Facts and figures
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Three World - Official Autocar group test
10.03.2005 |
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This is the big group test, the one that decides which car is top of the '3 Series class'. The term is a clue to how one model virtually invented this class of car, and how it has reigned at the top of it ever since. How much must BMW's German rivals dream of re-branding this class, especially since success here means volume as well as prestige: notably, the 3 Series outsold the Ford Mondeo long ago. From BMW's perspective, the 3 Series' success is absolutely crucial to its continued profitability and independence. If it sinks, the rest of the ship - 1 Series, M5, the lot - probably goes down with it.
We've assembled a Mercedes C-class Sport, an Audi A4 TDi and a Jaguar X-type 2.0D Sport as a welcoming committee for the latest challenger from Munich, represented by a £24,369 163bhp 320d SE. The 150bhp Mercedes (£25,285 in Sport trim) has already proved a winning combination of space, pace and ability, while the 138bhp Audi (£21,950) received a beating by the BMW when we tested the pair in Spain at the BMW's launch (18 January). The 128bhp Jaguar (£22,905) has steadily gained in popularity, but how will they compare on UK roads?
Design and Engineering
Much has been said about the conservative design of the new Three. BMW's recent design revolution has attracted such extremes of praise and criticism that you can view this 3 Series as either a sensible toning down of recent work or a disappointing half volley when the match-winning smash looked inevitable.
It works best when viewed from the front, where the shallow windscreen and wide, flat bodywork that flares out from the pinched bonnet create a cohesive, aggressive frown. From the back it looks surprisingly anodyne, with the same heavy proportions as the 5 Series that make the rear wheels seem smaller than the front pair. Under this skin there's a larger cabin, the driver's environment heavily influenced by the 1 and 5 Series models and BMW's latest 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine (as found in the 1 Series) with a class-leading 163bhp and 251lb ft driving, of course, the rear wheels.
Its rear-drive rival here is the C-class, revised last year and looking very desirable in all-black Sport specification. Catch a quick glimpse of it and it looks like a baby S-class, and while it doesn't radically push the boundaries of saloon styling, it's nice to see a car that simply looks good. With 150bhp and similar torque to the BMW the Merc won't be outgunned without a fight, although our test car has an auto gearbox instead of the standard six-speed manual.
Audi's offering had its own facelift last year, which has created a more striking A4, even if some simple elegance has been lost in the process. Importantly, there are also significant chassis revisions and a new gearbox, although with 138bhp and 236lb ft from its 2.0-litre turbodiesel the Audi trails its German rivals in the engine room.
As for the retro-styled Jaguar, it's soldiering on in its original form, its 128bhp looking increasingly weak in this company. Thankfully, overboost yields up to 258lb ft and with the attractive 17in alloys attached to sport suspension, this X-type should remind us of its excellent ability through corners.
Performance and brakes
One of these cars is genuinely fast, as a glance at the performance figures will illustrate. The 320d is nothing short of amazing in a straight line at the track and on the road. Nothing else here can match its combination of lag-free response, mid-range pull and continued top-end urge. For a clear picture of its superiority, consider the 0-100mph sprint: once the 320d has reached the ton, the next car, the A4, won't arrive for another four seconds.
At the back of the pack, the Jaguar needs an almost comical 11 seconds extra to achieve the same speed. Rarely has there been such a performance gulf between two cars in a seemingly close-fought class. It's worth noting too, that the BMW was barely run in, while the Jag was a veteran of the press fleet we'd expect the BMW to get quicker still with miles. On the road, this flexibility gives the 320d driver many more options than most diesel drivers have available. Whether you need to hang onto a gear on the exit of a corner, or if you're caught in too high a gear, it's rarely a problem in the 320d. The gearshift itself has a typically precise BMW feel to it, although it can snag slightly when rushed through a change. Experience tells us this should improve with miles, and the clutch is a big improvement on that in the old diesel 3 Series it's lighter and more progressive.
The Mercedes gets on with the business in hand in a competent fuss-free manner, with a progressive power delivery and a subtle but very effective turn of speed on the road. Its automatic gearbox hampers the outright speed in this test, but it's a testament to its ability that it doesn't feel overshadowed by the other cars here. The box is smooth-shifting and never caught napping between gears, and also features a manual function.
