I think what will be interesting will be to see how it drives. No doubt it will be good, but will it retain its sports
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| While there is little doubt that the new 3 will be a thrill to drive, will it be good enough to fend off newcomers like the Lexus IS 300 and Infiniti GX35? (Photo: BMW Canada) |
sedan benchmark driving dynamics that are currently being chipped away at by newcomers such as the Lexus IS 300 and even more defiantly, the stellar Infiniti GX35? That will remain to be seen, but it will receive lessens learned by BMW engineers in remaking the once-again best-in-class 5-Series. What am I referring to? Well, it will be the first car in its segment to offer "anything approaching the benefits of BMW's unique Active Steering", or so the company says. I've driven the 6 and the 7 with Active Steering and can attest to the shocking difference it makes at low or high speeds. Some like it and some don't, but all will agree that it makes for crisper turn-in through the slalom while tightening up the ratio at freeway speeds. Its 1.7-turns lock-to-lock when parking is also beneficial. For those who find it artificial feeling, and I've spoken with some who do, don't worry as BMW makes it a stand-alone option. Personally I'd take it, as it transforms any car that incorporates it into a Le Mans class winner, or at least it makes you feel that way.
Active Steering offers another benefit that may give new 3-Series buyers even more reason to buck up, it now intervenes to help
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| BMW's unique Active Steering will be an available option. (Photo: BMW Canada) |
stabilize the car if traction is lost due to slippery road surfaces, working together with DSC III, ABS, CBC and all the other BMW acronyms, becoming an integral part of the 3's active safety system.
DSC III, short for the third generation of Dynamic Stability Control, features some new benefits in the upcoming 3-Series, including a new brake-drying system said to improve stopping power in wet weather. Reportedly it detects moisture using the windshield rain sensor and/or a driver turning on the wipers, and then allows the brake pads to gently touch the rotors in order to keep the pad surfaces dry. This is not supposed to increase brake wear either, or at least not noticeably.
