Windswept look for new BMW Compact

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

This is the first official picture to be published in New Zealand of the new BMW three-door Compact, which will go on sale here late next year.

It is the fourth body style to be built off the present 3-Series platform.

However, BMW says that unlike previous Compacts, it has given the new car an identity more of its own.

It will sit on a reworked chassis and use a dedicated rear suspension system. It will also be the first to use BMW's new four-cylinder 1.8- and six-cylinder 2.5-litre low-emission engines.

The rear-drive Compact is 280mm shorter than the 3-Series sedan and will go head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe.

Its 3-Series origins are obvious but the short front and rear overhangs and overlapped bonnet, that emphasises the headlights, give the car more of a windswept look.

BMW marketing manager Mark McCutcheon says the Compact enters a fiercely competitive market for stylish, sports-oriented cars. "Most European manufacturers offer something in this size with a sports or fashion theme.

"The Compact has unique features that will help it to carve out its position in the market."