New revised 2002 3-Series *Reviews/Pics*
11-20-2001, 10:08 AM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New revised 2002 3-Series *Reviews/Pics*
Thought this was cool because they give a example of using the 'acceleration assistant'. Also they say that the 330 runs 6.5 seconds from 0-62MPH? I thought it was faster than that.
From BMW Car Magazine
BMW reckons the 2002 model year 3 Series is the most dynamic sports saloon since the 2002. Could be…
BMW doesn't like anybody challenging its cars' supremacy ? especially the 3 Series. The iconic exec has been the cornerstone of the company's success for over a quarter of a century now, and the E46 is the biggest seller of all: in the UK, the Three makes up over two thirds of all BMW sales. So, with Audi snapping at its heels with the much-improved A4, and Jaguar causing a stir with its hip new X-Type, the Bavarians have decided to reassert their superiority.
There wasn't a lot wrong with the E46 anyway, but the revisions have proved more far-reaching than we'd first envisaged after hearing the Coup? and Convertible would remain unchanged cosmetically. The saloons and Tourings, however, get a mid-life make-over as well as plenty of unseen changes. Curving headlamps with piercing, projector-style 'eyes', flared nostrils and a more crisply creased bonnet bring the Three's face bang up to date. Better still, the new cars get the quicker, more tactile steering and revised suspension settings from the tack-sharp new Compact. The pi?ce de resistance, however, was the promise of an M3-style SMG gearbox for the 325i and 330i.
Oh, alright then, visually the new car isn't dramatically different but the changes are instantly noticeable. The wider grille, wider bonnet swages and those X Coup?-inspired headlamps subtly transform the E46. Shrunken front fog lamps and simplified front and rear valances, along with 'jewel'-effect rear light clusters help provide a family resemblance to the new flagship E65 7 Series due to be launched later in the Autumn and should keep the Three looking fresh until its 2004 replacement date.
First up for analysis is the new 318i, which features the latest two-litre Valvetronic powerplant, built in the UK's Hams Hall engine plant. It produces 143bhp at 6000rpm, a hefty 25bhp rise over the previous 318i's 1.9-litre mill. Torque has also been beefed up, with 147 lb ft now on offer at 3500rpm, compared to 133 lb ft at 3900rpm in the old car. All this extra oomph has helped shave over a second from the 0-62mph dash (now reached in 9.3 seconds) and add over 7mph to the top speed making it the fastest car in its market sector.
Thanks to the trick Valvetronic system (which, as you probably already know, does away with the traditional throttle butterfly) it is also the most fuel efficient, too. Economy figures have leapt from 35.3mpg for the 1.9-litre to an awesome 39.2mpg. BMW reckons that means a saving of at least one litre every 60 miles over its nearest competitor.
Jumping into the cabin, everything is as it was before, though there have been a few little specification tweaks across the range. Air conditioning and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) are now standard, while Bi-xenon headlamps (ie using xenon technology for low and high beams) which were debuted on the Compact can now be specified across the range. The rain sensor for the windscreen wipers can also be supplemented by new Automatic Headlamp Control. Widescreen monitors are now available for the sat-nav system and improved radios keep up to date with developments in the audio market.
From the moment you pull away in the revised 318i, you can feel the changes that have been made to the car's driving dynamics. When we drove the new Compact back in May, we were amazed at the difference the revised steering made. We're still impressed, with the 12 per cent quicker rack and weightier feel instantly more gratifying than the over-assisted 'Americanised' setting that had become standard E46 fare. Scything through traffic to escape Munich, there was no denying the extra urge of the new engine. There's a purposeful rasp every time you hit the accelerator, allied to superb throttle response. It's been a while since I drove our longterm 318Ci, but I don't remember it feeling anywhere near this keen.
On the glass-smooth Bavarian by-ways and wearing now standard16-inch alloys, the 318i rode impeccably. Stiffer rubber bushes reduce play in the suspension setup, while revised spring and damper rates supposedly improve grip on bumpy roads. As there weren't any bumpy roads to be found we'll have to reserve judgement, but there's no doubting the combination of meatier helm and tighter control really encouraged push-on driving.
The engine seemed up for a good thrash, too, with enough poke to blast past slower cars and power you out of tighter turns. It makes extracting speed less frantic than in the previous 318i, although, if truth be told, the engine is a little raucous in the upper reaches of the rev-range.
Most impressive of all though, was the car's ability to cruise along the autobahns well into three figures, tracking straight and true, with no fuss and very little intrusion from the outside world.
