It’s difficult – some would say impossible – to improve on perfection. So the top tech people at BMW’s Munich HQ had a challenge on their hands when it came to making their flagship 3 series ‘ultimate driving machine’ better than what had gone before.
The car has been the epitome of performance in the small executive car class for 40 years since it was first unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show and over six generations of updates and revisions it has been seen as the benchmark for the segment.
For the latest extensive update they effectively went back to the drawing board – or at least their computer wizardry – to examine every element of the car to see if and how it could be improved. They took into account feedback from their extensive database of customers as well as the views of their own in-house specialists. There was no shortage of comments as 3 Series owners are renowned for their knowledge and love of, the car’s handling and performance.
It was a theoretical strip down and rebuild to make sure every component was doing its job to the very best of its ability. For the driving dynamics alone – a crucial element of the 3’s appeal – this amounted to such fine detail as changing the top mounts of the suspension struts from three bolts to five to spread the load and increase the performance of the now firmer ride.
At the same time the thickness of the bolts was reduced so there was no increase in weight. The chassis setups and hardware and software for the suspension including the electronically controlled dampers for the adjustments to the adaptive system, have been tweaked to improve the ride whatever the setting.
The electric power steering has been refined even further to improve its performance while still allowing the driver to appreciate the ‘feel’ of what’s happening through the front wheels.
I’m told that the whole chassis team with their specialisms in the likes of steering and suspension take a “seat of the pants” approach to analysing how the car performs rather than relying solely on what the computer tells them. Electronic brains are vital, but nothing beats the feel of a car on the road when everything is just right.
It certainly works. I tried several engine variants of the first models, including the impressive new petrol three cylinder 1.5 litre and the gutsy 2 litre diesel in the 320d, and no matter what was under the bonnet, the roadholding, feedback and general behaviour was first class.
The entry level three cylinder engine is in the 318i which replaces the former 316i and the first to be fitted in a BMW of this size, is a remarkable piece of kit. It is compact and lightweight but with amazing performance, efficiency and agility. It also is very quiet and with only three cylinders is low on vibration, helped by a balancer shaft in its heart which counteracts engine roll throughout the rev range.
I was told about its flexibility and put it to the test. From a virtual standing start, it was happy to pull away in third gear and stay there to go on to tackle a steepish hill at low speed. The engine is likely to appeal to even established 3 Series enthusiasts and BMW expect that it will help make the new 318i one of their best sellers in the UK.
There’s a total of four petrol and seven diesels with three, four and six cylinders and a range of outputs up to the 340i, which with the standard eight-speed Steptronic transmission, goes from a standard start to 62mph in just over 5 seconds.
But most buyers are likely to go for the new 320 and especially the EfficientDynamics 2.0 litre diesel in the 320d of the featured test car. Its output has been increased from 184 hp in the previous model to 190 hp along with a reduction in CO2 of 6%. It doesn’t hang about either, flying up to 62mph in just over 7 seconds, faster than before.
A plug-in hybrid 330e will join the range in 2016. It will have 252 hp, emissions of only 49 g/km and claimed economy of 134.5 mpg.
Most of the changes are under the surface and from the feel of the car, they are considerable. On the exterior, the latest model is at first glance not that different, whether in saloon or touring, which is BMW-speak for estate.
The front and back ends are restyled around new head and taillights and ‘eyebrow’ indicators above the headlights, which now include optional LEDs. Staying with the front, broader side air intakes are built into the bumpers and the central grille has been slightly altered to accommodate the radar sensor for the Active Cruise Control.
At the back, the lights are all LEDs and there’s more of a curve to their distinctive design and a more sculpted rear bumper.
On the inside, little has been altered, presumably on the basis that it was all working well, so why change it? All I could spot were some fancy chrome highlights but from my viewpoint, it’s more of the same distinctive and clean BMW interior.
More than 14 million 3 Series have been sold since 1975 and BMW are bullish about the latest version. That’s understandable, but the market is getting tougher. They’ve always faced competition from Mercedes with their much improved C Class and Audi have a solid and loyal customer base for their A4. What no doubt gives the BMW bosses some sleepless nights is the arrival of the new compact executive XE from Jaguar, which has gone down a storm and is expected to revive that brand’s image and fortunes….and give the Germans a run for their money.
The cars are pretty equally matched on many criteria, including performance and emissions, but BMW have clearly bitten the bullet and deliberately priced theirs lower. In the case of the 320d M Sport auto, it’s more powerful, faster and £2000 cheaper than the equivalent XE.
CAR: BMW 320d EfficientDynamics PLUS saloon
PRICE: £30,485  (£40,780 as tested)
ENGINE: 1995cc 4 cyl in line diesel
POWER: 163hp
TORQUE: 400 Nm
PERFORMANCE: 0-62 mph 7.8 secs  Max 140 mph
CONSUMPTION: 70 mpg
CO2: 104 g/km
TT Rating:Â 
