By employing two lower arms, the system provides several fundamental advantages:

- Small positive steering offset, for best steering feel and control under all road conditions. Though the two arms don't actually intersect, if you extended their axes to a point where they do intersect, you will find a "virtual pivot point" that is ideal for achieving this result. Steering offset is the "lever arm" through which road forces act on the suspension system.

- Large steering caster, for outstanding stability in straight-line driving and excellent steering return action coming out of corners.

- Space for large brakes, by virtue of the arrangement of the two lower arms.


The new 5-link rear suspension, introduced in the new 3 Series Sedans and Sports Wagons, is now included on the new 3 Series Coupes. In its concept, it could be described as a double-A-arm system with an additional lateral track rod; the upper and lower A-arms actually consist of two links each, their vertical positions differing. This is similar to the front suspension's dual arms. Advantages are extensive:

- As with the front suspension, there is a virtual pivot point for each pair of links, giving the engineers similar freedom in optimizing the system's geometry for best handling. As at the front, the axis connecting these virtual points is configured to ensure that driving, braking and road forces all act effectively on short leverage. The result is very precise handling, especially impervious to road disturbances.

- Under cornering forces, the system controls the rear suspension geometry in such a way as to achieve great agility while also ensuring predictable, stable handling.

- Contributing to this outstanding geometry is the wide and rigid basis on which the rear tires are "planted" on the road. The lateral links are extremely rigid also, as is the subframe.

- For the first time, all the suspension's links connect to the subframe; no longer does any link pivot directly from the body structure. This further reduces any effects of road irregularities on passenger comfort, and improves handling precision as well. 

- Here too, the large and elaborate subframe contributes to energy management in the event of a crash - including the more severe rear-end impact that the 3 Series has been designed to withstand.

Reinforcement and support elements on the underfloor of the car optimize the stiffness of the chassis which enables the suspension to work with the highest possible degree of precision. Interacting with the low center of gravity and the specific set-up of the shock absorbers, the chassis and suspension work in perfect balance.

Following a tradition established with the previous Coupe generation, a sporty calibration of springs, shock absorbers, anti-roll bars and bushings is standard on the RWD 328i and 335i models. This calibration includes a 12-mm (0.5-in.) lowering of ride height; stated otherwise, the 328xi rides 0.5 in. higher.

BMW's rack-and-pinion steering has been widely praised for its precision and feedback and the steering in the new 3 Series Coupe is no exception. For the ultimate balance between agility at lower speeds and stability at higher speeds, BMW's innovative Active Steering is available as an option. By adjusting the steering ratio, steering angle, and power assistance (via Servotronic power assist) to the speed of the car, Active Steering enables the driver to maneuver the 3 Series Coupe with minimum effort when parking and keep the car precisely on track at higher speeds.

Active Steering can also work with Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) to help keep the car stable and under control when applying the brakes on surfaces varying in their frictional coefficient. In such conditions, Active Steering can correct steering quickly and precisely for optimum control.

previous page | go to page 9