Feature Article

Be the first to see the all-new BMW 3-Series in the metal

BMW 3-Series

The sixth-generation (F30) 3-Series is the most important new BMW model that Philippine distributor Asian Carmakers Corporation will be launching in 2012. This car was on our cover in March this year, having been driven by our associate features editor Sharleen Banzon in Catalunya, Spain. Since then, it has taken ACC quite a while to formally introduce the popular premium sedan to our market. In fact, the distributor had originally planned on displaying the car at the Manila International Auto Show in late March, but couldn't get hold of an actual unit.

The good news is that ACC has finally secured its units and is launching the all-new 3-Series on May 10 (Thursday), 6:30pm, at a specially constructed BMW Pavilion on 26th Street corner 11th Street inside Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The better news is this: We want three (3) of you (plus one companion each) to attend this special event. These three TopGear.com.ph readers (and their friends) will be among the first to "witness the story of the BMW 3-Series unfold," says ACC. "They will be transported back in time as they go through the journey of the Ultimate Sports Sedan."

How?

Simple. Just post on the comment box below any piece of trivia about the BMW 3-Series. It can be an amusing anecdote or some technical fact about any generation of the 3-Series (E21, E30, E36, E46, E90 or F30). We will pick the three best ones and their senders will get to attend the grand launch next week. We suggest you stay away from Wikipedia or Google, because we will pick the rarest facts among the answers. If BMW verifies your factoid to be correct, it qualifies for the contest.

Important: Please put your real name and e-mail address together with your answer. Answers without the sender's name and e-mail address will not be considered.

In case of two similar answers, the first entry to be posted automatically qualifies. We will close the contest by midnight of May 7 (Monday). Answers posted after this are disqualified. The winners will be announced here on May 8 (Tuesday). They will be individually notified by ACC for the big day.

We will not shoulder transportation or accommodations expenses. In this regard, we advise that only Metro Manila residents (or those living in nearby provinces) join this contest.

So, BMW fans, drive down memory lane and dig up rarely known facts about the 3-Series. We'll see you at the event.

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  • lord_cykb24 May 04 2012 @ 12:26pm
     
    me i wanna in flesh...
       
  • maranello_5775 May 04 2012 @ 12:50pm
     
    A:Only 29 units of E46 M3 were produced in its first year of Production, while over 40,000 units were produced from 1999 to 2006



    name: Rico Soriano
    e-mail: rico.soriano23@yahoo.com
       
    • maranello_5775 May 05 2012 @ 03:19pm
       
      A:Only 29 units of E46 M3 were produced in its first year of Production, while over 40,000 units were produced from 2001 to 2006



      name: Rico Soriano
      e-mail: rico.soriano23@yahoo.com
         
  • isaac3654 May 04 2012 @ 01:04pm
     
    The BMW 3 Series is the only car in the world to be in Car and Driver's Top 10 Best List for 21 Consecutive Years In A Row!

    Isaac Atienza
    isaac_3654@rocketmail.com
       
    • isaac3654 May 04 2012 @ 01:06pm
       
      Perhaps Consecutive Years In A Row seems redundant! =)) inulit ko lang =))
         
  • bryanjeffrrey May 04 2012 @ 04:15pm
     
    The BMW 335D (e90) Sedan sold in the US requires Urea treatment every 15,000 MILES to keep emissions low. If the owner does not get the Urea treatment, the car won't start.


    Name: Webson Manzana
    Email: webson.manzana@yahoo.com
       
  • crazyboy88 May 04 2012 @ 05:26pm
     
    BMW E-21 is an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke Entwicklung 21 (in English Bavarian Motor Works Development 21)

    Alwin Chiu
    alwinchiu88@gmail.com
       
  • TJPewter May 04 2012 @ 06:49pm
     
    In the facelifted generation of the E46 3-series BMW had a performance package called "ZHP." This is a BMW that blends some of the best from the BMW M3 and a few other goodies to create, what's claimed to be the most well rounded 3 series ever made, with the perfect balance of performance and handling.

    name: Theron Joshua T. Pagtakhan
    e-mail: therontjp@gmail.com
       
  • one.edchelle May 04 2012 @ 06:55pm
     
    the e90 has a garage parking sensor that opens you're garage doors when it detects the car

    name: Edchelle Du
    E-add: edchelle.astonmartin@yahoo.com
       
  • supersmashbryan May 04 2012 @ 09:24pm
     
    The F30 is the first BMW from the 3-series line that does not start with the E body code.

    Bryan Aldrich R. Chua
    bryan.aldrich.chua@gmail.com
       
  • angelo May 04 2012 @ 10:06pm
     
    The BMW E46 was the best selling 3-series in the Philippines. Another is, when the E90 was launched Philippines, it had very poor sales. And so,BMW Philippines released the 316i variant so that people can choose to buy a cheaper variant.

