How the hell does a carmaker go about replacing a car that is still the benchmark in its class? Not many manufacturers are lucky enough to be in that position of course, but BMW was when it decided to replace the E46 generation 3-series. Not only is the
outgoing car a match for its rivals in terms of value for money, pace, quality, style and refinement, it is also acknowledged as being a damn good car to drive, and people like us like that. With those thoughts in mind I joined BMW in Spain for its launch of the 3.
Bearing in mind that the 3-series is a huge global seller (and without doubt BMW's most important car) it was not surprising to find that the new car's styling was restrained rather than radical when we first received pictures
last year. Seeing the new 3 in the metal for the first time was revealing. Our readers have made many less than complimentary comments regarding the rear of the new 3-series, and until I saw the car for myself I tended to agree that the rear lamps are reminiscent of those on the previous generation Nissan Primera. However, walking around the car at Jerez airport I had to admit that the BMW design team have done a good job. The rear end is much beefier than it appears in the shots, and works with the distinctive 'cab back' side profile to give the 3-series a purposeful and sporty style without losing the archetypical elegance of the 3-series bloodline.
At our disposal in Spain were three engine variants: the 320d, 320i and 330i. The range topping 330i beckons me with its seductive straight six, but that pleasure must wait for tomorrow when I join James Jenkins for a
little drive back to Britain. Today
The Car Enthusiast will be concentrating on the 320 models. First up is the 320d, one of the fastest-selling variants (in Europe) since its introduction in the current 3-series. In 2004, the two-litre 3-series took 50% of all saloon sales in the UK.
The engine fitted to the new 320d was first fitted to the 120d in September last year. Swept volume is 1,995cc and the engine's specification is unsurprisingly bang up to date, featuring four valves per cylinder, high-pressure direct injection and common rail technology. Company car buyers will flock in their thousands to purchase the 320d thanks to its tax-friendly 153g/km CO
2 figure (that places it in the 16% tax bracket), and BMW claims an impressive 49.6mpg for the manual car on the Combined Cycle. During our (admittedly hard-driven) few hours with the 320d on twisting Spanish roads we struggled to get close to the claimed Urban Cycle figure of 36.2mpg. Motorway cruising at more responsible speeds should see most owners achieve 45-50mpg.
Of course you expect a lot more from a BMW diesel than good economy and low emissions. The 320d's unit delivers on paper at least, with a respectable 163bhp available at 4000rpm and peak torque of 251lb.ft coming in at only 2000rpm. Incidentally, that's more torque than the excellent six-cylinder engine in the 330i can muster. Numbers rarely mean anything in the real world, and I was actually quite disappointed at the delivery from the 320d's engine. Admittedly, a large part of the test route consisted of narrow, twisting mountain roads, punctuated by long, long straights perfect for overtaking. The pace was certainly faster than you could legally maintain in the UK, and perhaps because of that the 2-litre unit didn't sparkle. Indeed, it made me look forward to driving the 320i.
Disappointment in the entry-level engine aside, it was clear from the outset that the new 3-series is a driver's car through and through, perhaps even more so than its predecessor. That's not to say that the 3-series is raw and as focused as say a
Lotus Elise, but BMW has got the basics just so. Take the steering; it is simply sublime, full of feel and communication, but never uncomfortably so. Personally I think that all current BMW manual gearchanges are a little to "springy", but undoubtedly slick and biased towards the driver that likes to push on. For the record, our other testers can't find fault with that. I found the brake pedal to be quite sharply modulated to begin with, but soon acclimatised, and the boon is total confidence when hauling the 3 down from high speed. Someone had fried the pads and warped the discs in the 320i I tried later, despite it being a full 100kg lighter than the 320d. Look close at the specs. and you'll notice that the 320d has been endowed with bigger discs. No doubt the 320d is the more likely tow car, so that will be a comfort to potential buyers.
BMW has a knack of choosing some cracking test routes on its launches, and this trip was no different. The roads were dry and a little dusty, and mostly empty. Well-sighted corners allow phenomenal cornering speeds in the 3-series, with total neutrality and rock solid stability. Brake hard into tighter hairpins and there is a hint of mild oversteer on the exit, but neither the 320d nor the 320i had enough grunt to turn this into a grin-inducing drift. With some room and the skills of say Juha Kankkunen, I'm sure that the 3-series could be chucked into and around a corner fairly sideways, but this probably doesn't have any bearing to the majority of buyers! Lack of gratuitous sliding aside, the 3-series is a willing and capable companion.
The 3-series has not compromised comfort and refinement for this agility. At a cruise, we reckon that the 3 is actually quieter than the 5-series is, with wind and road noise being noticeably less, and superior to Audi's new A4. All engine variants proved to be silent on the motorway, where cruising at high speed was a fuss-free experience. The 3-series feels tied down at elevated speeds, and is utterly stable, even in crosswinds. I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record here, but the depth of ability of the damping also astounded us. The 3-series soaked up all that half-built Spanish roads had to offer, and managed to remain comfortable yet surefooted. It is worth pointing out that this is the first run-flat tyre equipped BMW that we have not been disappointed in its ride.
Scorched brakes aside, the 320i shares all of the above traits with the 320d. Having looked forward to jumping into a petrol powered car again, with an engine that doesn't run out of puff before 5000rpm, I was surprised to find that the 320i actually felt slower than the diesel version, despite a wider usable range of engine speeds. Another concern was the noise it made; when we drove the fabulous
BMW 120i earlier this year we noticed that the engineers had somehow tuned the exhaust to be sporty and not at all reminiscent of a four-cylinder car. This is not the case in the 320i for some reason, and to keep up the pace of the 320d, it just felt as if we were trying to kill the car. Drive in any other way to a journalist on a launch in Spain (ahem...) and you will be rewarded with a refined and capable car with all the other good aspects of the 3-series chassis. The 2-litre engine is actually quite economical too, with claimed figures of up to 50.4mpg. We averaged 30mpg, only a little worse than the 320d.
I was surprised to discover that BMW plans to introduce both a 318i and a 318d in the UK. No doubt they will be good value for money entries into the sporting executive saloon, though in my mind stretching that tag a little. BMW doesn't seem too worried that there will be price overlap between the 1- and 3-series ranges either. The Touring version of the 3-series goes on sale in the UK this September, fitted with the full range of engines, including the highly desirable 330d (our current pick of the range). Enthusiasts amongst you will be salivating at the thought of good the new M3 will be, but that car is some way off yet, with no new coupe or convertible planned until 2006.
So BMW has managed to do the unthinkable and replaced a superb car with an even more formidable rival for all the other pretenders to the sports saloon throne. It is such a complete offering.
Well rested from a long day of hard driving, the next day I picked up the keys to a 330i, and set the satnav to Calais, picking up Dave Jenkins on the way;
he tells the story.
