RE: BMW 330i M Sport prototype: Driven
Discussion
CedricN said:
I hope they will improve, the f30 was a sloppy boat to drive. Could have been a volvo, passat, Peugeot, or any other large boring car.
Totally disagree. I had a 320d a while ago, more recently owned a Current Passat and now have a new Volvo. 3 Series drives far better than both of them (wrt handling. Ride wise both the others are better).
Mr Tidy said:
Sad to see BMW having to go down the path of down-sized 4 cylinder turbo engines, but I suppose it's inevitable in the emissions race. 
But I can't see much progress - you could buy an E90 330i with an N/A straight 6 petrol that produced 258 bhp in late 2005, but it was noticeably smaller than the current monster!
No thanks.
yet gets past emission regs and gets far better fuel economy, it's 2/3 of the cylinder count and still the same power output is another way to look at it. It'll also have a lot more torque, being turbocharged, so it will be a fair chunk quicker when not revving the nuts off it.But I can't see much progress - you could buy an E90 330i with an N/A straight 6 petrol that produced 258 bhp in late 2005, but it was noticeably smaller than the current monster!
No thanks.
Still, won't sound as nice.
Some of the comments on here read like they are written by people who still live in 2004 when the E46 was alive and well.
Sadly BMW (and the rest of the industry) are living in 2018, and have to play by the rules of the game now, however unfair they may be.
As an F30 driver, I for one think they've done a decent job (not perfect), and the new one looks to improve on the driver/handling focus.
But we need to face reality, the year is 2018 not 2004!
Sadly BMW (and the rest of the industry) are living in 2018, and have to play by the rules of the game now, however unfair they may be.
As an F30 driver, I for one think they've done a decent job (not perfect), and the new one looks to improve on the driver/handling focus.
But we need to face reality, the year is 2018 not 2004!
My bigger problem is the size. I've spent a few days driving the current M3 on track and on road and already that feels like a very very very big car. Around Blyton park it felt like a boat, and that's the M3!
I can't believe the writer of this article is trying to excuse the fact that its getting even bigger. the E39 was never the "perfect" size for handling, it was always too heavy and too soft to be anything other than a motorway or large A road cruiser.
The 3 series is becoming too large, and I can't think of a possible reason why it needs to be bigger than the outgoing model. They had it about spot on at E46 point, a small compact executive saloon with excellent handling and a nice interior. We now have a 3 series the size of a 5 series, a 5 series the size of a 7 series, and a 7 series the size of an oil tanker.
Am I missing something or have BMW not realised that roads are still the same size they always were?
I can't believe the writer of this article is trying to excuse the fact that its getting even bigger. the E39 was never the "perfect" size for handling, it was always too heavy and too soft to be anything other than a motorway or large A road cruiser.
The 3 series is becoming too large, and I can't think of a possible reason why it needs to be bigger than the outgoing model. They had it about spot on at E46 point, a small compact executive saloon with excellent handling and a nice interior. We now have a 3 series the size of a 5 series, a 5 series the size of a 7 series, and a 7 series the size of an oil tanker.
Am I missing something or have BMW not realised that roads are still the same size they always were?
shrink1061 said:
Am I missing something or have BMW not realised that roads are still the same size they always were?
What you seem to have missed is that the 3-series is no longer the smallest car in their range. If you want something the size of an E46, surely you buy a 1- or 2-series? All manufacturers do this. They like their car models to grow with their buyers so someone who bought a 3-series as a "compact" saloon back in the days of the E30 has now grown up and wants something more relaxed and refined... but they've owned (and hopefully liked) a 3-series before so a 3-series which suits their new needs is perfect.
I'm not sure what they'll do in another generation though. The -1-series?
Edited by kambites on Thursday 16th August 09:23
shrink1061 said:
The 3 series is becoming too large, and I can't think of a possible reason why it needs to be bigger than the outgoing model. They had it about spot on at E46 point, a small compact executive saloon with excellent handling and a nice interior.
Whilst I agree in part, can you imagine the slating it would get from the media and buying public against every single rival that has increased by similar dimensions as the 3 over the last 3 generations?shrink1061 said:
My bigger problem is the size. I've spent a few days driving the current M3 on track and on road and already that feels like a very very very big car. Around Blyton park it felt like a boat, and that's the M3!
I can't believe the writer of this article is trying to excuse the fact that its getting even bigger. the E39 was never the "perfect" size for handling, it was always too heavy and too soft to be anything other than a motorway or large A road cruiser.
The 3 series is becoming too large, and I can't think of a possible reason why it needs to be bigger than the outgoing model. They had it about spot on at E46 point, a small compact executive saloon with excellent handling and a nice interior. We now have a 3 series the size of a 5 series, a 5 series the size of a 7 series, and a 7 series the size of an oil tanker.
Am I missing something or have BMW not realised that roads are still the same size they always were?
Back when the E46 was around they didn't have a smaller saloon. If the 3 series is too big get a 1 or 2 series?I can't believe the writer of this article is trying to excuse the fact that its getting even bigger. the E39 was never the "perfect" size for handling, it was always too heavy and too soft to be anything other than a motorway or large A road cruiser.
The 3 series is becoming too large, and I can't think of a possible reason why it needs to be bigger than the outgoing model. They had it about spot on at E46 point, a small compact executive saloon with excellent handling and a nice interior. We now have a 3 series the size of a 5 series, a 5 series the size of a 7 series, and a 7 series the size of an oil tanker.
Am I missing something or have BMW not realised that roads are still the same size they always were?
Save the manuals said:
Sounds promising that BMW is trying to make the next 3 series a better drivers car! Having spent a lot of time in the E90, I think the F30 was a big step in the wrong direction. The xDrive versions in particular are not much fun at all.
Couldn't agree more, I actually own (just about) an E91 320d which is a great car to drive still and have spent a lot of time driving a F-series 320d x drive manual and its utterly ghastly in every conceivable way.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff