A ride & drive with BMW's new 3-series

MANILA, Philippines - There’s something curiously cool about the number 3. In the avenue of love, it represents the profession of affection; in the art of picture taking, it invokes the climax of your smile; in the field of automobiles, it could mean that 3-letter acronym for a premium German car brand (B-M-W)—speaking of which, also recently launched one of its fantastic new cars: the all-new BMW 3-series.

Given its impressive reputation, an awesome car like that can make any road trip triple the fun. And that’s exactly what I experienced when I got to test drive the 6th-generation 3-series a few weeks ago on a trip to Subic. The media ride-and-drive was organized by Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer/distributor of BMW’s in the country.

Our starting point was at Serendra in Bonifacio Global City, where our flashy 3-series units were waiting for us in single file along the driveway. After an energizing breakfast and a brief run-through of our route, we lost no further time to bond with the swanky units that were assigned to us.

The 3-series sedan looked like the compact little brother of the new 5 series; also immediately noticeable was the revised kidney grille that was now flat, giving the car a more athletic feel. The car had now grown in dimensions, and thus provided increased cabin space compared to its predecessors. ACC President Maricar Parco explained that “If there is such a thing as a quintessential BMW, it is without doubt the BMW 3-series. The 3-series is everything a sports sedan should be, and for years it has stood undisputed at the summit of the premium mid-size segment.”

The 3-series has two variants: the 328i (with the 4-cylinder, 2.0L petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo technology) and the 320d (with the high-performance diesel engine with low greenhouse gas emissions), mated to either an 8-speed automatic gearbox or 6-speed manual transmission.

On the way to Subic, I got to try the 320d automatic variant in uncooperative weather. If they say the worst circumstances bring out the best in people, then maybe the worst weather can bring out the best in a car!

It was a very wet drive all the way up north to Subic, and I remember several instances when the rain pounded extra hard. In a way, there could not have been a better time for me to test drive the 3-series, as this car made me feel completely safe despite the extreme weather circumstances. The ride felt very solid despite high speeds; handling was excellent on the wet pavement, and the fact that the car had very high torsional rigidity and far-reaching active and passive safety systems was very reassuring—all while enjoying the luxurious comfort of its cabin and amenities, like you had your own little world inside. Oh, and it had a generous supply of cupholders all over!

What blew me away about the 320d was how it had so much power on demand, despite running on diesel. In fact, it did not feel like driving a diesel vehicle at all. The TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder diesel engine boasted of 184 hp and 380 Nm of torque. And on a greener perspective, the 320d engine is known as one of the world’s cleanest and most economical diesel engines, so you don’t have to be worried about your carbon footprint.

To add up to its earth-saving credentials, the 3-series also has an auto start-stop function, that literally turns your engine off at traffic stops, to save gas and reduce emissions. This will not leave you all sweaty inside the cabin, as intelligent electronics only deactivate the engine when no energy is needed by the other loads, like say, the air conditioning. And no, this repeated on-off feature will not damage the car’s starter. Think German technology.

Another function of the 3-series that I especially had fun with was the ‘Driving Experience Control.’ Through this feature, the driver may choose from four different driving options: Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus. The driving modes are quite self-explanatory, but what I would like to emphasize is how much of a difference switching between modes, really makes. I started with Eco Pro and upon switching to Comfort mode, immediately felt the difference in ride quality. Likewise, when I switched to Sport mode, it felt as if the car knew exactly what I was thinking and wasted no time in revving and increasing power. And finally, after I thought I had already satisfied my speed fix, there was still the option for Sport Plus—almost like a burst of second wind—which took power-driving to a totally different level!

On our way back to Manila, I also had the chance to operate the variant with the 328i engine. Amongst its standard 3-series features, its state-of-the-art turbocharged powerplant provided a whopping 245 hp and peak torque of 350 Nm from as low down as 1,250rpm. No wonder it has become a multi-awarded engine worldwide!

The all-new BMW 3-series comes in three different lines: Sport, Luxury, and Modern, adapted to each market’s distinct preferences.