Now done 1200 miles in the new company wheels, and wanted to post a few thoughts.
The car in question is a 2015 BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring in Melbourne Red with optional Business Nav, front parking sensors, and automatic transmission. It was delivered on 10th March with 40 miles on the clock. Total mileage now is a whisker under 1200 miles.
As you know, this replaced a very similar car, albeit in saloon trim and with the 6 speed manual gearbox, and it's not surprising that it feels very similar to drive in terms of general feel. It's still a bit soft for full on sporty driving, but the steering is accurate, and the brakes very confidence inspiring. There have been some detail changes inside, with a different moulding around the climate control panel which now doesn't creak and move if you push it. Even allowing for 54k of wear and tear, I don't think the old one ever felt this taut and together inside.
The most obvious difference when you drive the new one is of course the gearbox. The ZF 8HP transmission has had a lot of praise in the press, and forgive me for being a bit gushing about it as well, because in this application at least, it is quite simply brilliant. Not only does it lose, in one fell swoop the heavy, inconsistent clutch and baulky shift of the manual (BMW manual transmissions are not what they were) but it brings about a marked improvement in general NVH as well. The BMW N47 isn't a particularly quiet or smooth engine, but with the auto it is much, much better. Whether that is a different flywheel arrangement, or just effortless rev management I don't know, but the general mechanical noise levels in this car are much lower than in the old one.
As for the transmission itself, let's just say I haven't missed a manual 'box once. It locks up pretty much as soon as you are rolling, meaning it doesn't suffer the slightly soft response you traditionally get with many T/C autos. Gearchanges are marked by the rev counter moving and a slur in engine note. When just tootling about in 'Comfort' mode, it goes up to 4th by 30 mph, but you simply can't notice it doing so unless you watch the rev counter. Yet as soon as you want to accelerate, it's on the case, dropping gears instantly. In 'Sport' mode, it all becomes much more, well, sporty I guess. It holds the revs longer, and has a lovely bit of logic which delays an upshift if you come off the throttle. So if you accelerate up to 3000 RPM and then lift, it holds the gear for a good 5 seconds to see if you are coming back on the power. If not, it then upshifts, but is straight back down again if you so much as brush the pedal. It's only a gearbox, I know, but it's a damn good one.
The other big difference of course is the Touring bodyshell. It's definitely more a "lifestyle estate" than a serious workhorse, but there are some nice practical touches. The tailgate glass can open independently of the tailgate for quick loading of items by simply pressing a hidden button under the rear wiper. There's an integral load net / dog guard that pulls up and secures into hooks in the roof, and the tailgate itself is powered, and can be operated off the key in both directions. The kids also reckon there's a tad more legroom in the back. Detail differences inside the car include DAB as standard, a speed limiter function on the cruise control, and the ability to display embedded cover art on the iDrive screen when playing MP3s, as well as a generally improved level of fit and finish. Just bits really, but all of which add to the feel good factor.
I'm tracking fuel consumption a bit more accurately this time. First tankful gave a slightly disappointing 46 mpg over 540 miles, but the last fill saw 49 mpg. I haven't been caning the car, but I have been "using" it, trying to open it up for short periods particularly as the miles go on. I remember the old one got noticeably freer all the way up to its first service, so clearly the engine is still very tight. According to the electronic "dipstick" it hasn't used any oil, but then I never once had to put oil in the old one either.
Niggles? None so far. As I've alluded to, it feels a big step up in terms of quality compared to my previous, very early production example, and somehow it's just much more satisfying to be in. I've been pondering this, and part of me thinks it's because it's another step back from the faux "sportiness" the BMW brand seems to trade on. Yes the M models with a grand's worth of suspension options are sporty, but the base models really aren't. I somehow like this car more with its auto box and Touring bodyshell because it really isn't trying to be the "dynamic" drivers car that it really isn't. Instead it's just a beautifully made, good looking (IMHO) car that is lovely to stick in D and cover ground in completely effortlessly. It's satisfying, so far at least.
I've linked to some pics below. The colour isn't exactly subtle, but it was my choice because I personally love it. It's rare to have a full blown red with a metallic flake in it, and it's one of those colours I will never get bored with polishing. Photographed here this morning after a wash and a coat of G3 Resin Superwax.
Going to cease my ramblings there, suffice to say if you are looking for a car that drives well, and has a nod to practicality, test drive one of these.
Front view
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Rear view
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Tailgate glass
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Boot
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Interior
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Auto selector and iDrive controller
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Nav:
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BMW - F30 320d Touring auto - first 1200 miles - Runfer D'Hills
