CONFIRMED FOR 2011:
1-SERIES: 135i models get a new single-turbo 3-liter engine in place of last year's twin-turbo. The new engine has the same 300 hp/300 lb-ft output, but BMW says it is more responsive, fuel-efficient and cleaner than the outgoing engine. The 135i's optional automatic is now a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox; the 128i retains last year's conventional 6-speed automatic.
3-SERIES: Coupe and convertible models get minor styling updates. The 335i gets BMW's new single-turbo 3-liter six-cylinder engine; as with the 135i, power output is identical to last year's twin-turbo engine. Meanwhile, a refined version of the twin-turbo engine can be found in the new 335is, tuned for 320 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. The new 335is is offered with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed twin clutch automatic, and is available as either a coupe or a convertible. Think of it as the poor man's M3.
5-SERIES: (photo) The 5 is all new for 2011, and the controversial styling cues of the 2004-2010 5-series have been relegated to the dustbin. The 528i returns with the same 3-liter inline six, though it's now tuned for 240 horsepower instead of last year's 230. The 535i gets a single-turbocharged version of that engine; output is the same 300 hp as last year's twin-turbo 535i. Lastly, the top-of-the-line 550i now gets a twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8 good for an even 400 hp. 535ix and 550ix models feature BMW's X-Drive all-wheel-drive system. All 5s get a new 8-speed automatic transmission, and rear-drive versions of the 535i and 550i are available with a 6-speed stick.
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6-SERIES: No changes. A new 6-series is due for 2012.
7-SERIES: The new entry-level 740i and 740Li (photo) are powered by a 300 hp twin-turbo inline six, the first six-cylinder 7-series in almost a decade. Pricing starts just over $71,000. For $103,000, you can have a new ActiveHybrid 7, which joins the twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8 and 8-speed automatic transmission to an electric motor, for a total output of 455 hp and 515 lb-ft. The Alpina B7 is the new ultra-high-performance 7-series, with a 500 hp/516 lb-ft twin-turbo V8 that pushes the B7 to 60 MPH in 4.5 seconds.
M3: All M3s get an auto-stop system that shuts down the engine during brief stops (ie traffic lights) as well as M-Drive, which provides driver-selectable modes for engine power and steering. An optional Competition Package adds a lower suspension, wheels with increased offset (giving the car a wider track), and reprogrammed stability and damping control systems.
M5: Discontinued, but should return next year.
M6: Discontinued, should return for the 2012 or 2013 model year.
X1: The X1 is BMW's new entry-level crossover SUV. The X1 went on sale in Europe in fall of 2009, and is scheduled to come to the States in 2011. BMW has announced that the European version will offer three diesel engines and one gasoline-powered unit. They have not officially announced the US engine lineup, but rumors say that the US-spec X1 will get a 258 hp 3-liter inline six and all-wheel-drive.
X3: The new X3 is longer, wider and lighter than the current car -- in fact, BMW says the new 5 will be as large as the original X5 (which itself grew 10 inches longer when it was redesigned in 2007). The new X3 will be built in BMW's plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, alongside the X5 and X6. (The current X3 is built under contract by Magna-Steyr in Austria.)
X5: Styling changes to the updated 2011 X5 are pretty subtle, but there are major changes underhood. The X5 xDrive35i gets the single-turbo 3-liter inline six found in the 3- and 5-series, while the top-of-the-line X5 xDrive50i gets the 400 hp twin-turbo V8 found in the X6. All models get a new 8-speed automatic transmission. A new "Brake Energy Regeneration" system ensures that the battery is only charged while coasting or decelerating, saving fuel. (The battery is a deep-cycle unit that can handle heavier discharges.) New model offerings include the luxury-oriented X5 xDrive35i Premium and the driver-oriented X5 xDrive35i Sport Activity, which can be further enhanced with an M Sport package. The diesel powerplant in the X5 xDrive 35d is unchanged.
X6:Like the X5, the X6 35i gets the new single-turbo engine, while both 35i and 50i get a new 8-speed automatic transmission and Brake Energy Regeneration.
Z4: 2011 sees a new, sportier version of the retractable-hardtop roadster called the Z4 sDrive35is (photo). It gets a more powerful version of the Z4's twin-turbo inline six, tuned for 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, a twin-clutch automatic transmission, and a racy "M-style" body kit.
BEYOND 2011:
2012 1-SERIES M COUPE: The new souped-up 1-series is powered by a 340 horsepower twin-turbo version of BMW's venerable 3-liter inline six, and has a wider track than the standard 1-series.
2012 6-SERIES: A new 6-series is on the way for 2012. Coupe and convertible versions are on the roster, and the convertible will retain the flying-buttress roof design.
SMALL FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE CAR: BMWs traditionally use either rear- or all-wheel-drive, but the company has confirmed that it plans to add small front-wheel-drive cars to its lineup. No word on whether those cars will come to the US, but with rising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, it's likely.
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