BMW 318i News

BMW Australia has lifted the lid on its refreshed 3 Series ahead of its November arrival.

Petrol-electric power is coming to BMW's luxury SUV.

A plug-in hybrid is also coming next year. But the big switch, and a car to challenge the Mercedes-Benz C-Class that is romping ahead with prestige buyers in Australia, is still in the future.A new 7 Series flagship is coming towards the end of this year. Australian designer Calvin Luk has done design updates for the 1 Series and X3, but the 3 Series is only a mild evolution despite the hype at company headquarters in Munich."We are enriching the 3 Series with new cutting-edge engine technology. We can offer a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 13 per cent," says BMW Group global marketing chief Ian Robertson.He says the focus is on agility and dynamics as BMW defends the global market leadership it has held since the 3 Series's debut in 1975."We fully intend to maintain this position. The sedan segment is still strong despite what everyone is trying to intimate, and the Touring (wagon) works well in Europe."I think sedans have a long way to go. Our core is still rear-wheel drive and sedans."The 3 Series update will reach Australia late this year, after European sales begin in August, but there is no prediction yet on pricing or the final engine line-up after the mid-cycle change.The new engines are led by the four-cylinder petrol powerplant in the 330i that makes 135kW and best fuel figures from 5.3L/100km. The 240kW inline six in the 340i returns at best 6.6L/100km.All the 3 Series engines below the M3 — three, four and six-cylinder petrol and four-cylinder diesel — now come from the Efficient Dynamics engine family, boosted by turbos. The plug-in hybrid, the 330e, promises economy of just 2.1L/100km despite making 185kW.We've done subtle but effective changesOn the technology front, in addition to 4G there is an updated Professional satnav with the prospect of quicker route calculation and free map upgrades "automatically over the air in the owner's home region" for three years.Visually, the 3 Series has a sharper nose with more LED work and tail-lamps with a slightly different shape. In the cabin, there is more soft plastic and extra chrome trimming."We've done subtle but effective changes. It's about quality and precision," says BMW design chief Karim Habib.BMW talks big about the history of the 3 Series, with sales totalling more than 14 million cars.There was a historic line-up of all six generations outside its Munich headquarters for the update event.Robertson says the big party is coming next year, though he won't be drawn on the possibility of landmark concept cars or even a 3 Series with more improvements."We are going to do some celebratory 100-year cars next year," he says, alluding to BMW's centenary.Check out Malcolm Flynn's video review of the BMW 3 Series:

If you're looking for a new set of wheels, economists say buying a car now is the most affordable it's been since 1976.CommSec compared how many weeks of wages are needed to pay for a standard new Ford or Holden.An average income earner today has to toil for 25.4 weeks to purchase a Ford Falcon XT auto sedan.Four years ago, it took 32 weeks of work to pay for an equivalent model. A decade ago it took 37 weeks.A Holden Commodore Executive V6 auto costs 27.9 weeks in average wages, down from 31.8 weeks four years ago and 37 weeks a decade ago.CommSec's Savanth Sebastian said wages growth off the back of the mining boom had driven up affordability.While pay packets were easing, car manufacturer competition was expected to help contain future prices.CommSec's research found that a BMW 318i four-door auto was worth 41.4 weeks of work for an average earner now, compared with 55.2 weeks a decade ago.For those with plenty of cash, a Porsche Boxster will set you back 72.8 weeks' worth of average wages. That compares with 121.5 weeks in 2004.

That is exactly where Salvatore Coco began and he has his share of breakdown stories. He loves classic cars, which is appropriate for an actor who is stepping back in time for the third series of Underbelly. This time Coco is Hammer, an enforcer with plenty of muscle, in 'The Golden Mile'. He describes the role, which sees him as a mate of Kings Cross identity John Ibraham, as "an awesome experience"."I am a bit of a car buff. I’ve always liked cars since I was a young boy. The first car I bought was a red Volkswagen Beetle when I was 19. Hasn’t everyone had one of those? It gave me more problems than anything but I was young and enjoyed tinkering and fixing things. Now I drive a silver BMW E30 – it’s an old car, a 1989 model. I’ve had it for 10 years. They’ll be a collector’s item, it’s a classic car. That particular model is one of the best BMWs – I believe. It’s one of those cars that just loves the road. I drive a lot between Sydney and Canberra and it absolutely loves it.""I’m pretty strict when it comes to people getting in my car. I don’t like people mucking around because the leather seats are the original seats. No one plays around in the back seat – and I won’t be playing around back there either.""I’ve got a lot of ‘breakdown’ stories to tell of late. In the last two years I’ve broken down at least five times. Recently, coming back from Canberra, I had forgotten to change the timing belt on the motor and I blew the head. So that cost me a lot of money and a two-night stay in Goulburn. One thing goes wrong and the whole car shuts down. I’ve got a list as long as my arm about breakdowns.""When I first bought my Volkswagen, I was working as a pizza delivery driver for Dominos. I was running late for work and the car just stopped. So I opened up the back of the Volkswagen to have a look at the engine and there was one wire from the coil to the engine which had burnt out. I was standing there trying to figure out what I could replace it with and I got an idea. I pulled a wire from one of the speakers, attached it and it worked. I didn’t even have a pair of pliers, I had to do it with my teeth. So I left it on there and drove around with one speaker working.""I once bought a new motorbike and the guy assured me it was all ready to go. It was beautiful. My friends and I decided to go for a cruise to the Central Coast. I got five minutes from home and it just stopped in the tunnel that goes onto the Anzac Bridge in Sydney. No matter what I did I couldn’t get it going. So I ring the bloke I bought it from and I took it back to the workshop. The fuse right up under the chassis had blown which tripped the fan, the fan overheated and blew the engine. All because of one silly, faulty fuse. Lucky it was still under warranty.""Sydney to Canberra is a great drive but I also love the drive from Sydney to Batemans Bay and Sydney to Yamba. That’s a very good drive.""If I make a few million dollars the first thing I’ll buy is a Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III. If I end up in some huge Hollywood blockbuster – I’ll buy two of them. I love Classics. I really, really love Classics."