The 330i's 231bhp straight-six remains unchanged, but there's finally a genuinely sporting automatic alternative to the slightly tepid Steptronic system. Actually, the SMG is, like the new M3's, a manual gearbox with hydraulic actuation. It is based on the normal five-speed transmission (as opposed to the M3's six-speeder) and isn't quite as dynamic or as sophisticated as the SMG 2 flagship system. It is, however, enormous fun.
We make no secret of the fact that we enjoy manual cog-swappers a lot more than autoboxes, but were enormously impressed by the paddle-shift M3. The lesser Threes feature two paddles, but each can be used to change up and down, freeing up one hand if needs be. The selector lever can also be used to swap ratios in the manual modes.
You have to start the car with the selector in the left-hand 'neutral' position and foot on the brake. Reverse is left and up as you'd expect, and you also have two other planes to choose from. The far right-hand plane is for the fully automatic 'cruise' mode. Centrally is the basic 'manual' mode. This allows you to select gears manually by either pulling back the gear lever, or tugging one of the silver steering wheel paddles towards you to change up, pushing the lever forwards or pressing the paddle away to change down.
There's also another small button, just below the gear selector on the centre console. Pressing this engages 'sport' mode. This is designed to minimise shift time for a 'more dynamic style of motoring'. It also has an amusing party trick in the form of the 'acceleration assistant'. With the car at a standstill, select 'sport' and de-activate DSC. Floor the loud pedal and grin inanely as the system dials in around 4000rpm before dropping the clutch, launching the car to 62mph in just 6.5 seconds without a professional road-tester in sight.
Out on the road, SMG works well. Through town or on the autobahns, the automatic mode is fine if driven gently. Not as super-smooth as a full auto, but not bad at all. Switch to manual and choose your ratios at will, using the tell-tale light on the dash to remind you what cog you've got. You can kick down automatically if you floor it (the step is firm and clear) and you don't need to lift during up-changes.
However, there's quite a jolt during full power shifts, and it felt so much better with a lift of half a second or so (even though the system is said to change in just 150 milliseconds). Going down the 'box is much better ? just hit the brakes and push the paddles. Each downshift is perfectly matched on the throttle, making you feel and sound like God's gift to heel-and-toeing. Which is nice.
A couple of hours really wasn't enough time to fully get to grips with this system, but it was enough to convince us of its merits. Some people may criticise the fact that it needs plenty of driver imput (both mental and physical) to get the best from it, but for me that's what makes it so satisfying. Sure, you can stick it in 'cruise', pootle around politely and it's a serviceable 'fire-and-forget' auto. Hard on the anchors, dropping three cogs into a tight right-hander, before firing down the next straight it does a bloody good race-track nutter impersonation.
At around ?1700, the SMG option must surely (please!) sound a death knell for the current Steptronic auto in the 3 Series. It offers so many more options, infinitely better control and a truly dynamic addition to what is already a seriously satisfying driving experience. Compared to the M3's ?2400 premium for SMG 2 and ?1220 for the boggo sludge-pump it seems very aggressively priced, too. Consider, also, that emissions levels and fuel consumption will be the same as the manual (ie a lot better than the full auto).
The competition may have upped their games in order to challenge the 3 Series, but the best has just got better. Better looks, better specification, better engines, better options and a better driving experience. There's also the prospect of a stunning new second-generation common-rail diesel unit for the 320d (full test soon), with 150bhp, 243 lb ft of torque and 51.4mpg. It was difficult to imagine how BMW would find anything substantial to improve upon, but it has ? and with very little change in price. That might ruffle a few feathers in Ingolstadt and Coventry, but it's very good news for us.
From BMW Car Magazine
BMW reckons the 2002 model year 3 Series is the most dynamic sports saloon since the 2002. Could be…
BMW doesn't like anybody challenging its cars' supremacy ? especially the 3 Series. The iconic exec has been the cornerstone of the company's success for over a quarter of a century now, and the E46 is the biggest seller of all: in the UK, the Three makes up over two thirds of all BMW sales. So, with Audi snapping at its heels with the much-improved A4, and Jaguar causing a stir with its hip new X-Type, the Bavarians have decided to reassert their superiority.
