New  BMW D India

New BMW 3 series 320d Sportline India review: Sensibly Insane

Cabin space and comfort

New 2013 BMW 320D India (48)

Stepping inside, one is greeted by the friendly and familiar BMW dash, which has been mildly and delightfully tweaked for the latest iteration of the 3-series. In the Sportline trim, the car came with black upholstery and red stitches which is synonymous with the word `sport`. The familiar dashboard is driver centric and is tilted 7 degrees towards the driver. What we instantly fell in love with is the combination of black piano finish accents with a matt Coral Red trim running across throughout the dashboard. The little touch lifts the aesthetic appeal of the cabin several notches

We couldn’t help but touch and feel the surfaces every now and then.The interiors suggest that they have been designed around the user by the way the controls fall within easy reach, makes me coin the term BMW Efficient Ergonomics!

The car’s larger dimensions (length + 93 mm, wheelbase + 50 mm) mean that there is more legroom for backbenchers than ever. There is as much as 15 mm of additional knee room and 8 mm of extra headroom at the back.

New 2013 BMW 320D India (47)

The front doors feature larger pockets and storage space and can store bottles up to one litre in size. Added to which, two large drinks holders are now integrated into the centre console ahead of the gearshift lever. If desired, the cupholders can be swapped for an oddments tray, which is stored in a designated area of the glove compartment when not in use.

The new 3 series offers 480 litres of boot space which is 20 litres more than the outgoing model.  The 40:20:40 split rear backrests offer unbeatable versatility when you need to carry passengers and long items.

The i-drive controller is easily accessible by the passenger and the driver alike and works in conjunction with a high resolution freestanding Control Display above the air-con vents on the dashboard. For once you’d think the screen would flip inside the dash when you turn the system off, but it doesn’t. Even though the interior design stays traditional BMW-esque, it has never looked so much classier before. Rear passengers get dedicated air-con vents in the centre with temperature and fan-speed control, climate control is however missing. The centre armrest carries the press to open cup holders.

BMW 320d

As mentioned earlier, the dimensions of the F30 have been increased which have led to a roomier cabin. The space and comfort at the backseat is amazing to say the least. Never does it feel cramped or claustrophobic despite its dark interiors. The front seats are in the form of racing bucket seats for everyday use, and offer fantastic support and sporty feel without being uncomfortable over longer journeys. There really are no grouses with the interior of the new 3-series, and did I mention I loved to see the manual handbrake not being replaced with an electronic unit. I wouldn’t mind a set of perforated steel pedals under my leg for this sporty machine though.

Next Page for Engine and Gearbox>>>

4 thoughts on “New BMW 3 series 320d Sportline India review: Sensibly Insane”

  1. Fantastic review! She surely is insane! BTW, from what I can see this car seem to have the navigation package. Can you shed some more light on the same?

  2. Vinit Shriyan

    Arjun Dharve and Deepak Dongre, Awesome is an understatement for this beautiful machine. A Machine that can think for itself and provide comfort and safety. Good Job guys, Superb Photography and writeup does prove that you guys had a lot of FUNNNN….

  3. Very very…very well written. Reminded me of the “heart in the mouth” moments in the back seat 😉 Was just floored by the way this beauty handles! And its just a bloody 3 series!

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