Over the past 40 years, society, economy, and technological culture have developed rapidly. The BMW 3 series, which was born in 1975, is updated every seven years. Times label. The seventh-generation BMW 3 Series is about to hit the market, echoing and leading the development of the current era.
The 1960s: The BMW 02 series echoes people’s yearning for younger products
In the early 1960s, the scars of World War II gradually healed, the Western economy began to recover, and social thoughts were extremely active. The British Beatles was formed in 1962, and then became popular all over the world. But the cars on the market at that time were either old and heavy, or simple and cheap, which could not satisfy people’s desires. In 1962, BMW’s “new class” four-door sedan 1500 was born. In 1966, the two-door 1600-2 came out. Later, the more powerful 2002 model was launched. The 02 series with compact appearance and strong power clearly appealed to sports positioning, echoing the 60 The independent spirit of the 1990s quickly achieved great success and played the prelude to the birth of the 3 series.
1975-1983: The first-generation 3 Series led BMW into a wider world
In the 1970s, Boeing aircraft had already flown across the ocean, and people’s mobility and spiritual life had expanded unprecedentedly, while pine shoes and mini skirts were being favored by young people. At the same time, the first oil crisis posed severe challenges to the auto industry. In 1975, the successor to the “02” series was named the 3 Series. BMW responded to the challenge with innovation and insisted on the sports positioning of the 3 series. For example, it introduced the extremely innovative fuel injection technology at that time through the BMW320i, and introduced the 6-cylinder engine into this level two years later, creating a car that was rated as the best by customers. A product that “does not require any modification”. From the first generation, the 3 Series pioneered the interior design concept of the center console in favor of the driver, leading the trend of car culture. The first-generation 3 Series sold a total of 1.36 million units, marking BMW’s move from the niche market to a wider world.
1982-1994: The second-generation 3 Series models were extremely rich, and technological innovation fueled the progress of the 1980s
In the 1980s, home telephones and microwave ovens were popularized in the West. Michael Jackson released the most successful album in history. Material affluence brought diverse needs. And China has entered a new course of reform and opening up. The Chinese women’s volleyball team has won five consecutive championships. It was a time when everyone was striving and colorful. People wanted products that were more distinctive and could express themselves. The second-generation 3 Series, which came out in 1982, continued to expand its product line, and new models such as four-door sedan, convertible sports car, station wagon and high-performance M3 were born one after another. Technological innovation has made breakthroughs all the way. The 6-cylinder engine of the BMW323i adopted electronically controlled fuel injection, and the BMW325e later became the first 3-series model to use a three-way catalytic converter. In 1985, the full-time four-wheel drive 325iX came out, and in the same year, the BMW M3 was born, and the 3 Series born for sports began to conquer all the tracks in the world. When the second-generation 3 Series launched the last BMW325i, ABS anti-lock braking system was a rare standard equipment at that time.
1990-2000: The third-generation 3 Series made bold breakthroughs in design and safety, paying homage to the passionate 90s
In the 1990s, people suddenly discovered that they could access the Internet through routers, and the stars on the stage of music and art were shining brightly, while jeans and bodybuilding pants became new symbols of youth. It was an era full of passion, and people were looking forward to cars belonging to the 1990s, and BMW entered the Chinese market in 1994. The third-generation 3 Series, which was born in 1990, has almost subversive changes in appearance, and it is still very modern even from today’s perspective. Technically, the new-generation 6-cylinder engine introduces an aluminum cylinder block, and the VANOS variable timing system makes power output smooth and fuel consumption lower. The comprehensive cycle fuel consumption of BMW328i is only 8.5 liters, while the maximum torque reaches 280 Nm, creating a new record for a naturally aspirated engine. Passive safety was greatly enhanced in this model generation and was the first model in Germany to be equipped with integrated door reinforcements, while the passenger compartment was equipped with a special side impact protection system and many other safety protection systems.
