BMW 320d RANGE (NEW)
The 320d Was Possibly The Pick Of The Old 3 Series Line Up. In The Latest Guise, Little Has Changed. Andy Enright Reports
Its always rather entertaining to scan back through old editions of car magazines and chuckle at what they deemed was close to perfection or thereabouts. Baggy, inefficient, ill-equipped and, by todays standards, manifestly unsafe cars have all attracted this tag by overexcited motoring scribes and although the temptation to label BMWs latest 320d with this tag seems strong, Ill temper the enthusiasm for the time being at least.
After all, judged by todays standards, theres precious little thats wrong with the 320d. Its quick, safe, well engineered, economical, desirable and will retain a huge chunk of its value when the time comes to sell. Given BMWs recent track record, it even looks acceptably uncontroversial. Family buyers may carp at the fact that luggage space is a little tight and that upfront prices arent the most accessible, but this is a compact executive car and family duties arent the key priority.
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
|
| Depreciation |
|
| Economy |
 |
| Equipment |
 |
| Handling |
|
| Insurance |
 |
| Performance |
|
| Styling |
|
| Value |
|
This is a car for young thrusters whove one eye on the stock market rather than parents with one eye on the shenanigans happening in the
seat behind them. Statistically, the bald figures speak for themselves. Roll back the clock not too many years and the 320ds performance figures would have been a credit to a two litre petrol sportster. Itll get to 60mph in 8.
2 seconds and run onto a top speed of 139mph. Thats comfortably quicker than a 320i from the mid nineties and the ability to eke 49.5 miles from a gallon of derv would leave engineers from ten years ago slack jawed in wonderment. Come to that, itll leave many engineers today similarly bamboozled.
"The 3-Series defines the compact executive class and the 320d is BMWs best effort yet"
Prices start at £22,890 for the entry level saloon, with the value edition ES variant looking a better buy at £23,360. If you like all the bells and whistles, the £24,390 SE variant will doubtless appeal. Whichever trim level you opt for, youre getting the same fundamentals. The 163bhp engine is one of the most powerful in its sub-class and is refined and civilised to boot.
Like all E90 3 Series models, the starting process is slightly convoluted, and involves slotting the plastic key unit into the dashboard and then pressing a starter button to fire up the diesel unit. After the first couple of times you do it, the process seems a bit of an unnecessary work up, but the rewards are well worth it. The engines torque comes in long, smooth streams and the engine disguises its turbocharged roots very well, feeling like a bigger normally aspirated unit to drive. The thing that really impresses is how much work has gone into making the car feel suitably premium.
The balance of weighting between the steering and the slick six-speed gearchange, together with the effort required to depress the various pedals is all beautifully judged. The spacing between those pedals, the driving position and the sightlines out of the cabin all lend the belief that the 320d was screwed together by a manufacturer who deeply appreciates the finer aspects of building a car. Drive other rivals and youll see how quickly they drop the ball in these apparently fundamental regards. Developing an all-new 3-Series was never going to be easy and the latest car shows that the money men and the stylists have gone head to head in the battle between shifting big numbers and continuing the trend for challengingly styled BMWs.
It looks like the stylists have blinked first, the 3-Series looking a good deal more conservatively penned than the rest of the
BMW line up. Although those wearing the black polo necks may grumble, its a wise choice. With the 3-Series accounting for fully 52 per cent of BMWs UK sales, alienating this bedrock of customers with a wilfully odd looking car was never going to make a sound business case. Although sales of the latest 5-Series have swelled as people became used to its sharky lines, for the first few months that styling was manna from heaven for Mercedes and
Audi.
Many of the contemporary BMW styling signatures are present although they have been toned down radically. The sill line is bowed, although nowhere near as radically as in, say, a 1-series. Compare how the rear bootlid is a chamfered and smoothed version of that worn by the 5-Series. Even the flanks betray a less aggressive concave contouring, while the rest of the traditional BMW cues such as the Hofmeister Kink at the rear window and the kidney grille are present and correct.
Although its not what youd call a striking piece of design, it is nevertheless mature, assured and, with a little imagination, its possible to figure out what forthcoming Coupe, Touring, Cabriolet and M3 versions will look like. The 3-Series also has to redefine its place in BMWs range. For the first time in 29 years, its no longer the entry level BMW model, and the range must be planned so that 1-Series buyers can easily migrate to a Three on the way to bigger BMWs. At least thats what the suits in Munich are hoping.
Bigger in every dimension to its predecessor, the 3-Series is an impressive undertaking with engines that have been revised to offer a combination of more power and more economy. Run out of superlatives too early and its easy to inadvertently play the virtual perfection card. In few cases is it justified, but in the interests of denying future journalists the opportunity to crack a smile, I wont play it here. The BMW 320d is such a well rounded car, so brilliant in its engineering execution that it marches instantly to the top of the pile.
Virtual perfection? Well, lets just say that some cars are more virtual than others.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: BMW 320d saloon range
PRICES: £22,890-£24,390 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 153g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 139mph / 0-60mph 8.2s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 49.6mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, twin front side airbags, twin ITS side window airbags / ABS /DSC / runflat tyres
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4520/1817/1424mm
<< Back to BMW car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used BMW Cars For Sale UK
