The BMW E90 succeeds the E46 in the popular 3 Series category. It is the fifth generation, released in mid-2004. 5 cm longer and 8 cm wider, the E90 boasts a 460-litre boot. Initially launched as a four-door saloon called the E90, the range was later extended to include the usual body variants, which were given different names. Mid-2004 saw the launch of the E91 estate, which took on the Touring name, followed by the handsome E92 coupé in mid-2005, and a final E93 coupé-cabriolet variant with a retractable hardtop, which was added to the range in early 2007. Finally, it was the turn of the sporty M3 to make its appearance at the end of the same year. In addition to the Motorsport versions of the coupé and cabriolet, there was also the return of an M3 saloon version, which had been absent from the E46 range - enough to put a smile back on the faces of sporty fathers. Diesel engines range from the sober 4-cylinder 2.0 116bhp of the 316d to the big 6-cylinder 3.0 twin-turbo 24-valve of the 335d, producing 286bhp to accelerate from 0 to 100kph in 6.2 seconds.
The range of petrol engines extends from the lively 122bhp 4-cylinder 1.6 to the powerful 420bhp 4.0 V8 powering the sporty M3, which takes just 4.6 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100kph. To transfer the power to the ground, all-wheel drive is available as an alternative to conventional rear-wheel drive on certain engines, with the xDrive system derived from the small 4x4 X3, distinguished by an x in the model name. BMW, always at the cutting edge, has been bringing Efficient Dynamics innovations to the 3 Series since 2007, with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. This package of intelligent technologies includes the conversion of braking energy into electricity to recharge the battery, the function of automatically stopping and restarting the engine in neutral, a gearshift indicator on the dashboard, electric steering that consumes less energy than hydraulic steering, and optimised aerodynamics via controlled air flaps on the radiator grille that open according to the engine's cooling needs. Thanks to these innovative measures, the excellent BMW 3 Series E90 already complies with Euro 6 standards in 2008, well before Euro 5 comes into force!