1997-2006: The fourth-generation 3 Series went global and was regarded as a classic of the times
In this era, e-mail and text messages have become common communication tools. People write blogs and watch online videos. The popularity of the Internet has flattened the world. China has successfully applied for the Olympic Games and joined the WTO, and Liu Xiang has already won the Olympic gold medal in 2004. The fourth-generation 3 Series, which came out in 1998, became a veritable “world car” with sales of 3 million units creating a new history. The number of innovations in this generation of 3 series is dazzling, the most prominent new engine technology is the Double-VANOS dual camshaft variable valve timing system and BMW’s patented VALVETRONIC electronic valve control technology. Innovative chassis technologies such as electronic ABS and ASC+T control systems, and DSCIII dynamic stability control systems are exemplary. Head airbags, integrated child seats, tire pressure warning system, xenon headlights, TV and enhanced on-board computer are also introduced in this grade. Unlike many people’s memories, this generation of 3 Series is not only not “traditional”, but also an extremely innovative generation of products.
2005-2013: The sportiness of the fifth-generation 3 Series has been improved day by day, and it is the first to carry a multimedia system to advance into the information age
After the millennium, the development of information technology is changing with each passing day. People use search engines to surf the Internet, and microblogs and online communities have become new media. This is an era of converging power, and the cars people want should keep pace with the times. In 2003, the first domestic BMW was the 3 Series. In 2005, when the fifth-generation 3 series was made in China, the new model brought a brand-new design. The vehicle outline was a fusion of coupe and sedan. BMW’s naturally aspirated engine had reached its peak, and BMW TwinPower twin-scroll turbo Technology has overcome the problem of lag in response at low revs. In the information age, the 3 Series has introduced the pioneering multimedia control system BMW iDrive since 2005, providing a central display screen for the first time, which has taken a big step towards the era of intelligent interconnection.
2011-2019: The sixth-generation 3 Series has both sports and luxury, leading the industry towards connected driving
This is the era of the mobile Internet, and it is also a new era in which China leads the development of the global auto market. In 2012, when the sixth-generation 3 Series was domestically produced, it developed a long-wheelbase model for the Chinese market unprecedentedly, and made the standard wheelbase domestically produced at the same time, and also provided three personalized style design packages to meet the individual preferences of consumers. This generation of 3 Series firmly defends the position of the sports king. The new-generation engine, which combines twin-scroll single turbocharging, high-precision direct injection and Valvetronic variable electronic valves, completely replaces the naturally aspirated engine. And most notably the evolution, the 3 Series takes a leap forward in space and luxurious comfort, defining sporty luxury. At the same time, the 3 Series has become the first car in its class to provide Internet access. The innovative BMW Connected Driving System has continuously enriched functions. The natural voice recognition system is a unique standard configuration in its class. The wireless connection to Apple CarPlayTM is popular among young people. also become standard. Starting from this generation, the sports car in the 3-series series is independently 4-series, and the replacement time of the 3-series no longer overlaps too much.
2019: The 7th-generation 3-series returns as the king, and intelligence and interconnection once again stand at the forefront of the industry
Today, there are 700 million mobile Internet users in China, and mobile payments have become commonplace. Cars are becoming new mobile terminals and integrating into the digital ecosystem. The seventh-generation BMW 3 Series certainly lives up to expectations and will redefine sports luxury in the new era. With a new design, comprehensive optimization of power system and chassis technology, the all-new BMW 3 Series will push the sports essence inherited from seven generations to a new height, and it is more luxurious than ever. What is even more eye-catching is that the new car will bring the seventh-generation BMWiDrive operating system and match it with the “BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant”, allowing people to interact with the vehicle in five ways including touch screen, natural voice and gesture control. The new car also provides automatic driving functions such as “hands-free” within 60 km/h and 50-meter tracking and reversing under specific road conditions, allowing the 3 Series to lead the way in the automotive industry’s journey towards the “new four modernizations”.
The BMW 3 series has been the fashion icon of the times for more than 40 years, and now it will set a new style of sports luxury in the tide of change.
