The other day I had a test drive in a shiny new 330Ci. It was stacked to the eyeballs with gadgets and extras, but I was interested in the engine. Driving this car was quite amazing. The engine is so smooth and so quiet it is easy to go extremely quickly without realising it. The car I drove had BMW's automatic Steptronic gearbox. This means that it can be driven as an automatic (stick it in Drive and leave it) or can be switched to Steptronic mode by moving the gearlever to the right (Sport mode) and change gears manually by nudging the lever backwards and forwards. In sport mode the automatic changes up a gear once it hits the redline. The engine revs very freely and the 6500rpm redline comes around very quickly. Even with the automatic box, this car accelerates very quickly, and is very quick overall.
The car itself is solidly built as you would expect for a BMW. The leather seats were comfortable, the climate control keeps you at the right temperature. Driver, passenger and side airbags keep you safe (allegedly) and a computer tells you how many miles you have left in the tank.
The test car rode astonishingly well considering it came with 18" M-sport wheels fitted with 255/35 Michelin Pilots on the rear and 235/35s on the front. It soaked up potholes and was composed and civilised the whole time. Floor the accelerator and the car accelerates very quickly and quietly and before you know it you are hurtling towards the horizon. The brakes are equally impressive, hauling you to a stop in next to no time. During my test drive I was never aware of the ABS, or the DSC, or the ASC. This car seems so capable that you would really have to be driving like a hooligan to get the electronic gadgets to start to work.
The only downside of this car is the cost. A basic on the road price of £28000 is more than I can afford (being a student) but it is a small price to pay for a car with a 290bhp straight six. This engine is probably among the best production engines around. It is so smooth, quiet, powerful and fast that it is an absolute joy. It can also be effortless to drive with the automatic gearbox and cruise control. It can be driven from the multi-functionsteering wheel as the car will accelerate using the cruise control buttons on the wheel.
The current 3-series is one of the ultimate saloon cars on the road and the 330Ci is the best of the lot. It really is as good as everyone says it is and the version I test drove with the 18" alloys in black looked out of this world. In fact it looked as good as it drove. All I have to do is save up for a few years and I might be able to own one!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 130 mph - 143 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: M Sport, Sport, SE, ES
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 140, 143 mph - 163, 177 bhp - Diesel - Available Trims: ES, SE, Sport, M Sport
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 137 mph - 150, 170 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: ES, SE, Sport, M Sport
Not bad intro, but info on what the car has to offer would have resulted in a higher rating (eg comfort, ride, equipment, insurance costs etc.). If you ever redo this op, please let me know and I'll reread it and review my rating :)
adamdavid 30.11.2001 21:30
Not driven the M3, but can't imagine it being worth the extra money unless you can afford the extra cash and the extra servicing costs, or unless you really, really want the M3
Infinity 30.11.2001 19:36
Sounds really great - so do you reckon the M3 is worth the extra cash, or would the 330 be a better choice overall? Justin.
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