Bucket Seat: BMW X3 2.0d

Last year I attended the launch of the 3rd generation BMW X3 down in George, it was a very important launch for BMW SA as it would be the vehicle that ushers in a new dawn for their Rosslyn plant. After producing 5 Generations of BMW 3 Series over the years with a total of 1,191,604 being assembled for both the local and export market, the plant has now been reconfigured to build the all new X3. While on the launch I got to sample the range topping M40i petrol engine, but on test I had the 2-litre diesel variant which some might seem as a downer but again, this motor would be the popular one that sells the most and again a very important one for BMW, and you'll soon find out that it wasn't all the bad to drive around in. 

DESIGN

I've been quite vocal about this design, the first two generations of the X3 didn't do it for me, the first one was another nightmare from the Bangle era, while the second one sort of made amends but still wasn't my cup of tea. This one however is an absolute beaut, it brings in BMW's new design language for all the upcoming X models. The first thing you will noticed is the massive kidney grilles, from now on all of the BMW X models will have these large, prominent feature to make it unmistakably a model from the X range. The X3 is offered in two guises, the X-Line and the M Sport for those wanting a more sportier appeal, the one I had was the X-Line which in my opinion suits the car better as it gives it that SUV look an appeal, with luxury touches that you'd want in a premium car like this. Touches of brush aluminium and chrome around the car gives it that exclusive look contrasting the 19" rims on the high profile tyres which still ensures that the X3 can actually go on the roads less traveled. The X3 has grown a lot from it's predecessor and it's evident on the side profile of the vehicle and actually makes it look like an X5 at times. The rear end of the car is my favourite part of the new design, those rear lights tie up nicely at the end with a slight high arch which has the emblem sit in the middle. The indented spoiler which follows the lines of the roof also adds more dimension to this. 

Moving in on the inside is where you realise that BMW are certainly upping their game, and when they say they're giving you a premium car, they mean it. While brown's might not be a fan favourite it certainly is for me, with the X3 coming in a chocolate brown or 'Vernasca' Mocha as it's called in the brochure, with decorative stitching through the seats, doors and steering. The high gloss finish of the plastics really gave that added sparkle and contrasted well with the oak trim on the dash which actually felt like real wood, with grain detailing. Some might say, whats new? It still looks the same! but trust me, after driving quite a few of their cars there is a difference. While key design elements are still there, they are improved with better quality finishes and accents which highlight it. The attention to detail is impeccable, from the brushed aluminium buttons and trims, to the X logo on the inside of the doors which are visible only when you open them. I love what they did with the center cup holder compartment, hiding it away with a pull down roll up style cover. 

PERFORMANCE

While this is the baby of the diesel engines, it is the one engine that BMW have earmarked to be a big seller. With the ever increasing price of fuel, the range on the diesel engine will look much more appealing than that of a petrol one, especially on a big vehicle such as this. That being said, this motor isn't a slouch and quite a work horse, pushing you 140kW of power and 400Nm of torque, from the 2-litre, 4-Cylinder TwinPower Turbo engine. Important stat for those in the EU is that the motor record 146g/km, quite significant number compared to its rivals. On the smooth surface, the X3 performs as would any other car from the BMW stable, drives well, I guess you could say the ride is remarkably smoother, I mean having just coming off driving the M240i, this felt like I was gliding on air. The three driving styles as common on BMW's being Eco-Pro, Comfort and Sports are offered in the X3 but make quite entertaining to flick through with the digital instrument cluster changing to suit. Eco-Pro limits the high revs and also has a reduced maximum speed, ideal for driving around busy areas with loads of traffic and aids the already impressive fuel economy which BMW claim a combined of 5.5L/100km. 

