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BMW 3 Series The Best Just Got Better |
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Bigger, Better More Frugal Machine Slaps Down Opposition But Watch Out, There’s A Lexus About Rating: ***** out of 5 Seville, Spain - Good things do get better. For us poor unfortunates living in Britain, where the neo-Labour, fascist, cretinariat has trashed just about everything which made the country good to live in, this might seem hard to believe. I half expect the wondrously beautiful southern slopes of the Sussex South Downs, which I admire from my office window during rare moments of hesitancy at my word processor, to suddenly turn brown and sprout cranes and factories, or to be completely covered with “affordable” homes, all designed by that arch-oaf John Prescott. But at least in the car world, good things are cherished and improved. The BMW 3-Series, which has led the sporty, executive saloon car market since its birth more than 30 years ago, has set standards of excellence for quality and driveability. And the new one is simply better than ever. The new car is bigger in every way than the previous model, not least to differentiate it from the new little 1-Series which was introduced last year. The car’s styling is less radical than the bigger and controversial looking 5 and 7-Series, although it will be instantly recognisable as a BMW. The new car retains the classic rear-wheel drive layout and 50:50 weight distribution. It is longer, taller, and wider than the previous model. The previous 3-Series was phenomenally successful – at around 500,000 a year it was BMW’s biggest selling model by far – but it wasn’t without faults. Face-Fryer In the previous car back seat passengers were cramped, while the boot was small. The steering was heavy at slow speeds, and the ride could be harsh if the surface wasn’t perfect. The interior ventilation system wasn’t the best; when you needed heavy-duty action to clear the windscreen you tended to fry your face. The automatic gearbox, at least in the 330 D for diesel that I own, was a bit jerky pulling away from a standstill. And because the automatic gearbox only had 5 gears, it was difficult to use the gears for braking at speeds from 70 mph to 60 mph. You slipped the gearbox from auto to manual at, say, 80 mph which engaged 4th gear. But the computer wouldn’t allow you to engage 3rd until the speed had dropped below 60, so the brakes needed to be used, rather than the gentle, progressive engine braking. Has the new model eliminated these “frailties”? Well, yes. More Space The extra space – it is 78 mm wider, 49 mm longer, and 6 mm higher – certainly makes the back seat accommodation roomier, although the boot doesn’t seem all that much bigger. I’d expected a bigger looking boot, given that not only was the car bigger overall, but that it uses run-flat tyres which should have freed-up depth as well as length and width. BMW says that boot space has increased by 20 litres to 460 litres. “40 per cent of the overall increase in dimensions contributes to extra leg room, 40 per cent to extra luggage space, and the remaining 20 per cent to improvements in the car’s safety performance,” said BMW. You can specify a 20 litre sliding draw as part of the luggage compartment so you can safely hide and store things like files and laptops, without having them loose in the boot. The rear seats split 60:40 and fold almost flat. |
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No Thump-And-Bump The new suspension setup performed brilliantly, soaking up the bumps over pitted roads much better than the old one, with none of its thump-and-bump harshness. At speed on motorways the ride felt as supple and mellow as ever, but sharp and taut as soon as bends tighten and road holding becomes an issue. The new car’s front axle sub-frame is made of aluminium, not to mention other important bits, and this cuts weight and contributes to its overall 50-50 balance. The rear suspension uses a five-arm setup similar to the 1-Series. The new power-steering set-up has eliminated the heaviness at slow speeds of the old one. The optional extra “Active-Steering” takes this to a new level, by “making wheel inputs more direct at slow speeds on twisting roads and when parking, but more indirect and stable at higher speeds on straighter roads when steering inputs can have more of a dramatic effect,” says BMW. Active Steering I drove an “Active-Steering” car on the test drive in Seville and I have to admit that it was difficult to tell the difference from regular steering setups. I tested an Active Steering car some years ago at BMW’s Munich track and that was dramatic because even when parking you only had to move the steering wheel by a quarter turn, the computer did the rest. The on-the-road product doesn’t seem particularly radical or useful, so I don’t think I would part with £925 (1,330 euros) for this extra. The interior ventilation system has been improved and now sports individual air conditioning for driver and front-seat passenger. This should eliminate any face-frying when the screen is being demisted. The new six speed automatic gearbox performs sweetly, and when asked to move into manual and provide engine braking it does the job. The first versions of the 3-Series will use four new engines, three petrol and one diesel. The cheapest model, the 320i, will be powered by a 4-cylinder 2.0 litre, 150 bhp engine. Other models include the 325i with a 2.5 litre, 218 bhp, 6-cylinder, the 330i’s 3.0 litre, 258 bhp, six-cylinder, and the 320d with a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder 164 bhp diesel motor. All new engines deliver more power, more frugally, than previously. All models have six-speed manual gearboxes, or a 6-speed automatic option. There will be a 318 bottom of the range version later this year, and a new 330d. Magnificent Beast I first drove the 330i automatic on the test drive, and a magnificent beast it was too. The interior had white leather and the fascia was trimmed with aluminium. The dials were pretty much understated but did a good, serious job. The instruments face slightly towards the driver at an angle of about 4 per cent. The engine was very quiet at idle and when moving gently along, but as soon as serious power was required the noise level rises to a magnificent high-tech snarl. Performance was electrifying. The manual version actually threw up something to criticise. The central consul between the driver and passenger is set too high, and this gets in the way of your elbow when you change gear. Handling was fabulous. The steering is so quick and precise, just as you’d expect. The 320i petrol version was also a decent performer. The 320d, certain to be the best selling version, has more acceleration than the smaller petrol version, but you need to use the gears more as the diesel reaches its peak much earlier than the petrol engine. The manual gear box makes this a pleasure. Gizmos BMW hasn’t held back with new technology. Six cylinder cars will incorporate a computerised traction control system, DSC+, which also sets up the brakes for emergencies, stops the car rolling back on hill starts, and intervenes to dry the brakes on wet roads. Adaptive Headlights turn with the steering and help illuminate corners. Keyless entry means the door locks open automatically as you approach the car with a key in your pocket; you fire-up the engine by pressing a starter button. The brake lights burn brighter under emergency braking. First reactions from the motoring press have been overwhelmingly favourable; bad news for rivals like the Audi A4, Lexus IS, Mercedes C-Class, Alfa Romeo 156 and Jaguar X-Type. The 3-series is still the winner among Europe’s small sports executive saloon cars. Watch Out For Lexus Plain sailing now for BMW then? Maybe not. There is a powerful contender on the horizon. At last month’s Geneva car show a Japanese pretender took the stage, in the form of the Lexus IS250. The new IS looks beautiful and will be made to quality standards even BMW might envy. It’s got a diesel too. It will be loaded with technology, and priced well below European contenders. But Lexus still hasn’t been able to convince that its cars have the sharpness and driveability of the Europeans. I have a sneaking suspicion that the new Lexus might change all that. Meanwhile BMW will continue to lead. It has built on the plus points of the old 3-Series to make it even better. Reassuring isn’t it. Standards are slipping everywhere, but car manufacturers are constantly forced by competition to improve, even though they produce magnificent products. John Prescott Maybe we could infiltrate some of these automotive corporate tyros into government and start to reverse the decline in Britain’s health, education, pensions, and roads? Don’t even think about it. They’d stand out like sore thumbs. You couldn’t disguise someone with even half a brain in a world where John Prescott gets to be deputy prime minister. Neil Winton – March 10, 2005
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