Not fast, Not Furious
By Abdulaziz A. Basleem
The Saudi Gazette
What’s HOT
Still the benchmark in handling – and fun!
Plush, roomy interior
Excellent gas mileage
Safety features abound
That Teutonic build quality...
What’s NOT
Underpowerd, and engine a bit noisy
No manual gearbox available (in Saudi Arabia) Styling could be neater
Come on! A ‘budget’ BMW?
JEDDAH
There are two kinds of BMW owners. There are those who buy a BMW because they appreciate the luxury, performance, quality and the overall driving experience. And then there are the lesser mortals such as myself, who like the violent side of this piece of German engineering.
But even though BMWs are normally associated with power and demonic speed, the 3-series member we tested today is not the craved 330i or the acclaimed 325i, which boast a healthy 254 bhp and 214 bhp respectively, but a humble (in relative terms) 320i that has a modest (by today’s standards) 150 bhp. Its powerplant is not a BMW-trademark, silky-smooth inline six, but “merely” a high-revving, cranky four-banger, which even the lesser mortal that I am finds hard to appreciate. If you’ve driven any silky-smooth, violent six-cylinder BMW before, getting used to a four-banger in a BMW would be something of subjugation.
But that’s not to say the 320i is entirely mediocre. From behind the wheel, it is a proper BMW with all its glory, right down to such nitpicks as a CD changer and trip computer that calculates the usual gas range, mileage and even an ETA estimate. Heck, you can even change the sound of the horn if you’re that picky! After all, you did buy a Beemer, didn’t you? Wood inserts (that’s real wood), leather seats and door panels and a quality-feel vinyl dashboard and center console, are the order of the day, all with design ques from its bigger sibling the E65/66 7-series – including the signature red dash lighting.
But missing was the telltale temperature gauge whose traditional white needle, as any owner of an earlier Bavarian driving machine will tell you, had to stay smack-dab in the middle or the head gasket(s) – and probably the head(s) – go to motor heaven.
But no worries. You can leave the car on with the air-conditioning on full blast without worrying about the car overheating, at least, according to what Mousa Al-Aruri, Managing Director says: “There is no need for one, since the car cannot overheat unless there is something really wrong with it.”
If that happens, he says, you get a warning on the dash.
But what makes you really love or hate this car is how it protects you from your own mistakes.
BMW says this car is designed with safety in mind, but avoids making it sound like a borrowed Volvo cliché, when it says “giving the driver maximum control means ensuring maximum safety.” The E90 3 series comes with active cruise control, which slows down and speeds up as you pass a car heading in front of you, adaptive headlights xenon headlights that follow turns, run flat tires (yes, no spare with replacements starting at a whopping SR1,000 per tire), brake force display that lights up all the break lights to tell the driver behind you that you are stopping really hard, passive safety tensioning the seatbelts and bracing the whole car for a collision, and a body shell designed to absorb as much of the impact as possible. And, yes, it has six airbags.
More important when it comes to drivability, the Damping Traction Control (DTC) system, which mates feedback from the suspension and applies what needs to be done (if you manage to make the car skid) through the car’s anti-lock brake system, gives a somewhat passive feel to the car.
Werner Koch, National Sales Manager, says this is his favorite ride. Appearing at a loss for words to defend the sporty character of the 320i, he suggests driving it using the tiptronic function and thrashing it hard.
What he forgets to tell you is that the car achieves a lot when it comes to acceleration and handling, but robs you of the feeling with all of its safety precautions.
At best, you feel the car stiffen when you accelerate hard. For regular driving, you get a soft ride — all achieved without your permission.
But the beast is there. Nudge the steering wheel a few degrees and the car turns in fast. Take a turn late and the traction control system adapts itself, again without your permission and giving you neutral handling.
All of this is achieved with extremely subtle technology working in the background. Hitting 140 kilometer per hour comes easily and is easier to ignore.
But forget about the manual, since Naghi Motors will not sell you anything but a six-speed automatic.
This is not as primitive as an E21 (1975-82) or E30 (1983-91) or E36 (1992-early 99), or as harsh as an E46 (late 1999-2004), neither is it as heavy as them or as cramped. Tall people can fit in the back. The car’s body is built with lighter materials but is stiffer and the engine crank case is made out of lightweight magnesium, making the car 25 percent lighter than the E46.
This is a BMW, make no mistake about it. But, and no pun intended, it is a BMW for the rest of us. Drive it responsibly and it gives you responsible mileage and that fifty riyals of gas you pumped will take you a long way.
Source : The Saudi Gazette