Published
on 23
Jan 2012
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All rights reserved.
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We always know the
3-Series is crucial to BMW. How crucial? In 2010, BMW sold 399,000
units of this car globally, representing a third of the company's total
output. Somehow, its importance has been decreasing – albeit in a
healthy way. Back in 2003, sales of E46 amounted to 528,000 units or a
staggering 57 percent share of the company's output. The addition of
1-Series and X3 could be one reason for the slide. Another reason is
the intensified competition from Audi A4 (306,000 units sold in 2010)
and Mercedes C-class (342,000 units including CLK and SLK). The E90
might hold a slight edge in driver appeal until its last days, but as a
whole package it no longer enjoyed the advantage its predecessor
possessed. In our very first report written in 2005, our criticisms to
the E90 ranged from an underwhelming exterior design to a cheap-looking
dashboard to a slightly firm ride of its sport suspension. We also
asked for more space to keep it competitive against future rivals.
These weaknesses turned out to drive some customers towards the
Mercedes and Audi camps.
However, this time BMW is not going to repaat mistakes.
The new F30 3-Series is a larger car. It is 50 mm longer in wheelbase
and 104 mm longer overall. Its cabin gets 8 mm more rear headroom and
15 mm more rear legroom, accompanied with a 480-liter boot (up 20
liters), so it is competitively roomy for the compact premium class
without threatening its bigger brother 5-Series. A well-judged
enlargement I would say.
The exterior styling is also improved. Well, these days no BMWs could
be described as beautiful, but at least the new 3-Series has not
followed the unfortunate footprints of the new 1-Series. Its proportion
is still easily recognizable as a 3-Series, with side glasses almost
identical in shape to those of the old car. Like the 5-Series, its
bonnet becomes a multi-contour clamshell to provide space for
pedestrian protection while emphasize the longness of its engine
compartment, hence making a stronger statement of its FR layout. What
really improved visually is the nose – now each chromed kidney is made
3-dimensional and its depth is partially exposed to the gap between the
bonnet and headlamp. This make the kidneys like solid silver cups
inserted at the nose. The change makes the car appear to be more
stylish and tasteful. Another visual improvement is the new taillights,
which mirror the fine effort of 5-Series.
The cabin cannot be said as a work of art, but it looks much nicer than
the E90's. The odd "camelback" dashboard of the old car has been
replaced with a more conventional one and a freestanding sat-nav
screen. Center console is now slightly angled to the driver as in the
good old days. Controls and switchgears are ergonomically sounded, as
are the driving position and seat. Materials and fit and finish have
been improved to the extent that it is finally a match for Audi and
Mercedes, if not better. Moreover, there are 4 distinctive trims to
choose from – Sport, Luxury, Modern and M Sport – so you are more
likely to get
the desired colors and textures. The small and thick steering wheel is
nice to hold. The updated iDrive is simpler and easier to use, although
it still takes more steps than Audi's MMI.
Frankly, the F30 does not set any new standards on packaging, styling
or build quality. As always, what makes it really special is the
driving dynamics. When we first heard the new car has grown
considerably in size, we feared that its performance and handling could
take a step backward, at least in subjective areas like response and
feedback. This has been the case to many new BMWs, including the
current 5-Series. Thankfully, its engineers have taken adequate
measures to prevent such a nightmare. The F30 might be larger, but it
is no heavier. In fact, by using more high-strength steel to construct
the monocoque chassis and lighter materials / components throughout the
car, it manages to cut weight by a claimed 40 kg across the range.
Better still, this 40 kg of weight saving is real, unlike most other
manufacturers which do not take additional equipment into account. Even
the new 3-Series inevitably features more standard equipment than the
old car, it still undercuts the old car on scale. For example, a
comparison of the spec table shown below and the one on our E90 page
will find a new 328i weighs 50 kg less than the old 330i yet it offers
slightly higher performance. Admittedly, the new 328i employs a lighter
four-cylinder engine, but when the new 335i undercuts the old 335i –
with exactly the same motor – by 25 kg, you know the saving is true.
Apart from lighter, the chassis also boosts 30 percent higher torsional
rigidity than that of the outgoing car. Although its body shell is no
wider, its front and rear tracks have been widened by 37 mm and 47 mm
respectively. Besides, the car also gets slightly sleeker, with
aerodynamic drag coefficient ranging from as low as 0.26 (on 320d
EfficientDynamics) to 0.27 on 320d, 0.29 on 328i and 0.30 on 335i,
thanks to extra underbody sealing and a front apron shaped such that to
produce "air curtains" to cover the wheels. All these improvements are
based on a chassis already known as the class' best.