There wasn't a lot wrong with the E46 anyway, but the revisions have proved more far-reaching than we'd first envisaged after hearing the Coup? and Convertible would remain unchanged cosmetically. The saloons and Tourings, however, get a mid-life make-over as well as plenty of unseen changes. Curving headlamps with piercing, projector-style 'eyes', flared nostrils and a more crisply creased bonnet bring the Three's face bang up to date. Better still, the new cars get the quicker, more tactile steering and revised suspension settings from the tack-sharp new Compact. The pi?ce de resistance, however, was the promise of an M3-style SMG gearbox for the 325i and 330i.
Oh, alright then, visually the new car isn't dramatically different but the changes are instantly noticeable. The wider grille, wider bonnet swages and those X Coup?-inspired headlamps subtly transform the E46. Shrunken front fog lamps and simplified front and rear valances, along with 'jewel'-effect rear light clusters help provide a family resemblance to the new flagship E65 7 Series due to be launched later in the Autumn and should keep the Three looking fresh until its 2004 replacement date.
First up for analysis is the new 318i, which features the latest two-litre Valvetronic powerplant, built in the UK's Hams Hall engine plant. It produces 143bhp at 6000rpm, a hefty 25bhp rise over the previous 318i's 1.9-litre mill. Torque has also been beefed up, with 147 lb ft now on offer at 3500rpm, compared to 133 lb ft at 3900rpm in the old car. All this extra oomph has helped shave over a second from the 0-62mph dash (now reached in 9.3 seconds) and add over 7mph to the top speed making it the fastest car in its market sector.
Thanks to the trick Valvetronic system (which, as you probably already know, does away with the traditional throttle butterfly) it is also the most fuel efficient, too. Economy figures have leapt from 35.3mpg for the 1.9-litre to an awesome 39.2mpg. BMW reckons that means a saving of at least one litre every 60 miles over its nearest competitor.
Jumping into the cabin, everything is as it was before, though there have been a few little specification tweaks across the range. Air conditioning and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) are now standard, while Bi-xenon headlamps (ie using xenon technology for low and high beams) which were debuted on the Compact can now be specified across the range. The rain sensor for the windscreen wipers can also be supplemented by new Automatic Headlamp Control. Widescreen monitors are now available for the sat-nav system and improved radios keep up to date with developments in the audio market.
From the moment you pull away in the revised 318i, you can feel the changes that have been made to the car's driving dynamics. When we drove the new Compact back in May, we were amazed at the difference the revised steering made. We're still impressed, with the 12 per cent quicker rack and weightier feel instantly more gratifying than the over-assisted 'Americanised' setting that had become standard E46 fare. Scything through traffic to escape Munich, there was no denying the extra urge of the new engine. There's a purposeful rasp every time you hit the accelerator, allied to superb throttle response. It's been a while since I drove our longterm 318Ci, but I don't remember it feeling anywhere near this keen.
On the glass-smooth Bavarian by-ways and wearing now standard16-inch alloys, the 318i rode impeccably. Stiffer rubber bushes reduce play in the suspension setup, while revised spring and damper rates supposedly improve grip on bumpy roads. As there weren't any bumpy roads to be found we'll have to reserve judgement, but there's no doubting the combination of meatier helm and tighter control really encouraged push-on driving.
The engine seemed up for a good thrash, too, with enough poke to blast past slower cars and power you out of tighter turns. It makes extracting speed less frantic than in the previous 318i, although, if truth be told, the engine is a little raucous in the upper reaches of the rev-range.
Most impressive of all though, was the car's ability to cruise along the autobahns well into three figures, tracking straight and true, with no fuss and very little intrusion from the outside world.
The 330i's 231bhp straight-six remains unchanged, but there's finally a genuinely sporting automatic alternative to the slightly tepid Steptronic system. Actually, the SMG is, like the new M3's, a manual gearbox with hydraulic actuation. It is based on the normal five-speed transmission (as opposed to the M3's six-speeder) and isn't quite as dynamic or as sophisticated as the SMG 2 flagship system. It is, however, enormous fun.
We make no secret of the fact that we enjoy manual cog-swappers a lot more than autoboxes, but were enormously impressed by the paddle-shift M3. The lesser Threes feature two paddles, but each can be used to change up and down, freeing up one hand if needs be. The selector lever can also be used to swap ratios in the manual modes.
You have to start the car with the selector in the left-hand 'neutral' position and foot on the brake. Reverse is left and up as you'd expect, and you also have two other planes to choose from. The far right-hand plane is for the fully automatic 'cruise' mode. Centrally is the basic 'manual' mode. This allows you to select gears manually by either pulling back the gear lever, or tugging one of the silver steering wheel paddles towards you to change up, pushing the lever forwards or pressing the paddle away to change down.