Jump straight into the Audi and you'd probably class it as one of the most powerful cars here. That's because the pumpe düse injection delivers such a strong and sudden surge of torque that it always feels exciting to accelerate in the A4, even if the delivery and refinement seem crude next to the others, though it's a quiet cruiser. Nevertheless, the gearshift does a great impression of the BMW's, with the benefit of the occasional obstructiveness removed.
As for the Jag, the high torque output means it's not the slow device on the road the power and track figures suggest, and it manages to stay with its peers in give-and-take driving. What does deserve mention, for all the wrong reasons, is the clutch pedal: so sharp in its action that every driver new to the car stalled it the first time they tried to pull away from rest.
All three German cars have impressive brakes. The BMW's are more sensitive than we've come to expect, and the Audi's are a vast improvement over previous offerings. Only the X-type is disappointing, with less stopping power and a mushy feel to the pedal.
Handling and ride
It's the BMW that feels like the genuine sports saloon in this group. The steering has the same well-oiled, purposeful feel as the 1 Series', but without quite as much of that car's heaviness at parking speeds, which is a good thing. On the road it's beautifully accurate, free from kickback and thankfully without the rather poor directional stability of the previous 3 Series.
Although our test car is in SE rather than Sport spec, and the only car here running on 16-inch wheels, it resists body roll determinedly and turns in with real poise. Grip levels are impressively high, especially in the dry. One of the keys to the 3 Series' pace and superiority is the outstanding body control. Over a winding and hilly B-road, the Jaguar rolled too much on its springs, its white-knuckled driver gripping the steering wheel. In the BMW, all is calm, and it feels as if only a fraction of the car's potential is being used.
The new 3 Series was seen testing in the UK at the prototype stage, following the poor press surrounding the ride quality of the 5 Series, but our experience with this new car is that while much progress has been made, it's another new BMW that doesn't feel optimised for UK roads. The suspension deals well with major potholes or bumps, dismissing them with a larger car's sense of authority, although the rebound damping is very aggressive. But it?s around town and on the motorway specifically over small surface changes and ridges that the 320d endlessly fidgets. It's a feeling that you sense occurring distantly from the driver's seat, but the ride never relaxes, as if the run-flat tyres add a small lead weight to each of the car's wheels that the suspension can't quite cope with. Annoying, but it's not unbearable.
The Mercedes can't offer the same amount of driver entertainment, but it corners with flat and surefooted authority, and cruises down the motorway with more than a hint of S-class in its relaxed gait. The sport suspension and big wheels of our car mean bumps crash through more than the BMW, but when it's not provoked it's far happier, with real compliancy in most situations. In standard spec we'd expect it to be the most comfortable car here by some margin. Its weakness is the steering: while accurate, it has little feel and a strong self-centering action which feels false.
The Audi is an enormous improvement over its predecessor, with far less understeer and an agile feel on the road. Sadly, its ride is afflicted by a curious bobbing motion that has you bouncing in your seat when driving hard, and even a motorway cruise can have occupants heads nodding. The ride itself is firm, without the class of the Mercedes or the control of the BMW.
The Jag feels soft even in Sport spec and rolls noticeably. Its overall ride is fine, but the big wheels thump into potholes and too much is transmitted into the cabin. The disarmingly light steering takes some getting used to, but is very accurate when pressing on as you're inclined to do in the X-type. But as a B-road dice with the 320d proved, its limits are reached sooner.
Noise and refinement
Cruising down a snowy motorway, the ambience inside the 320d is hushed and serene. Just how much is evident when there's a driver change. Even when stepping into the Mercedes itself a refined cruiser considerably more road and tyre noise can be heard. The difference is even more obvious in the Audi, which has noticeable wind noise around the mirrors, and the Jaguar.
Not only is the BMW engine a performance marvel, it's also extraordinarily smooth, quiet and, amazingly, it's even equipped with a decent engine note given some revs. The C-class clatters a little at idle, yet smoothes out once underway, while the Audi's familiar TDi engine is as coarse as usual, the clutch pedal quivering at idle and vibrations seeping into the cabin. The X-type's diesel was famed for its refinement, and although it's still well mannered by diesel standards, it can't match the BMW at idle or on the move.
