Sublime handling and tax-busting economy are what customers can expect from BMW’s new 320Cd, which arrives in the UK this October - the first BMW Coupé to be equipped with a diesel engine in the UK. Its combination of enviable performance, low carbon dioxide emissions, and the first Euro IV BMW diesel engine to hit UK showrooms is set to make the latest addition to the 3 Series range a hit with both private buyers and company car drivers.

Prices are confirmed at £24,310 on-the-road for the base model and £26,620 for the Sport variant.

BMW 320Cd performance
Powered by BMW’s second generation common rail two-litre diesel engine, the 320Cd reaches a top speed of 137 mph and achieves a sporty 0-62 mph figure of 8.8 seconds. Its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine delivers a class-leading maximum power output of 150 bhp. This means it can accelerate from

50 - 75 mph in just 7.2 seconds
BMW’s six-speed manual gearbox is offered as standard, providing short and precise gear changes. A five-speed automatic gearbox with Adaptive Gear Control (AGS) and Steptronic is also available as an option. AGS learns a driver’s style and adapts shift points accordingly. It also recognises uphill and downhill gradients as well as bends and prevents the transmission from shifting up in mid bend, retaining the correct transmission ratio for accelerating cleanly away.

Economy
For drivers of the 320Cd, piling on the pounds - that’s up to 239 lb-ft (330Nm) of torque at just 2000 rpm - needn’t mean sacrificing them from the wallet. That’s because the 320Cd boasts outstanding economy figures.

As well as modest fuel consumption of 49.6 miles per gallon on the combined cycle (40.9 with automatic gearbox) the 320Cd emits just 153 g/km CO2.

Being Euro IV compliant, the 320Cd negates the three per cent government surcharge applied to drivers of most diesel-engined cars. That makes it an attractive proposition for company car drivers, falling within the lowest 15 per cent band for company car tax.

Sporty addition to 3 Series Coupé range
Thanks to its sleek coupé proportions, sporty diesel engine, trademark 50:50 weight distribution, rear-wheel drive, and typically direct steering, BMW’s 320Cd will be hailed as a true sports coupé. Suspension is stiffer and set 15 mm lower than the saloon and, as on all BMWs, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is a standard ‘safety net’ to help keep the car going in the intended direction.

Adaptive headlights can also be specified, in conjunction with bi-xenon headlamps, significantly improving visibility when cornering. This £990.00 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.

Euro IV 3.0-litre Coupé arrives in 2004
The new BMW 320Cd is the first 3 Series Coupé in the UK to be powered by a diesel engine that is Euro IV compliant. It follows the international launch of the 330Cd this year, a model that arrives in UK showrooms in March 2004 - also sporting a Euro IV compliant power plant.

Free servicing and maintenance as standard
Buyers of the new 320Cd will benefit from the free servicing and maintenance applicable to all new diesel 3 Series models. Originally offered on all diesels purchased before the end of June, but recently extended for the foreseeable future, the package is valid for five years or 60,000 miles and includes:

- Oil services
- Inspection services
- Brake pads and discs
- Brake fluid replacement
- Wiper blades
- All labour charges and VAT

As well as freedom from normal service and maintenance bills, owners will benefit from strong residual values, as it is fully transferable to subsequent owners.

Sales performance - 2003
The Coupé body style is second only to the saloon variant in BMW’s best-selling 3 Series range. From January to May 2003 BMW sold 5,384 3 Series Coupé models, nearly 18 per cent of all 3 Series sales. A total of 8,002 diesel 3 Series were sold during the same period, 26.7 per cent of total 3 Series sales.

The Car Enthusiast will be testing the BMW 330d in August. Watch out for the full review linked from the main Road Tests page.

BMW news release - 3 Jul 2003