BMW 2012

It'll be a busy year for the German luxury brand, with a range of model facelifts, updates and new models due in 2012.

First to arrive will be the company's biggest seller, the new 3-Series sedan, which arrives in February, featuring a new look and a stretched body for extra space.
The new luxury sedan also brings with it a change in thinking for BMW with the higher performance variants, with the 328i (replacing the 325i) ditching its six-cylinder engine in favour of a more efficient four-cylinder turbo. The new engine produces 180kW and 350Nm and uses a claimed 6.3L/100km.
The entry-level 320d has increased in price to $60,900 and now gets fake leather in lieu of the stuff that comes from cows, although BMW says there are many more features than make it better value, including an eight-speed automatic and Bluetooth with audio streaming. The turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel is also a miserly machine, using a class-leading 4.5L/100km but still delivering a healthy 135kW/380Nm.
BMW isn't saying goodbye to six-cylinders just yet, though; the 335i will continue with a turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder as the flagship (at least until the arrival of the all new M3), delivering 225kW/400Nm.

Arriving alongside the 3-Series sedan in February is the manic new M5 sedan. The high-performance saloon packs a new 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 412kW/680Nm and is available only with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. The big sedan covers the 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.4 seconds, and is expected to be priced at about $240,000.

Mid-year, BMW will introduce its first hybrid to its lineup in the shape of the 5-Series ActiveHybrid. The sedan is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder combined with an electric motor to deliver a combined power output of 250kW/450Nm. It's fitted with an eight-speed auto standard, and has a claimed consumption of 6.4L/100km. The 5-Series ActiveHybrid may not be one for golfers, though, with the boot-mounted battery bank cutting the cargo capacity from 520 litres to 375 litres.

BMW will join the four-door "coupe" segment in 2012 with the new 6-Series Gran Coupe. It will compete against the likes of similarly swoopy German rivals such as Mercedes-Benz's CLS and Audi's A7, when it arrives in the third quarter of 2012, sitting alongside BMW's two-door 6-Series coupe and convertible models with an expected starting price of at least $175,000.
The 6-Series Gran Coupe will be available in three trim levels: the 640i, which is powered by a six-cylinder turbo engine producing 235kW/450Nm; the 650i, with a 330kW/650Nm twin-turbo V8; and the 640d, which gets a six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel producing 230kW/630Nm, however it is not yet confirmed for Australia.

The 6-Series two-door coupe and convertible will receive a halo "M" model, the M6, late in 2012. It's expected to be powered by a 4.4-litre twin turbocharged V8 pumping out 412kW/680Nm.

Other changes to the BMW range in 2012 include facelifts for the slopey-roofed X6 SUV due on sale in the third quarter, while the awkward looking X1 will also receive a facial update late in the year.
BMW's alternative-powered i-Series range will be previewed throughout the year, however there will be no product movement in Australia in 2012.