Comfort, safety and equipment
Jumping into the 3 Series reveals a cabin heavily influenced by the 1 and 5 Series models. Gone is BMW's traditonal angled-centre console, replaced by a stark, modernist design that splits opinion between those who find it a non-event and those who appreciate its confection of lines and textures. It does feel very well made however and, despite the almost cosy feeling up front, it wins the space-race by being the most roomy and comfortable in the back.
The Mercedes is very different. It still trails its German rivals in quality of materials although things are noticeably improved but with black leather and the techy polished metal trim it makes a strong statement. In the rear it now marginally loses out to the BMW for legroom, but it's more comfortable to sit three abreast without the BMW's curved-in rear seat edges and there's comparable headroom. The A4 still impresses with its interior build and quality of materials: no other company has quite managed to match Audi when it comes to interiors. Yet after the avant-garde BMW it can feel almost too predictable in its design - although that will appeal to some.
One thing that has changed, sadly, is the loss of the traditional low-slung Audi driving position, and the seat in the new A4 could do with being able to drop lower to avoid feeling perched on the car. It also feels rather cramped in the rear compared to the other German cars, especially for legroom, which is something it shares with the Jaguar.
The curved roofline and general lack of space make travelling in the back of the Jag the least attractive proposition of these cars. Things aren't much better up front, where the electric seat doesn't drop down enough for tall drivers, leaving them cricking their neck to fit in the car. Despite the attempt at old-world Jaguar charm with plenty of wood on the dashboard, there is too much low-rent switchgear and aged detailing for the X-type to look competitive in this class.
All the cars offer a high standard of equipment, while retaining the option to blow a small fortune on optional extras. You'll need an extra £630 to turn the Merc into a Sport D C model, but you do get the big wheels, leather sports seats and sports suspension, which seems good value. Mercedes is also rightly proud of the C-class's five-star Euro NCAP result, but with six airbags and the latest safety thinking the BMW should match it. So should the A4, and the X-type still achieves a respectable four stars.
Costs
The Audi is the bargain of the bunch, undercutting the dearest here the Mercedes by over £2,500 at £21,950. Similarly, at £420 its contract hire payments are low compared to the other German cars, although not as low as the Jaguar's at only £405 per month. The BMW won the economy contest, returning an impressive 33.7mpg despite being driven really hard. The Mercedes, no doubt hampered by its auto ?box, recorded the worst figure at 28.5mpg. The BMW and Jaguar are the cleanest, and hence best for avoiding the taxman: with a CO2 output of 153g/km the 320d costs just £130 a month and the 149g/km X-type £133, compared to the £160 of the Mercedes and the £139 of the Audi.
Verdict
It's hard not to feel sorry for the X-type. For many of us, this black Sport was the most desirable looking X-type we'd ever seen, and driven in isolation it has plenty to offer. Despite being down on power, the British car can hold its own in the torque race and on the road you never question its performance, and it can be still an enjoyable drive on varied roads. But it is simply outclassed here both as a static object, a means of travel, and as a car to drive.
The Audi is next up. It is still a desirable car in most people's eyes, it's built to the usual exacting standards and benefits from low running costs. Nevertheless, it can't match the other Germans as a driver's car or a soothing cruiser and it doesn't offer their practicality either.
The Mercedes is a genuinely desirable car close to the BMW in just about every area and exceeding it in a few. In its own way it's fun to drive, relaxing to drive over a long distance and will always look prestigious on the driveway.
But there is a clear winner. The new 3 Series is simply an amazing example of a meticulously thorough engineering project taken to its fullest conclusion. The powertrain is truly great, in the fullest sense of that over-used phrase, and its ability as a driver's car is unmatched. Yet it is also the roomiest and the most refined. What must be really worrying for its rivals is that such a victory can be scored despite our reservations about the ride quality. Without that, it would be a complete whitewash. As it is, we'd recommend a proper test drive to assess the ride comfort especially if you want the larger wheels before signing on the dotted line for a 3 Series. Either way, the status quo is resumed; this class will still takes its name from the BMW 3 Series.
If you want to find out more about the new BMW 3 Series, please visit www.thenewbmw3series.co.uk.
