South-Africa, Saturday 2012/03/17
Given prior notice and an invitation via e-mail from the local BMW dealer to the local launch of the BMW F30 3-Series to the public, Saturday March the 17th could not come soon enough.
On arrival Saturday morning the wife and myself were greeted with friendly faces and enthusiasm from the friendly staff. With the wife working for the local newspaper which in turn is part of the National Media Conglomerate and me being a customer to the brand, it was like a homecoming. We both know the staff and management of the local dealer through dealings and advertisement.
The local launch theme is "3 - The Measurement of Performance" and we were given name tags, hung around the neck like a medal and written on the blue lanyard the words: “Ready. Set. Enjoy!”
Two model variants were available for test driving, a white 320d in Modern Line and a 328i in Luxury Line, both with 8 Speed Automatic Transmissions and paddle shift.
Design
My first impression after doing the walk-around was one of familiarity. The side view is instantly recognizable and reminiscent of the outgoing E90; in short the new F30 is an evolution in design. The rear echoes that of the F10 BMW 5 Series and the front-end treatment is fresh, very sporty, dynamic and certainly shouts: “That Powerful Presence so Characteristic of a BMW.” Certainly good looking, sleek with short overhangs and a menacing stance if you look it "right in the eyes" or, rather, beautiful new headlights.
Interior
Now me being me (ol' OCD himself) this is where the car will make it or break it for me in terms of its Premium credentials and price tag. Having done my proverbial scratch, feel, touch, lick and flick test on every part of visible and every part not visible of the interior materials, I can sum it up in short. The "good" or premium materials that lift the cabin ambience and perceived quality are better than those of the previous generation E90. The harder plastics left and right of the centre console and handbrake area is of poorer quality than the E90. That said, it is well hidden, although me being me finds it rather worrying. As with Audi’s A6 & A7 that have the same problem in that area, those particular plastics have to have a better quality feel. As for the switchgear, steering wheel, seats, seating/driving position and legroom: pure BMW-perfect ergonomics and the F30 makes the driver feel right at home. Nothing new or unfamiliar, just perfect. The cabin is roomier, without alienating the ‘cockpit’ feel from the driver’s seat.
Driving
First honours went to the 320d. For this initial drive I will just compare the engine and gearbox to that of my X1’s 23d’s Twin Turbo unit. With better noise insulation, the engine runs more quietly than that in the X1 and, with the F30 3er being lighter, the 320d left nothing to be desired in terms of power. Turbo lag or the lack thereof impresses whilst it’s the 8 Speed Auto one can really make a fuss about. Its simply a phenomenal gearbox, seamless, lightning quick up and downshifts in either auto mode or through the steering-mounted paddles.
I was lucky enough to jump right from the 320d into the 328i. After taking my seat behind the wheel and adjusting my seating and driving position to perfectly suit me, I told my passengers to do the same and to try and relax. I was determined to drive this car in all its modes and patterns. To take it all in and drive it like a BMW should be driven. None of the test cars had the optional M Adaptive suspension. I set off and what a surprise! The TwinPower 2.0 litre, 4 cylinder engine is very refined; instantly the 180 kW and 350 Nm of torque mated to the phenomenal 8 speed auto puts a smile on your face. Again, the gearbox make me realise that for the first time paddle shifters actually make sense to me. Man, the up and downshifts are immediate, seamless and do what you want and expect. Say you're in 6th gear @ 5500 rpm and you downshift two gears up by just pulling the left hand (-) paddle twice as fast as you can... it will drop two gears instantly with the tacho needle now @ 7000 rpm. This works best in Sport+ mode, with the gear selector in S (Sport). I can rave all day long about the gearbox; it’s a pure damn joy! The engine feels naturally aspirated - I cannot give it higher praise. It revs up as quickly as any NA engine and pulls like a steam train with the additional turbocharging and wide torque band. In Comfort mode things become a little bit more relaxed, yet still dynamic. In Eco Pro mode, everything changes. The throttle becomes less responsive, so much so that I guess it’s as if you're driving a 320i NA E90 3er. This will be the engine of choice in my opinion, since the 335i may just be too expensive.
Ride
Now get this: can a BMW of this size and nature ride this well or maybe even too well? Have you driven a BMW F10 5er lately? The F30’s primary and secondary ride is on par with that of the F10. Yes, it is! So much comfort over any surface is nearly, how shall I put it… unsettling! See, we enthusiasts expect handling and dynamic driving to be coupled with a ‘hard’ ride, or at least I do. The initial drive comfort is so good that your brain tells you that this Beemer has lost its dynamic ability. To my relief, when pushed hard through the corners, the opposite is true - the car handles fantastically! As dynamic as ever, with at least a plus 50% gain in ride comfort over the E90 3er.
After I got back, the local dealer principal and myself had a discussion about the ride. He mentioned that if Audi and Mercedes-Benz decides to use Run Flat tire technology going forward they have a disadvantage. With tires being the primary damper in the world of suspension engineering and Run Flats being the culprit in harsh ride, it just shows how far BMW has come in chassis and damping engineering. Run Flats just do not influence the primary ride anymore. Well done BMW!
The car is all round excellent with the only negative being the electric power steering. I am not used to it and I guess I/we should give as much feedback to the manufacturers, suppliers and engineers about this system. I suppose it can be better engineered going forward. Comparing it to the conventional hydraulically assisted system, simply put, shows it to be dull, uncommunicative and very un-BMW like. Especially when going in a straight line the steering feels dead in your hands. The feedback through corners and when pushing hard is also a bit too disconnected from what I am used to. Efficient Dynamics and the pressure on OEM’s to achieve low CO2 emission goals dictates the use of this technology, yet in my opinion it can be improved on.
Verdict
Home run! The ICON retains its title in this segment. Praise to BMW and a simple "thank you" would be in order. I am impressed and proud of the brand - the brand I drive and have come to love.
On the downside: PRICE. Being built locally at BMW's Plant Rosslyn immediately gives us locals the advantage of dodging import tax and duties, yet the F30 is R 30,000.00 to R 40,000.00 more expensive than the E90 it replaces. And, again, the new electronic power steering is a compromise.
Naas’ top tip
If it's space, practicality, comfort you're after and if you’re the connoisseur where the best materials and perceived quality makes your boat float without compromise, the F10 BMW 520d with M-Sportpack suddenly seems like a bargain!
Regards,
Naas.
I'm already exited!
