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Test drive: BMW 320i Sport

BMW has long, and proudly, associated its cars with the "The Ultimate Driving Machine" slogan.

However, while the slogan was not wrong back in the 1980s to early 2000s, BMW's product lineup in recent years suggests that the marque needs a shot in the arm.

Seeing that BMW has remained focused on core models like the 3-Series and now putting significant effort into it has kind of returned our faith in the brand.

What we have now is the G20 BMW 320i Sport; it's nothing too overwhelming but a rather simple 3-Series sedan.

The car is locally-assembled in Malaysia and priced at RM241,794.41 (with sales tax exemption).

So, is the base car any good? Does it feel somewhat rudimentary?

Well, suffice to say that the G20 3-Series is very much accomplished for an all-rounder car.

G20 GOODNESS

The BMW 320i Sport is the addition to the 330i M Sport that was first offered by BMW Malaysia when the G20 made its debut last year.

The main difference between the two is the power output. While the 330i gets 258hp and 400Nm from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine under its hood, the engine in the 320i churns out a healthy 181hp and 300Nm of torque.

The engine not only has more than enough grunt for 95 per cent of time when you're behind the wheel, it also strikes a great balance with fuel consumption.

The unique features for the BMW 320i include a full LED suite for the adaptive headlights, fog lights and tail lights; rain-sensing wipers; twin exhausts and 18-inch V-spoke light alloy wheels shod in 225/40 tyres.

The only gripe with the exterior is perhaps the three-pointed black element design on the front and rear bumpers. The 330i M Sport with squared large front intakes looks better in this sense.

In general, the G20 3-Series, as expected, retains the classic sports sedan silhouette with the cabin placed closer to the rear axle, making the car appear to have a long hood and short rear deck.

This effectively projects a fast accelerating and sporty handling car even when standing still, and even average car guys can tell that this silhouette is a rear-wheel driver.

Inside, the car gets the aluminium "mesh effect" interior paired with highlight trim finished in Pearl Chrome and Leather Vernasca upholstery.

The 330i M Sport in the previous generations usually comes with a sportier steering wheel but the non-M one on this 320i is just as sporty-looking and has a great feel to it.

Elsewhere, the 320i is equipped with three-zone automatic air-conditioning, powered front seats with memory function for the driver's, push-start button, BMW Navigation system with an 8.8-inch touchscreen that supports intelligent emergency call, teleservices, Apple CarPlay and a six-speaker sound system.

With the G20 3-Series, you also get BMW Digital Key that allows convenient access without the actual physical key.

At the rear, the bench has excellent support and comfort for two passengers, and the most noticeable thing is how much more spacious it is now.

The rear doors open at a wide angle, too, although they do not feel very solid when closed.

THE DRIVE

It did not take long to notice that the 320i was built for avid drivers.

On the centre console were three driving modes - Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport - that could alter the car's behaviour according to needs.

The difference was quite apparent especially in terms of gearshifts where the eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission felt snappy and precise in Sport mode.

Performance wise, the powertrain allowed the BMW 320i to go from zero to 100kph in just 7.1 seconds, with a top speed of 235kph.

The 320i, despite sitting at the bottom of the range, did not feel rudimentary at all. In fact, it was excellent to be driven through all kinds of speeds.

Body control was exceptionally good when travelling at high speed and it really showed off BMW's magic.

Steering could be a little fast at first but once you had learned its character, it actually made the car feel engaging.

While most cars that were nice to drive fast did not feel as rewarding when driven slowly, the 320i was creamy smooth when pottering around town.

The peak 300Nm torque that arrived at a lowly 1,350rpm combined with the brilliant eight-speeder gave a sense of lightness.

Apart from the good driving behaviour, the 320i was quiet, too.

The cabin was well insulated for supremely comfortable high-speed cruising as there were barely any wind or tyre noises even beyond national speed limit.

The Hankook Ventus tyres not only contributed to the cabin quietness but also provided a high level of grip when needed.

Also, the G20 chassis delivered a balanced cornering characteristics and there were no hints of being prone to understeer or oversteer; both front and rear outside tyres equally scrubbed when nearing their limits.

In the safety department, on top of the regular items, the G20 3-Series boasted a host of driving assistance systems, including lane departure warning, lane change warning and front collision warning with brake intervention.

On another note, the BMW 320i had a decent fuel economy for its grunt and performance, reading around 9.8 litres per 100km.

VERDICT

One key downside is the cramped space on the throttle pedal area due to the conversion from left-hand to right-hand drive.

Apart from that, the BMW 320i Sport is a brilliant car that offers everyday practicality, decent efficiency and superb driving dynamics.

The 320i or the G20 3-Series in essence makes you realise how great and refreshing it is in this day and age to be back to the origin, driving a straightforward sporty sedan.

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