Luxury and driving pleasure have been cornerstones of every BMW car, and with the sporty 3-series luxury sedan, the brand’s bread-and-butter model, it’s no different. The car recently received an update, and in the wake of the ongoing anti-diesel sentiment in India, BMW has reintroduced the petrol model in the form of the 320i.
The engine in question is a turbocharged, 1,998cc unit that produces a healthy 184hp and there’s 270Nm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels as on all traditional BMWs, and there’s an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The car is available in two variants – Prestige and Luxury – which retail at Rs 36.90 lakh and Rs 42.70 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), respectively.
The exterior of the car remains unchanged from the diesel 3-series, but what keen drivers may miss is the sportier body kit and bigger 18-inch wheels that the diesel model offers on its range-topping M Sport variant.
As part of the recent facelift, BMW updated the interior of the 3-series, and it now makes use of better-quality materials all around. The insides are a bit brighter and plusher-looking, and there are more metallic highlights thrown around. However, it still doesn’t feel as plush as the class benchmark, the C-class. Some of the plastic bits still feel hard and the basic design has started to age a bit as well. What some older customers also won’t like is the low and sporty seating position that is typically BMW. The rear seats, though, offer plenty of legroom and are one of the most comfortable in the class. In terms of equipment, the more expensive Luxury variant gets a new and larger 8.8-inch iDrive screen, 20GB of internal storage, navigation, a 205W nine-speaker audio system and full leather seats. This variant also gets steering-mounted paddle shifters for the gearbox. While the Prestige version offers three driving modes, Comfort, EcoPro and Sport, the Luxury variant gets the addition of a Sport+ mode as well.
With 184hp available, acceleration is quite strong. 0-100kph takes just 8.14 seconds, and 140kph comes up in 15.03 seconds, which makes it as quick as the diesel 320d; Merc’s C-class petrol, which accelerates from 0-140kph in 14.98s is marginally quicker though. The engine also behaves like a typical BMW motor. To begin with, it’s almost impossible to tell that this engine is turbocharged; power delivery is smooth and builds seamlessly from as low as 1,500rpm. The four-cylinder motor even spins all the way to 6,800rpm, but it isn’t nearly as enthusiastic at high revs as some of BMW’s earlier naturally-aspirated engines. It doesn’t sound nearly as good either. But what it loses out in enthusiasm, it more than makes up for with its punchy and responsive nature. That said, there is a hint of hesitation when you try and accelerate from low revs, but apart from that, this motor is very impressive.
Overall, the 3-series is the super ride, handling and steering package it has been since its launch four years ago. The steering is full of feel, body control is very good and the 3-series corners with a degree of poise and confidence that rivals just can’t match. What makes the package even sweeter is that this new car rides quite beautifully, absorbing most of the bumps and potholes you come across on our roads with suppleness. You do encounter the stiffness in the springs when you run over sharp bumps, but that’s expected.
The 3-series has always managed to blend comfort and fun in a single package, and the new 320i is no different. There’s a fair amount of performance on hand, it feels brilliant to drive and comfort on the back seat is excellent too. Those who expected it to be priced a bit lower than the diesel, as earlier, are likely to be disappointed, though. Still, the new 3-series is a real BMW and is right up there with the best cars in its class; the compact luxury sedan to buy if you like to drive.