There's also another small button, just below the gear selector on the centre console. Pressing this engages 'sport' mode. This is designed to minimise shift time for a 'more dynamic style of motoring'. It also has an amusing party trick in the form of the 'acceleration assistant'. With the car at a standstill, select 'sport' and de-activate DSC. Floor the loud pedal and grin inanely as the system dials in around 4000rpm before dropping the clutch, launching the car to 62mph in just 6.5 seconds without a professional road-tester in sight.
Out on the road, SMG works well. Through town or on the autobahns, the automatic mode is fine if driven gently. Not as super-smooth as a full auto, but not bad at all. Switch to manual and choose your ratios at will, using the tell-tale light on the dash to remind you what cog you've got. You can kick down automatically if you floor it (the step is firm and clear) and you don't need to lift during up-changes.
However, there's quite a jolt during full power shifts, and it felt so much better with a lift of half a second or so (even though the system is said to change in just 150 milliseconds). Going down the 'box is much better ? just hit the brakes and push the paddles. Each downshift is perfectly matched on the throttle, making you feel and sound like God's gift to heel-and-toeing. Which is nice.
A couple of hours really wasn't enough time to fully get to grips with this system, but it was enough to convince us of its merits. Some people may criticise the fact that it needs plenty of driver imput (both mental and physical) to get the best from it, but for me that's what makes it so satisfying. Sure, you can stick it in 'cruise', pootle around politely and it's a serviceable 'fire-and-forget' auto. Hard on the anchors, dropping three cogs into a tight right-hander, before firing down the next straight it does a bloody good race-track nutter impersonation.
At around ?1700, the SMG option must surely (please!) sound a death knell for the current Steptronic auto in the 3 Series. It offers so many more options, infinitely better control and a truly dynamic addition to what is already a seriously satisfying driving experience. Compared to the M3's ?2400 premium for SMG 2 and ?1220 for the boggo sludge-pump it seems very aggressively priced, too. Consider, also, that emissions levels and fuel consumption will be the same as the manual (ie a lot better than the full auto).
The competition may have upped their games in order to challenge the 3 Series, but the best has just got better. Better looks, better specification, better engines, better options and a better driving experience. There's also the prospect of a stunning new second-generation common-rail diesel unit for the 320d (full test soon), with 150bhp, 243 lb ft of torque and 51.4mpg. It was difficult to imagine how BMW would find anything substantial to improve upon, but it has ? and with very little change in price. That might ruffle a few feathers in Ingolstadt and Coventry, but it's very good news for us.
11-20-2001, 10:43 AM
#3
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Zapata
wow, that acceleration assistant sounds cool
Great for the stop light to stop light drag. BMW always has some cool shit
wow, that acceleration assistant sounds cool
Great for the stop light to stop light drag. BMW always has some cool shit
11-20-2001, 10:52 AM
#5
Cost Drivers!!!!
small engine? displacement is 3L. huh, it does sound funny now that you mention it. The car isn't that heavy. Maybe some power is lost in the drivetrain when the acceleration assistant. I'd be interested to see a fully manual luanch 0-60 time.
11-20-2001, 05:22 PM
#6
Instructor
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Age: 46
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"It also has an amusing party trick in the form of the 'acceleration assistant'. With the car at a standstill, select 'sport' and de-activate DSC. Floor the loud pedal and grin inanely as the system dials in around 4000rpm before dropping the clutch,"
is this in the usa version? cause i know the m3 smg2 doesnt get launch control.. also does it have the same warranty ending stipulation? ie. over 30 launches on the m3 voids your warranty in europe..
6.5 aint that bad considering thats what the first M5 was getting in the 80s.. handling would make up for that anyway..
is this in the usa version? cause i know the m3 smg2 doesnt get launch control.. also does it have the same warranty ending stipulation? ie. over 30 launches on the m3 voids your warranty in europe..
6.5 aint that bad considering thats what the first M5 was getting in the 80s.. handling would make up for that anyway..
11-20-2001, 06:10 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Irvine, CA
Age: 40
Posts: 939
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by nt5k
cause i know the m3 smg2 doesnt get launch control.. also does it have the same warranty ending stipulation? ie. over 30 launches on the m3 voids your warranty in europe..
cause i know the m3 smg2 doesnt get launch control.. also does it have the same warranty ending stipulation? ie. over 30 launches on the m3 voids your warranty in europe..
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
xsilverhawkx
2G TL Problems & Fixes
5
09-28-2015 06:51 PM