BMW has announced that the 2019 3 Series saloon has reached the final stage of testing where it will be put through its paces before production begins.
The German brand has been driving the pre-production version of the car in different conditions to see how it copes, with the US the latest stop on its journey to the showroom.
The 3 Series is currently in Death Valley, Nevada, where it will be subjected to temperatures upwards of 50 degrees Celsius, and as well as putting the air conditioning to the test, it is a great place to see how all of the other features on the car work in extreme conditions.
BMW has also pushed the electrical systems to their limit by driving the car over the Hoover Dam, which emits a high level of electromagnetic waves that can severely disrupt a vehicle’s electronics.
These tests in the US followed the 3 Series being driven in the extreme cold of Arjeplog, Sweden, where many manufacturers go to perform cold weather experiments on their vehicles. It was a great place for BMW to see how the xDrive four-wheel drive system worked as well as the stability control.
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Testing of the 3 Series also includes going in wind tunnels to improve aerodynamics, crash tests to see how the car’s structure copes on impact with an object and computer modelling to see how the model will drive on the road in virtual situations.
To ensure the car feels good on the road in the real world, BMW has put the 3 Series to task at the Miramas test centre in southern France – which includes a 30-mile motorway test route – and the Nürburgring race circuit in Germany, ensuring that the car performs at its best.
Although an official release date hasn’t been announced, it is expected that the 2019 3 Series will be unveiled before the end of 2018 and available to buy early on next year.
