By Paul Gover.
The world’s long-time favourite prestige car, the BMW 3 Series, is back in top gear.
After being overtaken by its deadliest rival, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Three was the subject of a wheels-up re-work earlier this year.
BMW went new on everything from the chassis to the styling and the infotainment system, even moving the location of the push-button Start, to give the car a new lease on life. And renewed impact in showrooms.
The result is a car which returns to BMW’s long-time mantra, ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’, while adding the luxury and refinement needed to win defectors back from the C-Class, Audi’s A4 and even lower-key rivals including Jaguar and Lexus.
There are various choices in the new 3 Series family, but the headliner is the 330i with a sweet four-cylinder turbo engine, loads of equipment, and pricing from $70,900.
This car, the seventh-generation of the 3 Series, makes an immediate impact. It does not look like its predecessor, or any existing BMW sedan, and if the company is smart it will not be tempted into spinning the shape into anything bigger. BMW’s signature ‘kidney grille’ has been modernised and there are twin LED headlamps in the nose, as well as LED tail lights.
Graphics on the digital dashboard are new, moving away from the traditional pair of big circular dials, as twin displays – 12.3 inches in front of the driver, 10.25 inches neatly integrated into the centre of the dash – take up residence.
BMW claims more space from a longer and wider cabin, particularly in the back seats, as well as upgraded materials.
Sports seats are standard on every new Three, with leather on the 330i, there is a bigger heads-up display in both models, the latest iDrive system, Apple CarPlay and an improved voice-control system are fitted.
Safety-wise, the 320d gets everything from lane-change warning to front-collision warning and rear cross-traffic warning with crash protection, while the 330i is upgraded with radar cruise control, emergency stop assistance, even crossroads warning with auto safety braking.
Weight was a big target for BMW’s engineers and the cars are up to 55 kilograms lighter than their predecessors, with a 50:50 front/rear weight distribution that’s always been the target for sporty cars. The wheels are set further apart to increase the car’w footprint and cornering grip and, since the body is much more rigid, the suspension is tuned for enjoyment without compromising comfort.
The 330i gets ‘Adaptive M Suspension’, which is shorthand for a car that sits closer to the road and also has electronically-controlled dampers with driver-selectable Comfort and Sport modes. There are also M Sport brakes for better stopping.
Hit the road and it takes less than 10 minutes to appreciate the updating and upgrading work.New looks are good, improved cabin comfort is better, but it’s the driving experience that seals the deal.
BMW has managed to make the car more responsive in all conditions, but done it without destroying the comfort or making the cabin too noisy. Those are traps that rivals brands have fallen into at various times.
It’s a sharp chassis, reacting well to even small movements of the steering wheel, which gets even more crisp with the dampers in the Sports setting.
But compliance and ride comfort is the big bonus for 2019, and it comes in all conditions from city shopping to interstate long-haul runs. It can do the turn-and-grip stuff in corners to satisfy people who want their 330i to give them driving enjoyment, while also defeating both big and small bumps for times when a trip is about cruising and relaxation.
The instruments are crisp and clear, as well as refreshingly new, and it’s good to know that all the 5-Star safety stuff is fitted.
What’s not to like? A little more engine response would be nice, because the car sometimes takes reminding – or a flick into Sport mode – for an overtake or sprint from a corner, but there are always the flappy paddles to take manual control.
All-in-all, the new 3 Series is an impressive update and a return to BMW’s best. It is now back ahead of the C-Class, although Benz won’t take much prodding to produce its own range of improvements for the next new model.
Right now, though, the 330i is the benchmark in its class and there are plenty of BMW fans who are now looking forward to the 3-based coupe and M performance models that will start arriving next year.
THE BASICS:
BMW 330i
Prices: from $70,900
Power: 190kW/400Nm
Position: prestige sedan
Plus: A total revamp, refined with driving enjoyment
Minus: Not a cheap car
THE TICK: YES
