BMW being BMW, the Germans pulled no punches in demonstrating the new car’s capabilities at the world launch for the international media in Valencia, Spain. After a long 30-hour trip to Spain and a free day to check out Valencia, known for its predominantly Gothic architectural landmarks and gastronomic specialties aside from being a popular trade fair center, the car was unveiled with markedly minimalist fanfare at the Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias. A sprawling showcase of dramatic, innovative architecture by local designer Calatrava, the Ciudad is a campus of museums, a planetarium, and trade centers adjacent to the upstream end of the river Turia.
And as it turned out, it was also a perfect venue with which to introduce the new 3-Series. The car is BMW’s most successful model, regularly winning awards from car organizations and the media for its class-leading dynamism, aside from accounting for 40% of BMW’s worldwide sales. A flop, or even a mediocre improvement over the E46, could be very bad news in sales for Munich, so the resulting car had to be much, much better. Stylistically, the design team led by Chris Bangle took few chances with the 3. Unlike the controversial 5- and 7-series, and even the Z4, the new 3 is instantly likable. At the same time, it projects a timeless image of dynamism that all the latest BMWs have.
After the official unveiling, happily absent of those tiresome song-and-dance routines we often get at local launches, BMW executives explained in a no-nonsense manner all the improvements and innovations of the new car which we’ll pass on to you when the local-spec car is unveiled soon. Over dinner, design and engineering chiefs were on hand to explain the finer points of the E90 and some technical tidbits. Such as: the new magnesium/aluminium crankcase for the 6-cylinder engine was so high-tech, it necessitated building a new factory just for that. Or, that the shape of the body’s elements isn’t just design whimsy; functional aerodynamics are also taken into consideration. The shaping of the side-view mirrors is designed to channel rain under it instead of streaming it towards the windows, for example. The trunklid has to have a height of exactly so-and-so centimetres; any higher and water would pool on it, any lower and the car would look odd. That kind of stuff…
Talking to the designers and engine gurus, I got the sense of the dedication and passion they put into their cars. You don’t get this kind of impression at local launches where you can sometimes get nonsense about "all-new" models with "special paint colors" and "new license plate garnishes" and "Euro-inspired" grilles.
But more was yet to come. The next day involved a 190-plus kilometre drive on the autopista and canyon and country roads to the Albacete Race Circuit. With BMW Philippines’ Corporate Communications Manager Lito German, Andre Palma of Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Business World/C! Magazine’s Tito Hermoso, we were handed the keys to a 320d and a 330i. There were no real guidelines for driving the cars, other than that we had to be at Albacete by noontime.
Road books in hand, we were only encouraged to drive reasonably and prudently, and it was here that the dictum "speed is relative" would be confirmed. With the right car, the right driving conditions, and the proper driving skills, 150kph on the autopista was just the warmup for the main event. By the time we got to Cofrentes, with Tito in the lead 320d and miles of clear road in front of us, we hit 230kph without ever fearing we’d lose control. But only briefly, because the countryside was much better admired at half that pace. On the winding roads of Casas de Juan Nuñez, we sampled the 3’s handling prowess while taking in the breathtaking scenery of glacier-formed canyons and charming towns carved into the cliff sides.
At the Albacete Race Circuit, we were expecting to have our hotshoe tendencies curbed with chaperone instructors and "mickey mouse" driving courses, but were surprised once again. As BMW execs told us, "BMWs are meant to be enjoyed", and we were given virtually free reign to drive the cars as hard as we pleased on the circuit’s simulated ice course and the race track proper. True enough, on the simulated ice course, instructors didn’t mind how dramatic our powerslides and four-wheel drifts were as long as we returned to the holding area after 3 laps. And of course we could line up again for another go at the course!
It was the same on the race track, a winding set of increasing and decreasing radius curves with the BMW’s crazy M Division instructors patiently waiting for us back in pit lane (they drive much faster than we ever could!). No waivers to sign, no liability contracts, no chaperones nervously telling us to brake early and drive at a set speed and then later on harping about their cars’ "sporty performance" as we’ve often experienced with other launches.
By the day’s end, two out of the 40-plus units would be damaged, both having been assigned to the Chinese contingent who seemed to be less than prudent when it came to merging into traffic, following road signs, and driving on the right side of the road. Anyway, BMW seemed calm about that development. These cars were destined to be repeatedly disassembled and assembled by technicians and mechanics all over the world anyway as part of their training.
On my 6th lap with all the stability and traction control systems turned off, with Lito onboard too, I nearly lost it with the tail fishtailing left then right almost 90 degrees but there was never really cause for panic. There was lots and lots of runoff room for amateur mistakes.
On the drive back to Valencia in a fleet of X5 SAVs, our group was unanimous: the new car is definitely better than ever, and the complete driving experience — from open road driving to circuit conditions — had the rare effect of not making us feel short-changed. Actual E90 buyers should be in for a great time when their car arrives very soon.
In the summertime, hot heads come a-plenty. Backseat drivers all over seem to be getting more frustrated by the day. Here are a few more complaints about our roads and the way they’re used.