BMW 320d - 'B'ehold the 'M'otoring 'W'onder

Then it was the usual practice. Put the tranny in auto sports mode, build up the revs and shoot off the line. I could feel the auto-box working viciously. Second gear, as smooth as silk. Shift into third it did without even giving a hint of lag. Then fourth. Speed hovering around 135 clicks, I ran out of road. Oh, where is my friend? Ah, there he comes! The BMW beat his hot-performing mean-machine. And the agony on his face was aggravated when he saw four things on the boot - 320d. He climbed out, we sat next to the cars and chatted. He said, "buddy, it is fine to be defeated by a BMW. But not a diesel one atleast! It falls like a slap on my cheek!"

Does it leave me with a lot to say about the BMW 320d's performance? No. But still, I would like to give you some numbers. The sprint from naught to a hundred clicks was dismissed in a meagre 8.3 seconds while the true top whack we could manage was 213kmph (speedo showing 220 odd). Yes, hundred came up in real quick time, but how about 200? Dear fellas, zero to two hundred was dealt with in just one minute! All it takes is "O-holy-sweet-mother-of-god-this-is-brutally-fast" and you'll be doing two hundred. The sheer power, the eagerness, the zest of this four cylinder, sixteen valve, 2.0L diesel brilliance is unspeakable of. It produces 155 odd horses when you give it the beans and a copious supply of 330Nm of turning force is readily available all through the power band. The turbo whine is simply intoxicating. Yes, the diesel engine is loud and the clatter is what you do not expect of such a machine, but with such performance being delivered, you really do not mind anything.

The handling is simply inspiring. It seems as if the car can read your mind. It is intuitive and communicative. Everything about the way it feels to the driver is so real and interactive. The steering feel, response and grip lend it a sport's car feel. The tyres hug the road as if they were born lovers. The immense amount of grip simply leaves you in awe. The chassis is well sorted out for spirited driving and conveys a 'thank you' note whenever asked to deliver. You always feel connected to the car. The BMW 320d is a driver's delight. Period.

I deliberately kept this bit for the end. You see, a person going in for a car in this price bracket would not really give fuel efficiency the top priority. But still, a typical Indian always thinks about this aspect and BMW have this covered well. Though it is not really a very frugal motor, the 320d does well to return modest figures. A 9.5kmpl in city is not too bad, considering bumper-to-bumper kind of traffic of Mumbai while on the highway this figure rises to 10.4kmpl when given a steady throttle feed. As I said, modest is the word that describes the mileage figures well.

Looks, presence, performance, comfort, efficiency. The BMW 320d has all these aspects covered well. And you get a sea of equipments which boost the comfort and safety factor to no end. So what essentially is the BMW 320d? It is a comfortable, safe, stylish and enjoyable rocket ship in form of a four-wheeled premium luxury sedan from one of the most respected and celebrated marques of the global auto industry. Go, get it if you've got the moolah. Go get it, for it will bring out the kid in you. Go get it, for it feels good to be a brat again! This is purly a driver's car, drive it, make it feel like it is.

Yes, this road-test carries a lot of praises and very few criticisms. It is not our fault if this car has been made by petrol-heads, for petrol-heads. This car is made not only using science and technology. This car has been made with passion. At the end of the day, I was feeling great to have let the devil inside take over things. I am sure the angel too learnt a thing or two.

Speed Chart (Speed in kmph v/s Time in seconds)