COMFORT

As mentioned, the ride quality is spectacular, smooth, soft and generally like riding on air. The front passengers can enjoy heated seating, not like we need that in Durban as well as have the option for full electric memory seats, an option that is nice to have but unfortunately one that this model didn't come with. The weight distribution is on point with hardly much body roll when using all that torque when exiting corners. The rear passengers enjoy loads of head and leg room with equally comfortable seating. The panoramic glass roof is huge and really gives the expression "bring the outside" a new meaning, it also has a sliding sunroof for the front passengers to enjoy and when the sun is becoming a bit much, just close the curtain! All BMW X3's come with the automatic tailgate as standard, and it's easily controlled with the car key as well as height adjustable so you don't have to worry about the boot lid hitting anything in a low ceiling area. 

TECHNOLOGY

The new X3 has a lot of tech to offer, as mentioned before, the electronic memory seats would be a nice option, especially as BMW's seat configurations offer so much more than just moving it forward and backwards. This particular model came packed with some nice options, the heads-up display which has been upgraded with more info and a new style of displaying on the windscreen. LED lights with adaptive high beam assist, bless the feature, I just love it and can't stop raving about it. Another cool option on the X3 and is available on most of the new BMW models is the 3D walk around on the camera package, as demonstrated in the video below, it gives you not only a birds eye view of the car but also lets you look around the car by means of the 4 cameras as it builds the environment up on your screen. It's pretty cool so be sure to click play. BMW's gesture control was also a nice tech highlight, I mean it is easier to just use the volume control buttons on the multi-function steering but it's more fun to wave your hand around like Harry Potter to get it done. The mood lighting choices have increase with dual tone colours, you can really change the interior at night with the various choices of the lighting. 

VERDICT

Okay, lets talk about the elephant in the room, this car isn't cheap, coming in at a base price of R690,200 doesn't look that bad at first but after adding your package, colours, extras, it could cost you over a million, this particular car I had, came fitted with R257,565.02 worth of extras...yes I know, you could buy another car with that money but here's the thing I don't understand with people who say shit like that. Will those cars come with cool tech like this? Short answer, no, while people are paying premium they are getting premium for it. If you going to want the coolest things in your car, be prepared to pay the price for it and 9 out of 10 times these extras are worth the money, otherwise they won't make them. The car itself is superb and I can't fault it at all. It really is a well built, all round SAV as they like to call it and certainly a great investment by BMW to invest in the local market by making them in our own country. Here's hoping for a million of these to roll off the production line in Rosslyn. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0litre, 4 cylinder
Gear Box	8 Speed Sport Automatic Steptronic
Power	140kW
Torque	400Nm
Top Speed	250km/h (electronically governed)
Economy	5.5 L/100km
Price	R690,200*

*Excludes extras

Bucket Seat: BMW 420i Gran Coupe

From a person that never saw the point of a Gran Coupe when it was first released to someone who swears its the best possible form of car on the market now, one can only imagine how eagerly I was awaiting my chance to test the revised BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. Having attended the launch a few months back and getting the opportunity to thrash it around some of the twisty testing roads that Mpumalanga had to offer, it already showcased some great attributes but I needed to spend more time with it, figure out what makes this revised model so much more special than the original. BMW spent a lot of time expressing how with this new model, that Four Means More, and having looked at market trends from buys of the 4 Series, scrutinizing everything from what engine was more popular to what extras were most wanted in the cars, they could suit the revised model to what they think the buyer would want. 

DESIGN

If one has to take a quick glance at the car, not much has really changed in the design of the Gran Coupe, the car has grown by millimeters here and there thanks to a redesigned chassis but it isn't easily seen with the naked eye but can be experience when inside the car. The most striking features of the revised design is the lights, both the front and back lights have seen a make-up artist and had some details and eyeliner added to them, the results are outstanding. The cars now have ditched Xenon technology and have opted for LED, with the new 4 Series coming with Bi-LED lights as standard with the option to upgrade to the Adaptive LED lights which is more evident with it's hexagonal design, which is quite prominent and give the car so much character. The 420i GC which I had on test had the standard Bi-LED head lamps which also look great. On the inside, some nice touches were added, with extra chrome detailing, give the car a more premium feel. 

