ബിഎംഡബ്യു 3 സീരീസ് 2014-2019 ന്യൂ ഡെൽഹി വില

It's a nice car in this price segment, I think that at this price all the features are justified and are very good.

Two years back I was looking for a competitive vehicle against the likes of Mercedes Benz C Class and Audi A4 because I don't like both these brands. There were only two options in front of me; BMW 3-series and Jaguar XE. I took the test drive of Jaguar but wasn't impressed with the drivability and refinement. So, the only option left was BMW 3-series. With bated breath I went to the showroom and took the test drive of the then newly launched 3 series sedan. I took my two friends with me who are hardcore auto enthusiasts as well. So it was easy to decide on this vehicle as the performance was absolutely stunning which I was expecting at this price point. Since I am more inclined towards performance rather than luxury, the majority of this review will focus on performance. Starting with the styling, the main highlight of the updated version are the headlamps and tail lamps which are now full-led units. The bumper is sportier than before while I particularly liked the design of the new alloy wheels. Inside, the material quality gives you richer experience with sporty steering wheel and sport front seats along with adequate faux carbon-fibre detailing making you feel like you are sitting in a hardcore performance-packed sedan. The top variant M Sport which I chose comes with tons of gadgetry including head-up display, high resolution 8.7inch screen with i-drive infotainment supporting Android Auto Play. And to my surprise, there is no parking camera in this Rs. 50 lakh car. Coming to the performance, the sporty front seats offers generous support meant for spirited drives. The sedan comes powered with the 2.0L petrol motor which produces 252PS and 350Nm of max torque with transmission duties handled by 8-speed automatic gearbox. The car dashes from 0-100kmph in 7 seconds of time which is pretty decent at this price point. Kick off the engine and one will experience a strong pull from the low rev band. Then there is genuine punch when you are in the mid-range while the top-end rev band can also be exploited fully upto 4500 rpm. To me it appears to be one of the most exciting 4-cylinder engines out there in the market. The updated engine is utterly refined with complement coming from the gearbox which further smoothen the response by offering rapid and timely shifts. However, there is a mild lag whenever I try to downshift suddenly. There have been tweaks to suspension as well with better control on body movements along with weighted steering wheel that is sharp. The suspension is able to gobble up the bumps and other road undulations perfectly with the tyres making up for sharp edge filters. The driving experience so far is absolutely brisk. The car lives up to its strength of excellent ride quality, comfort and performance. But if you are planning to buy this one, make sure you compare it to Mercedes Benz C Class as it's available in diesel engine and priced equally to this brimmer.

Who doesn't want a car with great styling and road presence and that too available within your means? At least I will not lose this opportunity. The moment I heard the news that BMW is launching the new 330i GT M Sport, I made up my mind to grab one for me. So what makes this performance variant different from the other luxury variants? The M Sport features drastic changes outside with the new glossy black grille slats, 18-inch alloys at the sides, chrome finished exhaust pipes and of course, without the M badge, it would be difficult to set it apart from the junior variants. Come inside and you will be welcomed by 10.5inch digital instrument cluster, large head-up display, and leather-wrapped M Sport multifunctional steering wheel. Rest, the equipment level remains intact as of regular 3-series with 8.8inch iDrive infotainment, BMW Apps, Navigation and Park Distance control among others. Now, the pivotal aspect of being a GT, a twin-turbo petrol engine that makes 248bhp paired with the 8-speed automatic gearbox, sending power to the rear wheels. With other aspects such as longer wheelbase, increased cabin room, boot space, and price tagged at Rs. 49 lakhs, BMW 3-Series currently don't have any direct competitors in the Indian market. And this is what I needed, a car that makes you unique in the crowd.

First and foremost, this is a facelift of the BMW 3-series GT, perhaps the most underrated of the Bavarian brand's models in India. It's got as much rear legroom than a 5-series thanks to its near-three-metre wheelbase, and luggage space to rival BMW's X SUVs and with a price that's not too much high. The new bumpers, front and rear, adaptive full-LED headlamps, reprofiled LED taillamps, new alloy wheel designs, classier interior trims, a bit more equipment and the newest version of BMW's 2.0-litre diesel engine, with 190hp, added refinement and smoother power delivery. With 252hp and 350Nm, on paper, this new motor is a clear step up from the 184hp 20i, a worthy successor to the old 30i, and a perfect match for the latest crop of powerful four-cylinder petrol from Mercedes-Benz (GLC 300) and Jaguar (XE 25t). The GT gets four driving modes as standard, Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ and understandably, the first of those isn't very thrilling with its dulled throttle responses and slow, smooth shifts. Comfort is still the better all-around mode and the one you'll find yourself in most of the time. This is because it does get you a little more pep off the line without sacrificing too much by way of the economy. Sport and Sport+ gets you more aggression from the engine and gearbox (the latter disengages the traction control too), a firmer steering and a little more noise from the exhaust.

I have had one my daily driver and I can tell you the ride is much sporty as compared to the Mercedes C Class or the Audi A4. The interiors are much better and give a personalised feel. The handling is great and beyond comparison to the other two with swift and smooth accelerations. The diesel variant gives a brilliant mileage considering it to be luxury sedan at around 19-20 kmpl while riding on highways and smoother roads. The silence inside the cabin while driving is fascinating. The car seems to be very agile and handles turns and curves very easily. The new model has very distinctive eye catching looks with edgy and modern detailing. The car comes in both petrol and diesel models with 6 and 3 variants respectively. The Diesel variants are namely the Prestige, Sport Line, Luxury Line, GT Sport Line, M Sport and GT Luxury Line. Whereas the Petrol has Prestige, Luxury and GT Luxury only. Both fuel models come in 2000 cc and all 9 models are automatic. The features vary accordingly and are genuinely worth getting upgraded. Something interesting to note is the aggressive pricing that BMW has put forward. The base BMW 3 Series model is the 320d Prestige at 36.9 lakhs providing you 2.0 litre 190 bhp at 4000 rpm. Whereas Audi A4's base model 30 TFSI Premium Plus starts at 38.1 lakhs (petrol only) giving you only 1.4 litre 150 bhp at 5000 rpm, that is an underpowered engine for 2 lakhs more with boring exteriors and plain bland interiors and no charm. Coming to Mercedes, the base model C Class is C220 CDI Style providing you a 2.2 litre 170 bhp at 3000 rpm, a good engine with 20 bhp less in comparison and the difference is visible while driving. Also, BMW provides 18 inch alloys whereas Audi would provide you with 17 inch and Mercedes with 16 inch in their base models. The aggressive pricing makes it the best entry segment luxury sedan anyone can get. BMW's usually prefer rear wheel drives (RWD) and all the variants in 3 series are following the same lineage. The 3 series can achieve a maximum speed of 230 km/hr which is brilliant with (0-100) in 7.2 seconds. Also BMW is the only entry segment luxury car complying to Euro VI standards, the rest are Euro V. Having a fairly large boot at 480 litres, it can easily stuff in baggages of your family of 4, making it a wonderful touring car as well. 3 Series also packs a perfect 50-50 weight distribution ratio and giving the car an unmatchable grip and as a result a lower turning radius of just 5.5m! BMW has made sure that an 8 speed automatic shifter remains a standard throughout all of their models which is amazing. The hard work and passion that BMW puts in is beyond visible, one can feel it in every simple intricate detail. From their infotainment system to their leather stitching, cup holders, smooth AC vent lines running across, daytime running LEDs, the BMW 3 Series is of no match in its segment.