BMW USED CARS

33-MPG Diesel Sport Sedan Brings Best of All Worlds

LONDON It's not just a set of new bumpers and headlamp switches that have been bolted to BMW's 3 Series cash cow for next year. This November we'll get one of the meanest oil burners aroundone that's been selling in good numbers for a good few years in Europe, one that'll also see service in BMW's odd-looking coupe-come-SUV, the X6. And this improved fuel economy comes not a moment too soon. Andrew English

The Specs
BMW claims it has made 2500 changes to the 2009 3 Series, but you have to look hard to see the effects of this facelift. The panels are unchanged, although the hood has been reprofiled and there are lots of nibby detail changes to features like the headlamps, grille and air intakes. The exterior changes will also affect the shooting brake (wagon) model, but the coupe and cabriolet retain the old body style and only get the 2009 interior changes.

By the simple act of putting its biggest six-cylinder engine into its smallest car, BMW has built a spunky new hot rodthe 135i. The pint-sized Bimmer uses exactly the same inline 6-cylinder engine as the larger 3-Series-based 335i. Its a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged and intercooled smoothie that makes 306 hp and 295 lb./ft. of torque. Whats most impressive about this engine is that it makes the same amount of torque from 1300 up to 5000 rpm. Its very powerful, very flexible and very user-friendly. BMW says the little 135i will do the European 0-62-mph run in a scant 5.3 seconds, cover the standing-start kilometer or 5.8-miles in 24 seconds, and top out at an electronically limited 155 mph. The flip side of all that high performance is usually poor fuel economy. Not here: BMW estimates 30 mpg on the highway.

We drove the new 135i at the Gotland Ring racetrack on the island of Gotland in Sweden. And while a racetrack is the first place that shows off the shortcomings of any street car, the 135i was plenty of fun to drive. The chassis has a near 50/50 weight distribution. The steering, typical of BMW, was sharp and quick to react. The engine is instantly responsive and torque-laden. And the 6-speed manual transmission, made in-house by BMW, was a joy to use. At each corner are meaty 18-inch tires, 215/40 in front and 245/35 in the rear. On the road at reasonable speeds, the ride quality was excellenttaut but not too tight.

You really have to hand it to BMW. When it set out to build the 1 Series, it had a clean slate. In an age where each manufacturer has a Camry-fighter or its version of the CR-V, BMW made a rare stand and decided not to enter a market, but create one.

And it could have done it on the cheap -- after all, the opportunity to break new ground is not only rare, it's risky and expensive.

But it didn't pinch pennies -- this much is clear from the moment you sit inside the all-new entry-level BMW 1 Series, the 128i Coupe. Eight-way power-adjustable seats offer a customized fit with familiar BMW flair, down to my favorite seat feature, the adjustable thigh support. At your fingertips are a tilt and telescoping steering wheel and a center console that's canted toward you, the driver.

The BMW X1 will cross the pond in 2011.

Jaguar and Porsche will display new XJ, Panamera at Pebble Beach.

Jaguar's new XJ sedan makes a major departure from trademark style.

A prototype of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is shown. The big news is that an electric version is on tap.

Huge news at Mercedes-Benz: Engineers from its AMG performance-car offshoot are developing a plug-in electric version of the upcoming SLS supercar as part of a broad-based efficiency program to place the automaker at the leading edge of socially acceptable performance-car motoring.

Tentatively planned for production in 2015, the new zero-emission supercar draws heavily on the production version of the yet-to-be-fully-revealed SLS scheduled to get its first public outing at the Frankfurt Motor Show on Sept. 15.

Remarkably, given the scope of the project, the SLS eDrive is planned to be offered with the same lightweight aluminum body as the production version of the SLS, complete with its signature gullwing style doors.

The Honda CR-Z concept. A production version is to go on sale in Japan in February.

Honda is growing its hybrid lineup with the addition of the CR-Z coupe and a hybrid version of the Fit.

The Japanese automaker on Monday said that the sporty CR-Z, which has been shown as a concept, will go on sale in Japan next February.