Since that time the 3 has become the core of BMW's lineup with more than 10 million units sold worldwide (including the 2002), making it the company's most successful product.
In calendar 2002 BMW began redesigning its entire vehicle line, starting with the 7-Series that year and moving on to the 5-Series and 6-Series in 2004. For the 2006 model year, an all-new 3-Series rejoins the family with a new look, more powerful engines, more room and a host of improvements and added features.
Larger 3-Series:
The 2006 3-Series has grown in almost every dimension. The wheelbase increases by 1.4 inches, the overall length stretches 2.2 inches, and the car has widened 3 inches. This growth results in a slightly roomier cabin and an additional 1.3 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk.
Front seats are supportive, with side bolsters that fit snugly but not uncomfortably. Up front occupants find plenty of legroom; however, the center console does not have a lot of storage space. Cupholders are positioned in the dash, sliding out near the front passenger. The right-side cupholder has very sharp corners, which were discovered the hard way—without going into details, let's just say one journalist we know has a painful memory of a jammed knee.
Unfortunately the increased size did not add any legroom in the rear seat where it was needed. Thus it remains a bit cramped back there, especially if you have more than two rear passengers or have plans for a long drive. The bump up in trunk space mentioned earlier is largely due to new, standard run-flat tires, so the spare tire and jack have gone away.
Although the 3-Series has grown in size, its weight has remained almost the same as its predecessor. With an automatic transmission, the 325i bulks up by just 44 pounds, while the 330i gains 88 pounds. Weight distribution front to back is almost exactly 50/50.
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