F30 3 Series: Car and Driver 10 Best List

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Beating out rivals from Audi, Mercedes and Cadillac BMW shows that the F30 has what it takes to be the new 3 series. The sixth-generation BMW 3 Series has been named to the Car and Driver 10Best Cars list for 2013, marking the 22nd consecutive 10Best win for the BMW 3 Series. It is the only car to achieve such an unbroken string of wins.

“To receive this honor for 22 years straight shows how consistently the BMW 3 Series has delivered on the promise of The Ultimate Driving Machine®,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW of North America, LLC. “The 3 Series has been named to Car and Driver 10Best Cars through three complete generations and has now continued its streak into a fourth generation. We are committed to producing cars worthy of this sort of recognition.”

The BMW 3 Series, originally introduced to the United States market in 1977, is now in its sixth generation. For the 2013 model year, the 3 Series name covers a wide array of models all sharing the common theme of traditional BMW values: compact dimensions, near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution, excellent outward visibility, precise ergonomics, smooth yet responsive engines, and a direct connection to the road.

Available as a Coupe, Convertible, and Sport Wagon, as well as two- and all-wheel drive variants, the 3 Series can be configured for a range of active lifestyles. At the top of the 3 Series are the fire-breathing M3 Coupe and Convertible. The M3 is powered by a 4.0-liter, 414 horsepower V8 engine and represents decades of race-bred development by BMW M GmbH.

In 2012, the sixth generation of BMW 3 Series Sedan arrived with the launch of the all-new BMW 328i and 335i Sedans. The 328i features BMW’s new TwinPower Turbo 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. Both Sedans feature an 8-speed automatic transmission and Auto Start/Stop technology designed to increase fuel efficiency.

As a pure expression of The Ultimate Driving Machine, most current 3 Series models are available with a six-speed manual gearbox. Also standard is BMW Ultimate Service, including no-cost maintenance for four years or 50,000 miles.

Car and Driver on the BMW 3 series - The same old song and dance, differently

Regular readers of this publication may have felt inklings or heard the notion that we have a certain fondness for the 3-series, as we've lofted it to this list now for 22 years in a row. This being a transition year for the model, the F30 sedan stands alone as the winner, without support from the rest of the lineup. Recent comparison and road tests suggest that we haven't gone ga-ga for the F30 as we did its predecessors, but it nevertheless delivers one of the best overall packages on the market. Two turbocharged engines offer improved fuel economy while the inline-six in the 335i maintains nearly undetectable NVH levels. The body and interior may have grown slightly, but that imposes little or no weight penalty. Front seats are comfortable and supportive, and the back seat is adult friendly. There's virtually no performance gap between the six-speed manual and the eight-speed automatic. With five equipment lines to choose from (base, Modern, Luxury, Sport, and M Sport), the 3's appeal has expanded to reach a larger audience without breaking its grip on the sports-sedan segment. Many would-be challengers have benchmarked this winning formula, and some even match or beat it in one way or another, but they all fall short of the gestalt. The F30 is just getting started, too—a hotly anticipated M3 version slides into view next year.

Sell all 2013 Car and Driver 10 Best and let us know what you think of the results.

[mtgswede]

Does anyone still read this magazine? I gave up my subscription years ago. You can get all the info online from better sources these days