WE'VE WAITED A LONG time for it to arrive, but finally here's BMW's all-new sixth-generation 3 Series: the ever-popular 320d, to be precise. "But isn't it just a mild update over the previous model, because it certainly just looks the same?" I hear you ask.
To be honest, nothing could be further from the truth. The sixth-gen 3 Series is, according to the people at BMW, "infinitely superior to the car it replaces": and watching our video of the car as it gets to grips with the raw beauty of Glencoe and Rannoch Moor simply confirms that.
As BMW's best-selling model in the UK, the 320d will cover the 0-62mph sprint in 7.6secs, so it's no slouch: and it'll accelerate on to 146mph. Plus — wait for it — it'll return 64mpg: that means you can cover over 800 miles before looking for a filling station.
The new range boasts — as you would expect, given the leaps car manufacturers are making in terms of the environment — new eco credentials, plus a raft of technical innovations.
But at the heart of the 3 Series lies a car which is still something of a headturner and, more importantly, one which drives beautifully.
Of course, externally the car looks pretty much the same, a clever combination of slick elegance, but underneath everything is different.
Dynamically superior to the model it replaces, the new range also includes developments such as a super-smooth eight-speed, paddle-shift gearbox and an intriguing new ‘Eco Pro’ driver control system.
And the new range if mightily impressive, starting with the £24,880 entry-level 316d and rising to £37,025 for the 335i Luxury.
More models will be added later in the year, including a 335bhp/46mpg Hybrid Active 3. That will be followed by a four wheel-drive model plus the estate, convertible and a variety of M versons.
For now though we're concentrating on the 320d in Sport trim: that means it's fitted with BMW's new paddle-shift gearbox. Oh, and it's got the top-spec chassis and steering systems fitted. In the real world, this optional package of adaptive dampers and sport-spec servotronic steering, would set you back just under an extra six grand! That's on top of the standard price of £29,080.
It's certainly no slouch
As BMW's best-selling model in the UK, the 320d will cover the 0-62mph sprint in 7.6secs, so it's no slouch: and it'll accelerate on to 146mph. Plus — wait for it — it'll return 64mpg: that means you can cover over 800 miles before looking for a filling station.
It's got a satisfying mid-range punch, which makes it ideal for everyday driving. Steering is fingertip light, yet crisp and the auto gearbox is serenity itself. I tell you, the shifts are as imperceptible as any gearchange could ever be.
Flick the car into Sport mode and not only does the four-cylinder engine immediately come alive, but the whole car seems to take on another living, breathing dimension.
And as if that wasn't enough, there's also a Sport+ button which activates yet crisper responses from the steering, gearbox and throttle. Just for good measure, it also adjusts the traction control to make the car feel more alive.
Quality is second to none
Inside the cabin, the driver will instantly feel at home as BMW has returned to it's 'driver-centred' approach. All the switchgear and controls immediately feel instinctive: it's a brilliant lesson in ergonomics.
The quality and fit is second to none, plus there's more space for passengers, both in the front and in the rear. It's certainly a classy place in which to watch the world pass by.
Once again BMW has lifted the bar in terms of its rivals. The new 320d has, immediately, become the model by which its rivals will be compared to and — certainly at the moment, and I suspect for a few years to come — it will comfortably lead the pack.
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Craig James