BMW M135i a certainty for Australia

But Aussies will only get the five-door model, with the three-door ruled out for local market
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September is shaping up to be a very busy month for BMW in Australia. Roughly two months after the company's July production schedule — and one month ahead of AIMS in Sydney — a full load of new and revised models will reach Australia, including the appealing M135i revealed earlier this year in Geneva. But there's a hitch. The body style chosen for Australia will be the five-door hatch, not the three-door.

Scott Croaker, Product Communications Manager for BMW Australia, told motoring.com.au yesterday that there's simply not enough market demand for a three-door car at the sort of price BMW is expected to ask for the M135i.

"It will be coming out in five-door hatch [form]... the three-door hatch... is not a car under consideration for the Australian market. It's not a car that enjoys a great deal of attention or sales."

Developing an engine output of 235kW/450Nm from its TwinPower straight six, the M135i comes with a six-speed manual transmission and can reach 100km/h from a standing start in 4.9 seconds, according to the manufacturer. An eight-speed automatic transmission is available as an option and this variant will return fuel consumption and CO2 figures of 7.5L/100km and 175g/km, respectively.

Other cars that are being introduced from July production are the xDrive (all-wheel drive) 1 Series variants and the entry-level 114i. Neither the base-grade 1 Series nor the xDrive models will make it here, Croaker says. In the case of the all-paw 1 Series variants, they're only built in left-hand drive, he explained. This is also true of 3 Series xDrive models that will be available overseas.

Among the other vehicles BMW will introduce from July production is the 320i EfficientDynamics Edition, which won't be coming here. According to Croaker it's a very lean-running version of the petrol model designed specifically for certain markets. The BMW exec was uncertain of which markets will take it, but the US would seem likely to be one, given the prompting from California for lower emissions vehicles.

"Because we don't have as stringent... emissions standards in Australia it's not really relevant for our market, so it's not a vehicle we need to look at bringing in," Croaker explained.

Another car categorically ruled out for Australia is the entry-level 316i. And surprisingly, so too is the F30 version of the 330d.

"At this stage, [it's] not in consideration for the Australian market," Croaker said of the 330d, which remains powered by an inline six. "We've previously had the 330d and we've got it in the current coupe/convertible, but we're not considering it for the new 3 Series..."

From July production, BMW will introduce to the 3 Series range an M Sport Package featuring M Aerodynamics Package with BMW Individual options. Examples of these options include branded door sills and footrest, high-gloss chrome exhaust tailpipes and a special instrument cluster. As additional options, buyers can specify the M Sports braking package and a choice of 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels. Croaker says that this will definitely be available to Australian consumers, but not those buying a 318d.

"First-build cars will be arriving September; that does exclude the 318d though..."

The 5 Series comes in for a minor update from July production also. A Bang & Olufsen 1200-Watt surround-sound audio system and a new multifunction instrument display will be available as options and contactless boot opening will be introduced as standard. The multifunction instrument display option relies on what BMW refers to as ' Enhanced Black Panel' technology to change with different drive modes.

"Essentially, what that means is it's going to be available as an option across the range of the 5 Series," explained Croaker, "but with the Drive Experience Control — when you change between Eco, Normal and Sport — the configuration of the instrument cluster will change to reflect the drive program that you've selected."

While the 550i Gran Turismo will be upgraded with a 30kW and 50Nm boost from July production, that model was dropped from BMW's Australian range late last year, according to Croaker.

"We found that obviously customers in that end of the segment were... going more for the 7 Series than the GT, so it... really wasn't relevant to our market."

However the 5 Series GT range will be expanded with the introduction of a new 520d variant. Powered by the TwinPower 2.0-litre diesel, the 520d will reach 100km/h in 8.9 seconds, thanks to the output of 135kW/380Nm. The car's respective fuel consumption and CO2 figures are 5.3L/100km and 139g/km.

In Europe the 530d Gran Turismo will migrate to a new, Euro 6-compliant engine from July, but we won't see it in Australia.

"The 530d with the Blue Performance technology, which gives it Euro 6 emissions compliance... won't be included in our 5 Series GT lineup. We'll still have the 530d, but not the 530d with the Blue technology."

Across the Aussie range the 5 Series GT will score electro-mechanical steering, auto-stop/start, Active Protection Safety Package and Driving Experience Control with ECO PRO. Another feature to be introduced from July, but as an option, is BMW Parking Assistant, which will park the 5 Series GT in any slot that exceeds the car's length by 1.2 metres, with the driver simply operating brake and accelerator.

Auto-stop/start is also introduced to the 6 Series range with effect from July. The large two-door models will also gain a new feature, 'no passing info', but Croaker says that will not be on the agenda for Australia. It's a new system that informs the driver when it's safe — and legal — to overtake, but it piggy-backs off the company's speed limit recognition technology, which has been discontinued in Australia due to our non-uniform standards across the country for speed limit signage.

Through BMW Individual the company will be offering the Z4 in contrasting roof colours from July. Buyers will be able to choose between silver or non-metallic black. And lastly, the X3 will offer buyers the options of a sports leather steering wheel with shift paddles or an M leather-clad steering wheel with shift paddles. BMW is also building the X3 with the 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine compliant with Euro 6, but that variant won't be coming to Australia.

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