BMW 3 SERIES COUPE 320Cd
BMWs First Diesel Coupe Sees The Bavarians Start Out As They Mean To Go On. Andy Enright Reports
Diesel coupes arent new.
Peugeot, Mercedes,
Renault and
Citroen have all brought them to market already but none of them can hold a candle to the
BMW 320Cd. The Munich companys right first time entry into this niche market is pitched at the upper end but expect to see more BMW diesel coupes following in its footsteps.
Those looking for a real ripsnorter of a diesel coupe will probably prefer the idea of the 330Cd coupe that the Bavarians have also developed, but for most the 320Cd will be more than enough and with prices starting at a hefty £24,950, so it should be. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine delvers 150bhp but as with all diesel engines, its the torque that counts and this powerplant can count on some 239lb/ft which makes it a good deal more muscular in the midrange than a
Honda NSX. In fact it can accelerate form 50 to 75mph in sixth gear in just 7.
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2 seconds. A Sport version is also offered at £27,275, both variants being fitted with BMWs acclaimed six-speed manual gearbox. A five-speed automatic gearbox with Adaptive Gear Control (AGS) is also available and Steptronic sequential control can be specified as an option. AGS learns a drivers style and adapts the shifting points accordingly.
It also recognises uphill and downhill gradients as well as bends. Despite the attractions of the AGS gearbox, most drivers will stick with the manual box and with this transmission, an average of 49.6mpg is possible. Carbon dioxide emissions of just 153g/km make the 320Cd attractive to company car drivers looking to cut a dash in the car park and it comes with the added bonus of a three per cent reduction in benefit-in-kind taxation due to its Euro4 emissions compliance another first for a
BMW diesel.
This 320Cd really does represent the the first diesel coupe that keen drivers will be interested in. All of the previous offerings have married a coupe body to punchy and economical engines, but none have offered the sort of driving characteristics the 320Cd serves up. The handling betrays few clues that theres a relatively heavy powerplant up front, BMW insisting on endowing the 320Cd with a prefect 50:50 front and rear weight distribution. The suspension is stiffer than its saloon counterpart and set 15mm lower. Should you manage to overcome the limits of the 320Cds roadholding, BMWs excellent Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system is a standard fit in order to keep you on the straight and narrow. Adaptive headlights can also be specified, in conjunction with bi-xenon lamps, significantly improving visibility when cornering.
This option swivels headlamps by up to 15 degrees, taking information from the wheel speed sensor, steering angle and yaw sensors. Adaptive headlights allow drivers to see round corners, with headlamp beams focusing on where the car is travelling rather than where it is pointing. Expect to pay nearly £1,000 for the privilege of this superior night vision.
"No rival can quite duplicate the BMW's driving experience..."
The 320Cd Sport adds a shortened gear lever, sports seats, an M Leather steering wheel, upgraded upholstery and door sills with M badges. The exterior has come in for some attention too, to the tune of an M aerodynamics kit, 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, a rear lip spoiler and high gloss exterior trim. Otherwise of course, its just like any other 3 Series Coupe which means that its very impressive indeed. Unlike the original model, this current car really is a Grand Tourer, with plenty of space to take four adults and their luggage on almost any journey.
All of which gives the 3 Series Coupe a huge advantage over restricted rivals like Nissans 350z and
Audi's TT and means that the marque can also successfully challenge larger coupes like the Mercedes CLK. None of these cars, except perhaps the much smaller
Nissan, can quite duplicate the BMW's driving experience, thanks to the German maker's continuing preoccupation with rear wheel drive and the achievement of a near perfect 50:50 weight distribution. Even the least experienced driver should appreciate this difference: indeed, in a recent customer survey, the importers discovered that nearly all owners did, though few actually understood the reasons why. It's rather like that when you come to compare the styling of this car to the 3 Series saloon on which it is based: subtly different but hard, unless you're in the know, to define exactly how or why. In fact, the only common external parts shared by the two cars are the door handles, the side indicators and the BMW badges. This is hard to believe at first, but the closer you look, the more the differences stand out. The Coupe is lower, wider and longer than the saloon, with completely unique body panels, a lower roofline and a more steeply raked windscreen Inside, the extra shoulder, elbow, leg and luggage space makes all the difference, plus there are plenty of useful touches.
Rear
seat access is easier thanks to front seats that not only fold and slide forwards but actually lift off the floor to make entry even easier. For the driver, a double press of the remote entry button on the key lowers the window automatically make it easier to wriggle in should the car be parked in a tight space. Equipment levels are high, including twin front, side and head airbags, a remote control alarm, electric seats, alloy wheels, air conditioning and 60/40 split-folding rear seats that can be unlocked from the boot. The BMW 320Cd is a fascinating car that apart from the upfront price, asks little of the owner yet delivers so much.
Its an easy car to own, an enjoyable car to drive and a surprisingly affordable car to run. The diesel coupe sector is one that looks set to snowball but right now the best of the bunch is the BMW 320Cd.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: BMW 320Cd Coupe
PRICE: £24,950 - £27,275 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 153g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.6s / Max speed 137mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (average) 49.6mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and head airbags / ABS / DSC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4488/1947/1369
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