What is it?
The all-new BMW 3-series, tested here powered by a four cylinder, 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
What’s it like?
It’s good-looking car, for starters. Outside and in, with a return to the 'driver-centred' cabin, clean aesthetics and wonderful fit and finish. And this 328i combines its impressive 242bhp with a CO2 score of just 147g/km.
It doesn't sound quite as a car badged 328i should. Udo Haenle, 3-series project chief, says his engineers considered electronic sound synthesis through the stereo system, BMW M5-fashion, to create a straight-six soundtrack, but he felt there was no point in hiding the fact that today's 328i has a 2.0-litre four with a turbocharger.
You're not particularly aware of engine noises anyway, because this is a quiet car whose ample maximum torque – 258lb ft – plateaus all the way from 1250rpm to 4800.
It hardly needs the optional (£1500) automatic's eight ratios, given that the manual still manages 149g/km with its six gears, and the resulting frequent gearshifts aren't always smooth unless you intervene with the paddleshifters.
But this 328i is a properly fast car, with 62mph claimed from a standstill in just 6.1 effortless seconds.
There seemed little wrong with the previous E90 3-series' chassis dynamics, but the new F30, slightly larger but slightly lighter, shows there was room for improvement. Unlike some other recent BMWs this one has the precision, balance and fluidity a BMW should have, with a seemingly understeer-proof front end, crisp and credibly weighted steering and a taut but yielding ride.
The variable-ratio steering (£350), speeding its response as you turn, aids the agility, while the 'adaptive M' dampers (£750) are neither too floaty in Comfort nor too fidgety in the Sport Plus mode that also livens up the gearbox and accelerator and firms the steering.
Our test car was in Sport spec, one of three 'lines' which include 'Modern' and 'Luxury'. For the UK, however, the 328i will come as an M Sport rather than a mere Sport, with a slightly different look and the 'adaptive M' suspension as standard.
One final thought. Too many new cars have electric parking brakes, particularly annoying in a manual car, but the 3-series retains a proper handbrake. “It's better for sliding,” says Haenle.
Should I buy one?
If you’re in the market for a compact executive car with this sort of performance, then this is the pick of the bunch.
John Simister
BMW 328i ES auto
Price: £30,560; Top speed: 155mph; 0-62mph: 6.1sec; Economy: 44.8mpg (combined); CO2: 147g/km; Kerb weight: 1430kg; Engine: 4 cyls, 1997cc, turbo, petrol; Power: 242bhp at 5000-6500rpm; Torque: 258lb ft at 1250-4800rpm; Gearbox: 8-spd auto.
Join the debate
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
What is that thing on the back seat?
Looks like a giant man's washbag..
Honda CR-V ES 2.2 i-DTEC/Citroen DS3 1.6 VTi DStyle Plus
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
Unbelievable economy and performance figures, especially for a petrol engine. I just don't like the idea of labelling a 2.0 as a '328i'.
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
What is that thing on the back seat?
Looks like a giant man's washbag..
No, not a giant man, a Super Man...
Nice car, I'd take mine as a manual thanks.
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
What is that thing on the back seat?
Looks like a giant man's washbag..
No, not a giant man, a Super Man...
It's a storage bag, with integral cupholders as can be seen, that clips into the centre belt fastening. When sir arrives at his destination the storage bag can be effortlessly removed and the employed as a subtlely branded rucksack; though sir is advised to remove the beverages before doing so.
That red line across the dashboard. No, no. No, no!
No Description Available
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
Udo Haenle, 3-series project
chief, says his engineers considered electronic sound synthesis through the
stereo system, BMW M5-fashion, to create a straight-six soundtrack, but he felt
there was no point in hiding the fact that today's 328i has a 2.0-litre four
with a turbocharger.
No, they just do that with the badging!
Another sport spec test. Are BMW worried about journo's trying anything else?
Red trim and stitching aside, as a package (in sports spec) this does do a very good impression of being all the car you'd ever need. Glad to see they have also worked their economy magic with the petrol engine as well.
It's all about the twisties........
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
Impressive car pretty much all round (yes, red stripe excepted!).
Glad to hear that engine noise is okay. Autoblog were quite critical of it, and it sounds like a knackered old diesel in their video clip!
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
and it sounds like a knackered old diesel in their video clip
My father in laws E90 335i sounds like a (quiet) diesel on idle, no idea why. His previous 330i sounded so much better.
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
so we have had lots of bmw articles today!
Not a bad car by any stretch of the imagination - but its not m sport spec - so why write about a car that won't be sold over here? I quite like the car - its grown on me.
And flash suspension with three settings - that to me is just something else to go wrong after 3 years and out of warranty. Cars are just getting too complicated!
Re: BMW 3 Series 328i Sport
uses a traditional handbrake. perfect reason to buy this car.
