So, had a weekend with a Beemer, the car had about 3K on the clock and was a 177 HP 320d MSport Manual. Considering we had a 170 bhp A3 which I think is a lighter car I wasn't expecting a great deal in the performance stakes but I was pleasantly surprised. In the flesh the Coupe is quite a big car, definitely much more spacious than our old A3 and it's pace is quite exhilarating especially over country roads.
Our Demo car had part 'pearlpoint' cloth and part Alcantara interior with the options of USB port for MP3 players and Bluetooth Prep (which we didn't use) other than that the car was standard and defying what I had always been told the standard level of toys is VERY good.
Part electric front seats with pneumatically controlled bolsters so you can actually make the seats fit you perfectly and a wealth of knobs and switches to change the seating position like I've never seen on a car before. After 5 mins of fiddling I got comfortable and gripped the fat soft leather MSport wheel and sighed a sigh of someone who couldn't quite believe he'd just been so wholly consumed by BMWness.
I'll put my hand up and say I've been amongst the ones slagging BMW off over the years but to be fair, this is one hell of a car. Comfortable when cruising, nimble when hammering it along country roads but with an agility in the chassis that soaks up the worst potholes that are thrown at it, even with 18" alloys and very fat low profiles.
Other nice touches are at night when you click the fob to open the car a little light shines next to the door handles so you can see where they are, the interior of the cabin is gently lit by tiny soft orange led's (that match the dials) hidden in the door recesses and the roof. When you slot the key into the dashboard a little arm pops out of the B pillar and hands you your seatbelt (being a Coupe the doors continue quite a way back behind you so without this getting at the seatbelts would be arduous).
In summary, I love it, neither I or the other half wanted to give it back today especially as she is driving a 1.4 Astra Hire car until she puts the car Order in. Suffice to say, we are sold and I just can't wait until it arrives.
Attached is a pic of a car that looks just like the one we had on demo.
Let the FLAMES begin...
I had the 330d.
