 3 Series ranks. Powerful lines and taut surfaces sketch out an athletic body which lends the car an actively forward-surging purpose, as well as suggesting a high degree of functionality. Indeed, the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo sets new standards inside as well as out. A sense of roominess, a high seating position, generous levels of space and thoughtfully designed seal its status as unique in the premium mid-size segment.

At 4,824 mm long, 1,489 mm tall, 1,828 mm wide and with a 2,920-mm wheelbase, the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is notably larger than the Sedan and Touring variants of the 3 Series range. However, the designers’ clever use of proportions, surfaces and lines ensures that the Gran Turismo appears to cut a similarly low-slung and dynamic figure as its siblings. Its dimensions allow it to lay on impressive levels of space for passengers and their luggage, as a result of which, it passes the “long-distance comfort” test with flying colors, while an extra 70 mm of rear legroom place it between the BMW 5 Series and BMW 7 Series, i.e. firmly in luxury class territory.

Front view: powerful dynamics.

The eye-catching front end of the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo makes no secret of its BMW 3 Series family ties, but also brings its own individual flavor into the mix. The broad, powerful BMW kidney grille and modified front apron underline the car’s sporting character, while striking twin headlights with corona rings with xenon headlights and LED accent lights form a visual unit with the slightly forward-slanting kidneys and reinforce the sense of both width and presence. The silhouette of the headlights is larger than on the Sedan. Large air intakes below the headlights emphasize the sporting character of the car, as do the aerodynamically motivated apertures for the Air Curtains. The hood, meanwhile, has smoother contours than the Sedan and Sports Wagon. The most prominent design cue remains the kidney grille, which draws the visual focus of the front end further towards the road and gives the car a lower-slung and sportier feel. Another identifying feature of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo are the “blades” set into the outer air intakes of the front apron.

BMW 328i xDrive Gran Turismo: 4-cylinder gasoline engine with TwinPower Turbo technology sets the benchmark for dynamics and efficiency.

The state-of-the-art, lively 2.0-litre engine marks a return to the 3 Series roots – it was with lightweight, high-performance 4-cylinder engines in a similar vein that the BMW 3 Series made its debut back in 1975. The significant upgrade in power and efficiency is chiefly down to the use of BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, which combines High Precision Direct Petrol Injection, Double-Vanos variable camshaft timing and Valvetronic variable valve timing along with twin-scroll turbocharging. On the new-generation 4-cylinder engine, this world-exclusive technology package from BMW again provides a very efficient way to extract more power from the engine, rather than taking the route of a much larger displacement and, in the process, adding to the weight and therefore to fuel consumption. This explains why the more dynamic performance and driving enjoyment does not come at the expense of higher fuel consumption and emissions.

The new BMW TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder’s displacement of 1,997 cc delivers maximum power of 241 hp at 5,000 rpm while, thanks to twin-scroll turbocharging, the maximum torque of  255 lb-ft is developed at just 1,250 rpm and remains constant up to 4,800 rpm. These statistics translate to commensurately dynamic performance. The engine responds instantly when the driver demands more throttle, and the vigorous and almost linear power delivery from only slightly above idle, which continues all the way into the higher rpm range,

BMW 335i xDrive Gran Turismo: Inline 6-cylinder engine with beefy power delivery, strong torque and superb refinement.

Fans of large 6-cylinder engines have a treat in store too. The inline 6-cylinder engine (N55) in the BMW 335i Gran Turismo will impress performance-minded drivers with its effortless power, exceptionally fast-revving temperament and outstanding refinement. The N55 has been setting standards from the start, as the pioneer of a new generation of engines in which BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with High Precision Direct Injection and Valvetronic variable valve timing plus a twin scroll turbo made its debut. 

Thanks to intensive fine-tuning of the engine, BMW’s engineers have now further reduced the fuel consumption and emissions of the predecessor, while at the same time maintaining its high performance. With a maximum power rating of 300 hp at 5,800 rpm, the 3.0-liter 6-cylinder unit reflects the sporty personality of the BMW 3 Series and helps deliver brilliant performance. And the high peak torque of 300 lb-ft, on stream between 1,200 and 5,000 rpm, ensures that the power is effortlessly and instantly delivered.

Innovative 8-speed automatic transmission: efficient power transmission and optimal ratios.

The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is equipped with a high-performance
8-speed automatic transmission. The additional ratios allow this state-of-the-art transmission to combine unprecedented standards of comfortable shifting, sporty performance and efficiency. With all this going for it, the automatic transmission is fully in keeping with the overall sporty temperament of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan.  

In terms of size and weight, this 8-speed unit is comparable with the 6-speed automatic transmission used in the past. A range of innovative technical features and exceptionally high internal efficiency allow this higher-performance unit, too, to combine powerful acceleration, strong mid-range sprinting and further reduced fuel consumption. For performance-minded drivers this transmission also has lots to offer, particularly since the driver can choose to play a more active role by changing gear manually, thereby releasing even more of this sporty sedan’s potential.

The all-new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo will arrive in Canadian showrooms in the summer of 2013 as a 2014 model.

 BMW Group in Canada

BMW Group Canada, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI.  BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. A total network of 44 BMW automobile retail centres, 20 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 29 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.

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