Bucket Seat: BMW G20 330d

A few weeks back, before the COVID19 pandemic arrived in South Africa, I was in Johannesburg and got the opportunity to sample the latest diesel offering in the BMW G20 line up, the 330d. The 330d has always had a low-key cult following as the then "range topping" diesel diesel engine, I say then because this isn't the last diesel variant for the 3 series with an even meaner M340d on the way. Never the less, I was still equally excited to drive this one, the torque offering on it is mad but with the combined luxury, fuel efficiency you get in a diesel model and level of comfort this could potentially be the recipe for one of the best models in the entire 3 Series line-up. What better place to put it to the test than the hustle and bustle of the Johannesburg highways. 

DESIGN

The 330d design remains the same as the rest of the G20 line-up, no added design features like the M340i, those enhancements are saved for the upcoming M340d. The spec I had was damn beautiful if you ask me though, it featured the M Sport package with optional 19" bi-colour rims and the stand our was definitely the colour, Dravit Grey, an optional extra BMW individual paint that is worth every cent. The finish is a dull gloss that just makes the car that more eye catching as you get this matte silhouette drive pass you if you happen to be seeing it go by. There's not much more I can add to the design of the car as I've exhausted all topics about it in my previous reviews but the attention to detail in the G20 model compared to those of the past really blows my mind. Even though the vehicle is mass produced, the quality of the product you getting does not feel like it was part of a molded assembly line, that just churns out the same thing 200 times a day. There definitely feels like there was a lot more human element involved in the building of this car even if there wasn't. 

PERFORMANCE

The part where everyone would be interested, how much power does this new engine produce? Well firstly lets get the capacity correct, quite a few people asked me if this is also 2.0L engine like the 330i, no it is not, the 330d still remains a 3.0L twin-power turbo diesel engine as before, it posts 195kW and a staggering 580Nm of torque. The engine is lively and torque happy, getting you from a stand still to 100km/h in just 5.5 seconds! Not bad for a family saloon if you ask me, it picks up speed well with the top speed electronically governed to 250, not like you can achieve that speed here on an open road but the car is solid. BMW claim a fuel efficiency of 5.5L per 100km which would be hard to achieve especially in Johannesburg traffic, but you can average around the 6L per 100km mark which for a 3.0L engine is damn good. Bare in mind when you do get heavy on the foot, so does the fuel consumption but its worth it in the end. 

COMFORT

The cabin size of the new 3 Series is generous, heck this trip it was 3 guys, suit cases and a golf bag. All of which fitted into the car without breaking a sweat, some thinking was required into making it work but nothing that took too much time or hurt the brain. The back seats of the BMW feature a 60/40 split to gain entry to the tailgate, dropping the 40 split enabled us to slide the clubs through to the cabin, while still leaving passenger number 3 with 60% of the back seat to sit in comfort. The suitcases fitted in the rest of the 480L luggage capacity. One tiny grip would be that the boot height is a tad bit lower than before, not sure the reason but it's probably for overall design but getting big bulky things into there is not the easiest. Interior spec wise, again, another top drawer effort from the guys at BMW SA, the interior was leather venasca in Cognac, a light brown beige tone which is usually chosen for the luxury package but blended well with the Dravit grey interior. I'm a big fan of brown interiors in general so loved this look in the car. 

TECHNOLOGY

Tech wise it came with all the fancy bells and whistles but I found myself using some of the functions that are exclusive to the new 3 Series a lot more this time around. That reverse assistant, my I didn't realise how handy it would be until I drove a 3 Series, the AirBnB we stayed at had a parking bay at 90 degrees after entering the gate, getting in, pretty easy after making some quick steering maneuvers, because of the size of the car, getting out wasn't as easy. No problem, slap it into reverse select the reverse assistant and it does it for you while you fix your hair or see what from breakfast is still stuck in your teeth, all whilst controlling the speed with the brake pedal. Another feature which has been out for some time now, the self park assist which seems to work even better now without having you drive back and forth with the car trying to get it to recognize an empty bay which it can fit at, it almost does it by itself without you even engaging the function, thus speeding up the process tenfold making sure you get into that bay as quick as possible. 

VERDICT

Overall, this has been the fourth variant of BMW's G20 3 Series and one of my favourites by far, why? Well the engine does what it says, a well balance diesel motor that offers you great performance with a decent fuel consumption. On long trips the 330d will be epic, but as I demonstrated driving around town, it wasn't too bad either. People will underestimate the normal guise, but it will keep up with some other serious machinery on the road. If this model performs so well, I cannot imagine how the M340d will be, still remains to be seen if BMW opt to bring that model down but I got a good hunch they will do. The only other model that might persuade me from getting the 330d would be the 330e, the plug-in hybrid model which again no indication of BMW SA bringing it to the country. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	3.0L Twin-Power Turbo Diesel
Gear Box	8 Speed Steptronic
Torque	580Nm
Power	195kW
Consumption	5.5L/100km
Price	R783,300*

*Base Price

Bucket Seat: 2018 BMW 3 Series - First Impressions

The love affair between South Africa and the BMW 3 Series still continues even if the now G20 model isn't being produced at Plant Rosslyn. It's not only an important car for South Africa but the world and the German manufacturer knows that pretty well, which is why they invested so much time and energy into perfecting the product that hits the roads. Over 15,000,000 BMW 3 Series have been sold world over since it's introduction in 1982 and while it's probably the most common BMW on our countries roads, South Africa doesn't even feature on their major markets buying map of the car. That is how impressive the sales of the car is world over, with Europe, China and USA making up the top thrree. I was lucky enough to attend the local launch of the new BMW 3 Series last week in the picturesque Cape, where I got the opportunity to put the two launch model engines to the test along some of the countries most beautiful and challenging passes as well as the dreaded Cape Town city traffic. 