The suspensions are similar to those on the old car as well as the new
1-Series with which it shares extensive components. Up front, there is
a pair of MacPherson struts, although BMW prefers to call it
"double-joint spring struts". Contrary to earlier prediction, it has
not switched to double-wishbones like the 5-Series because that would
have added 20 kg to the front axle, something difficult to be offset on
the smaller car. Are we disappointed? Not a bit. Considering how good
the old car handled, who bother? At the rear, the tried and trusted
5-link setup continues to serve the 3-Series. As before, the front
suspensions are largely made of aluminum while the rear ones are steel
in order to achieve a 50:50 weight distribution. To improve ride and
handling, electronic adaptive damping has been added to the suspension
as option. This is especially important to the cars fitted with the
stiffer and lower M Sport suspensions, which used to be criticized for
too harsh on less perfect roads.
In a bid to cut fuel consumption and emission, the outgoing hydraulic
power steering has been replaced with an electromechanical power
steering with rack-mounted motor – no surprise after Porsche adopted
such system in 991. Besides, buyers can opt for a variable ratio
steering rack to quicken response at lock and tighten turning
circle.
Powertrain has always been a strength of BMW. This tradition continues
in the F30. As expected, the naturally aspirated straight-sixes have
been withdrawn for the sake of energy efficiency. Taking their places
is the new N20 2.0-liter four-pot engine with direct injection,
Valvetronic, Bi-Vanos and a twin-scroll turbocharger. It has three
states of tune – 184hp (320i), 218hp (325i) and 245hp (328i). Thanks to
a much stronger low-end and mid-range torque (258 lbft from
1250-4800 rpm), the 328i is actually faster than the outgoing 330i,
with
0-60 mph accomplished in 5.6 seconds instead of 5.8 sec. It is also as
refined as a naturally aspirated engine, being smooth and lag-free. The
only downgrade is sound quality, which fails to match the good old
straight-six, yet that is less important to the sedan than the case of
Z4 roadster. Moreover, the N20 engine has fuel economy improved from
37.6 to 44.8 mpg and emission reduced from 175 to 147 g/km. Those
improvements might sound a little modest compared with recent rivals,
but you have to notice that the E90 already got EfficientDynamics
package – including automatic engine stop-start, on-demand oil and
water pump and regenerative braking alternator – since 2007. These
features are carried over to the new car. What contribute to the
further reduction are mainly the downsized engines, reduced drag and
the upgrade to ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. The latter is so
smooth and responsive that it is now a better companion than the
6-speed manual.
The straight-six has not died yet, but it lives on only in turbocharged
form. The single-turbo N55 continues to produce 306 hp and 295 lbft of
torque and propels the 335i from rest to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. As the
advantage over 328i is much reduced, we don't expect it to be a big
seller. On the diesel side, there are four versions of the 2-liter
turbo diesel four, producing 116hp (316d), 143hp (318d), 163hp (320d
EfficientDynamics) or 184hp (320d), while turbo diesel 3-liter
straight-six will join later this year in the form of 330d and 335d.
The 320d is expected to be the best selling 3-Series in Europe. Its
power and refinement are excellent, while aluminum construction
guarantees lightweight and good handling.
On the road, the new 3-Series immediately impresses with its new found
performance, handling and refinement. The first thing you will notice
is the improved ride quality, at least on the car fitted with adaptive
dampers. It is not only smoother, quieter and more comfortable, but
also overcomes crests, expansion joints and bumps more cleanly than the
old car. As a result, you can attack B-roads at faster pace yet feeling
calmer and more confident. The second thing you will notice is how
light the car feels when it steers into and out of corners. Partly this
is contributed by the lighter helm, but also the car's lack of inertia
at the nose. Undoubtedly, the wider tracks, the reduced kerb weight and
the switch to four-cylinder engine help this feel. With less inertia to
deal with, the new 3er is keener to turn and rotate should you switch
it to Sport+ mode, which raises the ESP threshold, dials up the
throttle response, quickens gearshift, loads up the electric power
steering and tightens the dampers. No cars in this class possess a
handling balance so neutral and a mid-corner behaviour so adjustable.
Even though with excellent grip, you can push the rear tires out in
mid-corner with a big prod of throttle, yet the process is controllable
and nowhere scary.
Some might find the electric power steering less talkative than the old
hydraulic rack. It does not transmit the fine details of road textures
to your hands like the old helm, but it is better weighted, more
precise and it still delivers the feel you need during maneuver. When
you are not in attack mood, you will appreciate its lightness and
calmness which makes it a better companion in urban area as well as
cruising.
Perhaps the most impressive is the various dynamic aspects come at a
unity. The engine, the gearbox and the chassis all work in harmony to
let the car flows fluidly through corner after corner, on whatever
surfaces and
at whatever speed. The F30 has taken driving dynamics to a new level,
by far exceeding its Mercedes and Audi rivals. Simultaneously, it has
ironed out the rough edges in comfort, space and styling while
extending its lead in energy efficiency. That should guarantee the top
position of its class for many years to come.
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Verdict:  |
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