On
Test… BMW 320d
They’re swearing in Germany. And not just at the Greeks either. In
fact, the blame for this increase in expletives among its usually teutonically
restrained citizens can be laid a lot closer to home. Two southern German
cities, to be precise... Ingolstadt and Stuttgart. It’s here, echoing down to
the surgically pristine assembly lines of Audi and Mercedes-Benz, that a slew
of particularly colourful profanities have exploded from the frosted glass and
aluminium boardrooms above.
The reason? The new BMW 3 Series… it’s a game changer.
What was looking like a fairly even race among the A4, C-Class and the 3 Series
– with personal preference being the only real differentiator – has turned into
a no-brainer. The new 3 Series is simply that good. Of course it’s the whole
package that makes a car, but one aspect of the new Beemer can proudly claim to
be the reason for all that uncouth language.
The chassis...
It’s not often one gets into a car occupying a lofty niche
like the “the small premium
sedan segment” and immediately
notices how different it feels to its competitors. But one really does with this. The balance, the
precise turn-in, the predictability, and the poise around corners are all
hugely impressive. And a large part of the secret is the Driving Experience
Switch Control button nestled next to the gear lever. This electronic wizardry
allows one to switch between Comfort. Sport, Sport + and Eco Pro mode with the
difference being changes to the car’s suspension settings (if fitted with the
optional adjustable system), throttle response and gear-shift patterns
The car on test – the 320d – is probably the sweetspot
of the whole range segment. In terms of performance delivered vs fuel
efficiency vs price paid, this turbo charged 1997cc diesel is the equivalent of
that immensely satisfying , vibrationless thunk you feel when you and your 3-iron
absolutely middle down the fairway. Its 135kw output might not blow you away,
but the 380Nm of torque means plenty of power through most of the rev range,
which is really what one needs in daily driving conditions.
It’s hard to argue against this new Beemer. Perhaps
those headlights with what look like overtly long tearducts aren’t to
everyone’s taste, but there is none-the-less an overall balance to the car’s
exterior design. Inside of course, it’s as well screwed together as it gets.
But that’s all incidental when compared what this car can do on the road. One
always feels plugged into a BMW – driving dynamics is the impeachable brand
promise – but never quite like this…
The
BMW 3 series base prices range from R363 052 (320i) to R547 190 (335i).
The 320d starts at R390 500
The 320d starts at R390 500
(Review published in the July issue of Khuluma, the Kulula in-flight magazine)
