What BMW plans to offer in India

This is the new 2009 BMW 3 which will be officially saying hello at the Paris Motor Show in October. So the Indian launch should fall into place between March and June 2009.

Visually, the new 7 Series influences the design, with new headlamps, a sharply styled hood, front bumper and tweaked mirrors. This is the first significant facelift since the car was launched in 2004. At the rear, similarly, tail-lamps change shape and a freshened up bumper arrives.

Inside the cabin, there will be six-speed manual and automatic transmission options, and more importantly, the new 7-speed DCT or dual clutch transmission from the M3 will be on offer, but only on the 335i coupe and convertible. Also available is the new ConnectedDrive in-car Internet system and an 80 gig hard drive that stores your music (read mp3s) and  the usual sat-nav software.

So here are the new numbers for the three 3er equivalents that are on sale in India. The 320i will make 170 bhp and  21 kgm, hitting 100 kph in 8.2 seconds. The 325i will make 218 bhp and 32 kgm, and 100 kph comes up in 6.7 seconds. The sole diesel, the 320d will make 177 bhp and 35 kgm, attaining the century mark in 7.9 seconds.

What India doesn't get for now are the  320d, the 330i, the 330d and the turbocharged 335i and 335d, but we expect one of these engine models to be offered once the new 3 goes on sale in our country. The 335d in fact now gets an eco-friendly urea injection system like Mercedes' BlueTec.

Interestingly, BMW India have planned to offer the coupe and cabriolet versions of the 3 Series, so expect that too before the facelifted saloon marks its entry. And for performance enthusiasts, the visceral facelifted M3 will also follow. 

There won't be additional power here, but BMW is touted to be working on a faster M3 CSL that is lighter as well. About 100 cars are expected with a price tag at least one and a half times over the standard coupe. Brr.