• 1 Series: 195 kW 130i with M Sport Package for $62,000
• 6 Series: M6 pricing announced at $270,000
• 5 Series: New turbo-diesel 530d Sedan
• X3: 3.0d turbo-diesel joins the 2.5i and 3.0i

There will be no quiet run up to Christmas at BMW dealers across Australia.

A deluge of new BMW models is set to rain down on the 40-strong national dealer network as high-performance models race in and out of the showroom.

The new 130i is the first of the 1 Series models to be available with a six-cylinder engine.

Boasting 195 kW of power and 315 Nm of torque, the sprightly 130i accelerates to 100 km/h from rest in 6.1 seconds.

The 1-series is the smallest BMW available. The price is $62,000 (RRP).

In Australia, the 130i will come dressed to thrill wearing the new, highly desirable M Sport Package. This comprises M Sport Suspension, M Double Spoke light alloy wheels, Sport Seats, and M leather steering wheel.

Building on the 120i’s rear-wheel drive, the new 130i will be richly equipped with Xenon headlights, leather upholstery, electric seats with lumbar support, auto dipping interior mirror, CD changer, Bluetooth phone preparation and rear Park Distance Control.

Initially the 130i will be available with a six-speed manual transmission, though a six-speed automatic with three-mode Steptronic comes mid-way through 2006.

BMW 1 Series buyers opting for four-cylinder engine variants will be able to specify the M Sport Package as a factory option.

Just weeks after revising the petrol powered six-cylinder 5 Series line-up, BMW Group Australia announces its first ever turbo-diesel powered Sedan, the 530d.

Following in the all-wheel drive tracks of the hugely popular X5 3.0d, the 530d benefits from an even more powerful version of the straight-six engine.

This offers 160 kW of power and a mountainous 480 Nm of torque. The 530d is quick off the mark with 0-100 km/h taking 7.2 seconds, while fuel consumption is a miserly 7.5-litres per 100 km/h on the combined EU cycle. The 530d is priced at $113,500 (RRP).

Another BMW turbo-diesel will be welcomed in Australia. The X3 3.0d will also deliver 160 kW and 480 Nm of torque and will be available in automatic transmission guise only. The turbo-diesel engine will sprint the X3 from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, while fuel consumption is a restrained 8.6-litres per 100 km on the combined EU cycle.

But for the most discerning of BMW customers, the wait till Christmas will be the most agonizing, because only then does the V10-powered 507 bhp (373 kW) M6 Coupé arrive.

A tiny allocation of cars has been assigned to Australia in 2005, with an all-too small batch to follow in 2006.

The M6 will be one of the rarest BMW models ever offered in Australia, and eager customers have already accounted for much of the production for 2006.

Priced at $270,000 (RRP), the M6 offers all the supercars thrills of the M5 coupled with the distinctive two-door, four-seater shape of the 6 Series Coupé. The M6 features even more innovation than the already class leading 6 Series Coupé thanks to a weight-saving, centre of gravity lowering carbon fibre roof panel as well as lightweight carbon fibre bumpers and high-strength composite and aluminium panels.

The stringent weight reduction regimen and the muscular V10 engine conspire to deliver the best power to weight ratio that a BMW M car has ever offered. Add to that a feature list laden with every conceivable BMW system and you have a car that will be impossible to beat on any score, be it performance, technological innovation, exclusivity or price.

2005 BMW M6 (overseas model shown)