    Name: Angelo Perez
    E-mail: albp16@yahoo.com
       
  • jbedpan May 04 2012 @ 10:18pm
     
    I don't know if this is valid - but the support bar or structure bar inside the dash board of a 3 series will have rust in the welding joints (if your BMW has none, it is fake, lol). I was told this is normal for my E90. I know the materials are aluminum alloys but I check also other new 2011 3 series and even 2010 1 series and indeed i see rust. At first i plan to claim it as warranty-coverage but when i see other BMW with this then I am inclined to believe that indeed this is normal.
       
  • jbedpan May 04 2012 @ 10:24pm
     
    I don't know if this is valid - but the support bar or structure bar inside the dash board of a 3 series will have rust in the welding joints (if your BMW has none, it is fake, lol). I was told this is normal for my E90. I know the materials are aluminum alloys but I check also other new 2011 3 series and even 2010 1 series and indeed i see rust. At first i plan to claim it as warranty-coverage but when i see other BMW with this then I am inclined to believe that indeed this is normal.

    name - jonathan edpan
    email - jbedpan@yahoo.com

    (please kindly delete my first comment, i forgot to include my name & email)
    thanks to TP
       
  • GTR911R8 May 04 2012 @ 11:23pm
     
    A: The BMW 3-series has the base model, 310i; the top model is the 335i; and their M-Sport model is the M3..

    John Paul Quitalig
    jpquitalig@yahoo.com
       
  • maklo02 May 05 2012 @ 04:12am
     
    "Baur" was a company who helped BMW make the first 3 series convertible.

    Marco Rivera
    marcokit09@yahoo.com
       
  • ying May 05 2012 @ 06:50am
     
    Bakit ang logo ng bmw white and blue?
       
  • jj_flores May 05 2012 @ 01:24pm
     
    The cockpit design of the original BMW 3-series introduced a new safety feature that is a dashboard with rounded and padded edges. Yes friends, albeit a miniscule detail, this was a safety feature back then.

    Name: Jedd Flores
    Email: jedd.flores@gmail.com
       
  • Jal May 05 2012 @ 10:02pm
     
    The first 3-series (E21) was the first BMW car to sell over 1 million worldwide.

    Name: Jal Cutaran
    Email: jalcutaran@gmail.com
       
  • brentley May 06 2012 @ 07:18am
     
    BMW named most reliable brand, while its 3 series clinched No.1 spot as the most reliable model in FN50 survey
    Peter Chua
    pe_chua@yahoo.com.ph
       
  • anakayamkp62 May 07 2012 @ 04:29pm
     
    the F30 is the fourth model to be fitted with the start-stop function

    Nathaniel Legaspi
    email: buknoymobile@gmail.com
       
  • anakayamkp62 May 07 2012 @ 04:31pm
     


    the F30 is the fourth model to be fitted with the start-stop function

    name:Nathaniel Legaspi
    email: buknoymobile@gmail.com




    kindly delete the earlier post. typo error. thanks
       
  • revitup May 07 2012 @ 11:12pm
     
    A BMW E36 was used in the film Mission Impossible - Tom Cruise. The car was exploded by using a car bomb.

    Richard Lim
    chardy_168@yahoo.com
       
  • revitup May 07 2012 @ 11:14pm
     
    A BMW E36 was used in the film Mission Impossible (1996) - Tom Cruise. The car exploded by using a car bomb.

    Name: Richard Lim
    Email: chardy_168@yahoo.com
       
  • Aloha Milkyway May 08 2012 @ 02:01pm
     
    The E90 and E91 (Touring) 3 Series was NOT personally penned by Chris Bangle (although he did help out in its creation). It was, in fact, designed by a Japanese man named Joji Nagashima. Nagashima-san's other famous creation? The E39 5 Series.
       
  • Aloha Milkyway May 08 2012 @ 02:01pm
     
    The E90 and E91 (Touring) 3 Series was NOT personally penned by Chris Bangle (although he did help out in its creation). It was, in fact, designed by a Japanese man named Joji Nagashima. Nagashima-san's other famous creation? The E39 5 Series.

    Anton Andres
    anton.o.andres@gmail.com
       
  • Aloha Milkyway May 08 2012 @ 02:30pm
     
    Can I share another one?
    Not even 3 months in the market, the F30 is already the 5th best selling car in the UK. In its home country, it's already at 8th
    #oppositelock
       
  • Aloha Milkyway May 08 2012 @ 02:48pm
     
    Okay, one last
    BMW's M Division made 4 offbeat 3er's. The first was an E30 M3 pickup used within company premises. The second was an E36 M3 Compact. This was essentially a BMW 3 series compact with the S50B30 engine from the E36 M3. The other M3 Compact was fitted with the bigger S50B32 from the uprated E36 M3. The previous one put out 290 horses and the latter put out 320 horses. The last one off M3 was an E46 M3 Touring. The humble wagon came with the S54B32 putting out over 330 horses

    Anton Andres
    anton.o.andres@gmail.com
       
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