Boomer Beamer

By Alastair Sloane

THIS is the first photograph of BMW's new executive load-carrier, the 3-Series Touring, which will arrive in New Zealand this year.

Two models will go on sale - the four-

cylinder 318i and six-cylinder 328i - both producing identical power and torque figures to the sedans, which went on sale here last year.

The 318i uses a 1.9-litre engine which delivers 87kW at 5500 rpm and 180Nm of pulling power at 3900 rpm. BMW increased the engine size from 1796cc and extended the bore and stroke to aid torque. This is a much-improved powerplant, thanks also to twin balancer shafts which sit in a special housing beneath the crankshaft and boost smoothness and refinement.

The six-cylinder 328i uses a variable valve system called double-Vanos which, among smoother running benefits, boosts low-speed torque and offers improved fuel consumption.

The 2.8-litre engine develops 142kW of power at 5500 rpm and peak torque of 280Nm at 3500 rpm. BMW is still keeping the wraps on an expected four-wheel-drive variant of the 3-Series. Talk was that the carmaker would unveil two all-paw options, a 323i sedan and 328i Touring.

The Touring model was expected first, as a rival to Audi's 2.4-litre quattro Avante. But all BMW will say is that the four-wheel-drive option is still some way down the track.

The last time BMW used four-wheel-drive was in the ix 5-Series model. It was a viscous system which proportioned grip to the wheels when they needed it.

But BMW went away from all-wheel drive, preferring instead to develop traction control.

Now it is said it will offer traction control with four-wheel drive, something similar to the Volvo V70 system. Mercedes-Benz has maintained its excellent 4-Matic system on left-hand-drive E-Class models only.