BMW adds practicality to F30 3 Series with new wagon version
Get ready for the barrage of 'best car in the real world' headlines come September - BMW has revealed the touring version of its latest 3 Series.
But even better than adding practicality to a car over which the world's motoring media has been fairly frothing at the mouth (us included, it has to be said), the new 3 Series touring signals the return of a six-cylinder turbodiesel to the line-up in the form of the 330d.
This tops what is for now a three-tier range, the 258hp 3.0-litre turbocharged six (£34,700) sitting above the 245hp 2.0-litre 328i (£30,400) and 184hp 320d turbodiesel (£29,380). These will be joined later in the year by a 184hp version of the 2.0-litre turbo petrol four. There will also be a 143hp 318d and super-frugal 116hp 316d, both using a 2.0-litre turbodiesel lump.
But this is PH, and you don't want to know (too much) about frugality, so we'll return to the (for now - the 335i badge is conspicuous by its absence) range-topping 330d. It uses 3.0-litre, all-aluminium straight-six engine, but it's now lighter and has a lower level of internal friction, there's a new air intake and a lighter crankshaft to boost throttle response, lighter turbine blades in the turbocharger and modifications to the pre-injection phase of the solenoid injectors.
It's also mated to an eight-speed auto gearbox as standard rather than the six-speeder of old, and is thus up to 15 per cent more efficient. The result is 258hp, 413lb ft of torque, 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds, an inevitably limited top speed of 155mph and 55.4mpg on the official EU combined cycle (yes we know it won't make anywhere near that in the real world, but it should still be darn impressive). The 320d, meanwhile, manages 61.4mpg and the 328i a creditable 41.5mpg.
Of course, an estate car has to major to some extent on practicality, and the new 3er Touring delivers an extra 17mm of knee room and 9mm of head room than before (courtesy of 97mm overall length and 50mm extra in the wheelbase), 35 litres of additional luggage space over its predecessor and an electrically powered boot hatch as standard. Best car in the real world? It wouldn't surprise us to hear it said...
Love this shot! With all the recent noise over electric steering systems, it would appear that The Ultimate Driving Machine no longer appears to need a steering wheel!
Personally I think the Skoda Octavia Estate represents better value for money Previously I owned a 3 series BMW and was going to get the 3series tourer but got a Skoda with 20 miles on the clock probably for c50% of the price of the 'equivalent' BMW 3 series tourer. So far no complaints carrys load well, handling is sufficient for my needs get 45mpg from the petrol engine on the motorway averaging within legal limits Doesnt rattle, doesnt squeak, brakes are better than BMW The only downside is the badge but who cares
Personally I think the Skoda Octavia Estate represents better value for money Previously I owned a 3 series BMW and was going to get the 3series tourer but got a Skoda with 20 miles on the clock probably for c50% of the price of the 'equivalent' BMW 3 series tourer. So far no complaints carrys load well, handling is sufficient for my needs get 45mpg from the petrol engine on the motorway averaging within legal limits Doesnt rattle, doesnt squeak, brakes are better than BMW The only downside is the badge but who cares
its horses for courses. if you want a company car on the cheap, the skoda isn't better VFM. the RWD chassis on the 3er is better, the interior is better, the economy and performance is better for "like for like models" but as you say, they are more expensive.
i suspect most 320d's will be company cars in which case they'll be cheaper to run as far as i'm aware than the equivalent skoda.
Personally I think the Skoda Octavia Estate represents better value for money Previously I owned a 3 series BMW and was going to get the 3series tourer but got a Skoda with 20 miles on the clock probably for c50% of the price of the 'equivalent' BMW 3 series tourer. So far no complaints carrys load well, handling is sufficient for my needs get 45mpg from the petrol engine on the motorway averaging within legal limits Doesnt rattle, doesnt squeak, brakes are better than BMW The only downside is the badge but who cares
you obviously do - enough to come on here and justify your purchase!
Personally I think the Skoda Octavia Estate represents better value for money Previously I owned a 3 series BMW and was going to get the 3series tourer but got a Skoda with 20 miles on the clock probably for c50% of the price of the 'equivalent' BMW 3 series tourer. So far no complaints carrys load well, handling is sufficient for my needs get 45mpg from the petrol engine on the motorway averaging within legal limits Doesnt rattle, doesnt squeak, brakes are better than BMW The only downside is the badge but who cares
Not sure about this - have you specced up the latest Octavia to a decent spec? although cheaper, not poles apart.
Personally I think the Skoda Octavia Estate represents better value for money Previously I owned a 3 series BMW and was going to get the 3series tourer but got a Skoda with 20 miles on the clock probably for c50% of the price of the 'equivalent' BMW 3 series tourer. So far no complaints carrys load well, handling is sufficient for my needs get 45mpg from the petrol engine on the motorway averaging within legal limits Doesnt rattle, doesnt squeak, brakes are better than BMW The only downside is the badge but who cares
you obviously do - enough to come on here and justify your purchase!