As mentioned before, the new BMW 3 Series is being launched in only two engine variants for now the 320d and the 330i, with others due to land on our shores during the course of the year including the mighty M340i xDrive. When it comes to design a car that's so important to the brand, very little risks are taken as to not upset the majority but BMW were less conservative and rather bold with the design on the G20. A remarkable change from its predecessor and once you see it in the metal, it's fair to say they've knocked this one out the park. There have been various comments online about the rear bearing a resemblance to another German brand let me assure you it is far from it and ties in well with the new BMW design language which we see on the new X4 and soon to be launched 8 Series.

It's visually striking and no doubt turned many heads while driving around. I love the new face of the 3, it has power and presence but most importantly it has it's own identity and not just a "baby 5 series" which consumers will value as it is a brand new product. BMW have designed the car on three pillars, which was mentioned in the press conference but the wind distracted me a bit but its primarily driving dynamics, premium quality and innovation. All which BMW have gone into great detail to get right for the 7th generation 3 Series. Once you're in the car, the new interior design style immediately has you in love with the car. While BMW continues with their minimalistic approach  to their interiors, it has enough to wow anyone. The trimmings, finishes are of high quality and with the various textures and trims to chose from in the range, designing your ultimate car would be as fun as driving it. 

On the road, the 320d was pretty much what a 320d is meant to do, a no fuss, fuel sipping gem with that added extra kick to get you places a bit faster if needed. I wanted to drive this engine first as I would feel its the one the market would tend to go for, seeing how well it done in the previous generation. The car is extremely well balanced, so going through the twistys proved to be quite fun, with the high toque in the diesel, you did feel the front end go in at the corners but the car was always beautifully poised to exit. On a straight, the 320d's acceleration is standard another nothing to write home about, given the car is much heavier than the out going model, you would feel that the car is slightly held back by the extra weight. Overall, the 320d's performance on the road ticked all the right boxes for me, its comfortable, a delight to drive and that fuel efficiency is unrivaled with  you being able to get over a 1000km on a tank when driving long distance. 

The 330i is a different beast altogether, just by the tone of the dual exhausts on the back you know this one isn't here to pussy-foot around. With the 4 cylinder petrol engine, it just purrs as you fire it up, engage sport mode and floor, it will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing in astonishment. The 330i can be brutal when the need arises and couple this with the M Sport gearbox with the paddle shift and it will take the enjoyment of driving it up several notches. The car just feels more lighter and nimble than the 320d but I support with the lack of the lag on this one, the petrol engine was always going to feel more nippy. Navigating through traffic with the 330i was seamless, as it even though its a rather big sedan, it manages to slip into the gaps with ease. 

Technology wise, this new 3 Series has all the bells and whistles, so you don't have to own one and look at the 7 to see all the fancy toys. It's also one of the first models BMW have added their autonomous tech too, I didn't get a chance to test it out as the cars I drove didn't come with the option but I'm hoping the test car will have it. The BMW 3 Series also has a digital instrument panel, a key change in the BMW design going forward. It does away with the round ones and mimics the styling ques of the kidney grille. It also displays other information like sat-nav, media and other info that might be needed to see. The new 3 Series also has laser lights, which is something to see in itself. Extended luminance range to up to 4x to that of LED! BMW have also launched a personal assistant with the new 3, which combines AI and user preferences to assist you where it can. So for example if you need it to set reminders for you, navigate you to a specific destination or just keep you entertained on the drive, it will, just have to ask! It's prompted by saying "Hey BMW," but you can change the trigger word to whatever name you would like. 

BMW needed to up their game with this new 3 Series and I think they did, not only did they up their game but surpassed peoples expectations. The new 3 Series is certainly worth all the hype and even if any of the launch engines are not for you, I'd recommend you keep an eye on when the one you'd like is due to be launched.  I know there is a lot expected from the M340i xDrive which has gotten loads of attention across our shores but for what we have now, these have already left a lasting impression on me, I can only imagine how good that is. BMW also listens to market trends which is good, so in terms of packages for the new 3, you get Standard, Sport and M Sport to chose from. BMW have some great launch deals on both the 320d and 330i with M Sport packages, so I suggest prospective buyers take advantage of these great prices before the predicted price increase in April.

Recommended Retail Price

Engine	Standard	Sport Line	M Sport	Sport Launch Edition	M Sport Launch Edition
330i	649 000	672 600	694 400	664 000	684 000
320d	649 000	672 600	694 000	664 000	684 000