By Kirk Seaman
Next up to join the current-generation 3-series lineup is the Sports Wagon, and today BMW announced the starting price: $42,345 for a 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagon. Yes, you read correctly: xDrive. This year, the Sports Wagon will be fitted with xDrive—BMW speak for all-wheel drive—as standard. Rear-drive doesn’t exist as far as the American market is concerned.
The 328i xDrive Sports Wagon is powered by BMW’s quickly proliferating 240-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Engine stop-start functionality—we’ve found it to be quite uncouth in our long-term 328i sedan— is also mandatory. Other standard features include eight-way power front seats, leatherette seating surfaces, Bluetooth connectivity, and iDrive infortainment. Cruise control and BMW’s chassis-adjusting Driving Dynamics Control also come along for the ride, the latter offering Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus settings. The 328i Sports Wagon rides on 17-inch aluminum wheels shod with run-flat tires.
As with the 3-series sedan, the Sports Wagon will offer BMW’s Design Line packages, each one tailored with specific interior and exterior design cues and features. They add anywhere from $2300 to $3950 to the bottom line.
• Luxury Line, $2300: On the exterior, the Luxury Line adds chrome kidney grille bars and a matching exhaust tip, as well as chromed side window trim and roof rails. Eighteen-inch multi-spoke aluminum wheels with all-season tires are part of the package, while the interior gets anthracite wood trim, leather seating, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Keyless entry, adjustable lumbar support, and satellite radio, which comprise of the Premium package, are also included.
• Modern Line, $2300: Similar to the Luxury Line, except the exterior features matte chrome for the grille bars and exhaust tips. The window trim and roof rails are painted in black. Eighteen-inch wheels with a turbine spoke pattern are standard. On the interior, the leather upholstery choices include black/oyster or oyster/dark oyster. The Premium package features are included as well.
• Sport Line, $2600: This one gets blacked-out kidney grilles and high-gloss black-painted roof rails, window trim, and sideview-mirror caps. The rollers are double-spoke eighteen-inchers. The interior trim can be spec’d in gloss black, pearl-gloss chrome, or garish matte coral-red. A leather-wrapped sports steering wheel and leather sports seats are tossed in, with a choice of black-on-black, black-on-red, red-on-black, or gray-on-black surfaces. The Premium package can be had as a $2200 option.
• M Sport Line, $3950: The enthusiast’s choice, the M Sport Line’s exterior features special “Shadowline” exterior trim and an M Sport body kit. Wheels are 18-inch star spokes with all-season tires. On the interior, trim choices are either aluminum or dark burr walnut. Accent color choices include Estoril blue, high-gloss black, or pearl-gloss chrome. Leather sports seats and an M steering wheel top it off. Premium pack is also a $2200 add-on here.
