BMW is launching a refreshed version of its mainstream 3-Series sedan this fall with tweaked front and rear styling. On the mechanical side, we already know about the coming 3.0L dual turbo diesel for the U.S. market. One other change that's coming is the addition of a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The sports automatic transmissions, as BMW calls them, debuted on the M3 earlier this year and now join the 335i Coupe and Convertible models. The automated shifting of the DCT provides a slight 0.1 second improvement in 0-62 mph acceleration while also providing a five percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to the previous 6-speed automatic. The convertible now has a combined rating of 25.8 mpg (U.S.) while the coupe is up to 26.7 mpg (U.S.). Now, if they would just offer up the DCT with the new diesel, we'd have a killer combination.

[Source: BMW]

This type of trickle-down technology makes perfect sense in the real world driving conditions that most of us encounter each and every day of our lives. Hybrids have been using regenerative braking for quite some time now as a fuel saving measure. In those applications, the electric motor or motors that help provide motive functions for the vehicle work as generators when braking force, or "drag" is applied to them, which charges the batteries. In vehicles like the new BMW 3 Series which does not use any electric motors, the alternator, which has long been used in vehicles to keep the battery charged, is selectively engaged or disengaged, and acts as both a "brake" and as a method of charging the batteries and saving gas. As a bonus, when the alternator is disengaged from the engine, the normal "drag" on the engine is eliminated, allowing for more power from the engine going to the wheels. Hooray for trickle-down hybrid technology!

Related:

• Trickle-down tech: Non-hybrid BMW 5 Series to feature regenerative braking

[Source: Motor Authority]