PERFORMANCE

The original 420i engine didn't leave much to the driver in terms of excitement or performance, the new engines that come from the 3 Series have been introduced into the 4 Series range and has made a load of difference. The engine packs quite a punch and pushes out 135kW with 290Nm of torque to get it going. The car was extremely responsive in all driving modes, Sport + is the most fun mode to drive it in but it has that usual problem of making the car extremely thirsty. Driving around in Eco Pro mode isn't as bad as it seems and I had it in this setting for most of my time. Don't expect a fast response to the throttle though as it tries to minimize high revving and long accelerations for obvious reasons, it even warns you when you're over doing it. 

COMFORT

When having a look at the 4 Series, there is one thing you have to remember the car is a Coupe, the Gran Coupe is still essentially a coupe but with 4 doors. So the ride and stance of the car still remains true to its Coupe heritage. The car sits much lower than your regular sedans and this just makes thins so much more better for the driver. The passenger also gets a good kick from this as well being at this low seating position, almost makes it feel race car-ish. Seating configuration is suited for 4 people as the car does have bucket seats both in the front and back but you can seat 5. As mentioned before, BMW have given the entire line up new chassis which have been redesigned to give the driver a better driving experience, with stiffer suspension, modified dampers, updated ABS which is very evident with the shortened breaking distance. The cars boot is quite big and with the ease of the automatic tailgate makes it very easy to pack an unpack the car.

TECH

Normally when getting a test car from BMW, we used to getting a press car with loads of extras, unfortunately this time around, we were given the bare essentials if you would like. How I said earlier about BMW noticing trends in their customers? Well they chose to equip the car with the extras that were most chosen when buyers purchased their cars. So nothing fancy but still enough to get excited about. Most essentially is the professional Sat-Nav which comes with the large infotainment screen. The layout of the menu has changed and is taken from the new 5 Series with tile formats. Not entirely sure if the hand gestures package is offered in the 4 Series though. Bluetooth telephone and Audio streaming should be a norm now but BMW still has the audio streaming as an optional extra but I think that might change soon with Apple Car Play connectivity and Android Mirror screening. 

VERDICT

As I said from the beginning, this derivative of the 4 Series is my favourite and there's nothing that can change my mind about it. Yes the price of the 4 Series has gone up from the last but that is why BMW was drumming in the 4 Means More tag line, essentially saying that the 4 Series has become more of a premium luxury sports coupe with it offering the customer more as standard and actually works out to their benefit. This car will definitely make my 10 car garage, simply because  how it fuses practicality and sportiness in a car. There's not many sportbacks out there that can do this with so much ease and fun. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic with paddles shift
Power	135kW
Torque	290Nm
Top Speed	250Kph (electronically limited)
0-100kph	7.5 Seconds
Price	R651 400

Bucket Seat: Mini Clubman Cooper S

After attending the launch earlier in the year and having a limited drive in it due to time constraints, so I was really looking forward to getting the Clubman on my test. Alas, something aren't meant to be I guess as during my time with it, I encountered an unfortunate incident which saw me return the car just 3 days after getting it. Some people in this country just enjoy causing damage and trouble to others property but luckily the damage to the car was not too severe and at the same time let me experience first hand what an owner has to go through should something like this had to happen to them. Even though it was just 3 days, I did manage to have a lot of fun with the car and here's how it went down.

Style

The Clubman is probably the longest Mini in the line up, its base is the Mini 5 door with a longer boot. Although some may call it a hearse, I think it looks pretty nifty. It has that Mini charm to it, and while looks compact, it really is quite big and spacious on the inside. In fact, I'd go out on a limb and say its more spacious than the Countryman. It was the Cooper S model so it had all the sporty extras added to it, large 18" blacked rims, lowered bumper and bigger grilles. The business end of the car has to be the rear, although the back is longer, it doesn't seem out of place and the showstopper has to be those rear doors. Normally with a hatch, you would be familiar with the usual tip up door but with the Clubman, the doors open like a panel van with a two split and with the auto boot open function, it proves to be quite a cool party trick as I showed it off to many and they were equally impressed.

Performance

Nothing more needs to be said about Mini's Cooper S engine that hasn't been said already. It's an almighty 2l Twin Turbo power plant that just itches at every opportunity to provide the most thrilling drive every time to you flick the switch to start the car. That coupled with the masculine tone of the twin exhaust, makes you feel like a racer ready to take on the track. Even though the car is larger than the other Mini's, it still has that Go-Kart feel to it, and it easy to maneuver around. I had the automatic gear box which some may say takes away the joy of driving this type of car but I feel it's quite the opposite. With the engine pushing our 141kW, 280Nm of torque and a top speed of 228kph, you don't want to be changing gears all the time.

Comfort

It's not only me that shares this sentiment, as others who sat in the car said so as well, it really is the best Mini in terms of space and comfort. There's tons of leg room in the back for adult passengers as well as plenty of space in the front. The set up is more in line with BMW although everything is distinctively Mini. The Clubman also has some neat tricks to it as well, normally the mood lighting package in the Mini just features the usual LED lights on the door handles, center console and cabin lighting but on the Club, it has an LED feature pattern on the door which really is breathtaking at night. It caught me off guard at first and I was taken a back by it. It really is flippin cool to see!

Storage

If you going into the market to buy this car, it's for the storage capacity no doubt. The boot is massive and the storage space can be increased by dropping the rear seats. It's simple enough to do so, either by flicking the switch from the boot or from the back passenger doors. It's actually quite surprising how much can fit in the boot and with the doors being split, it makes loaded and off loading easy peasy.

Extras

The cars extras list is might long and impressive to say the least. The car came loaded with them, the light package as mentioned before, Harman Kardon HiFi stereo sound, panoramic glass sunroof with blinds, Scotch pattern seats which is really cool and makes your Mini distinctly different from others. The car also came with Satellite Navigation and Bluetooth Audio streaming. 

Mini Assist

Now on the third night with my car, on way home from dinner, I encounter rocks placed along the road on a blind rise and it was almost impossible for me to avoid, as agile as the Mini is, I managed to avoid the bigger rocks and subsequently hit the smallest one, immediately the cars safety warnings told me something was wrong, the left front tyre was losing pressure and I could feel the car pull to the left. Knowing my house was not more than 200 meters away and the Mini has run flat tyres, I continued to drive at a slow pace, fearing if I had stop to assess the damage I could have been a target for the perpetrators who placed the rocks there. Initially I thought it was the tyre that popped but when I arrived home I realised that the entire rim had cracked. Miraculously nothing else on the car was damaged and the tyre looked like it was fine but due to the rim being cracked, it cut through it. 

Now if this had to happen somewhere else where you're quite far from your destination, it would not be advisable to drive on with a damaged rim. Thats where Mini Assist comes into play, every car sold comes with a Mini Assist plan, and in cases where the rim is damaged, one cannot just pop the boot open and change the tyre since there isn't any due to the cars coming with run flats, so Mini Assist will come to you with the spare rim, change it for you and you can continue to your destination. Of course that rim won't be a replacement, just serves as a standby while you source a new one. It was a learning curve at the same time for myself to see what would happen if an owner had to experience this problem and I must add, the guys were pretty helpful and saw to the issue as soon as they could. 

Verdict

It's the best Mini there is, yes I know I didn't have it that long, yes I want it back, but like the phrase for the Clubman says "Go with your gut!" Seriously, go down to a Mini dealer and test drive one, if your biggest concern over getting a Mini was space for 4 adults and enough boot space, this is the answer to your problems. It is a fantastic car, loads of fun and great to drive. 

Specifications

• 2 litre, 3 cylinder TwinPower Turbo
• 6 speed automatic gear box
• 141kW
• 280Nm torque
• Consumption: 6.4ltr/ 100km
• Top Speed: 228kph
• 0-100kph: 7.2 seconds 
• Price: R447 000* (*excluding extras)