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2020VISIONVITALSENGINEDIMENSIONSATEACHCORNERPrice0-62mphTopspeedEconomyCO2emissionsKerbweightEnginelayoutInstallationPowerTorquePowertoweightSpecificoutputCompressionratioGearboxLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseFueltankRangeBootFrontsuspensionRearsuspensionBrakesWheelsTyresBMW320DMODERNAUTO306057.6sec143mph62.8mpgcombined118gkm1495kg4cylsinline1995ccturbodieselFrontlongitudinalRWD181bhpat4000rpm280lbftat1750-2750rpm121bhppertonne91bhpperlitre16.518-spdautomatic4624mm1811mm1429mm2810mm57litres804miles480litresMacPhersonstrutscoilspringsanti-rollbarMulti-linkcoilspringsanti-rollbarVentilateddiscsfVentilateddiscsr8.0Jx18inoptionial22545R18optionialtoafinesecondaryride.Itevensteerswell.AswithPorschex19ssystemsyoux19renotkeenlyawarethattherackx19sratioquickensaslockisapplied.Itjustfeelsnaturallystablearoundthestraight-aheadandnaturallydynamicasyouwindonsomesteeringangle.At3.0turnsbetweenlocksthedifferenceingearingdoesnx19thavetobevastanyway.Weightislighttomiddlinganditx19sveryoilyslickandprecise.Getthe3Seriesloadedintoacornerandyoux19llnotfindbagsofroadfeelthroughtherimbuttherex19senoughtobegettingonwith.Thecarx19scorneringdemeanourissatisfyingtoo.Bothrollandtherateofitarewellcontained.The3Seriesfeelsfleetfootedx13withallthepoiseofanMSport-equippedprevious-gencarbutwithnoneoftheaccompanyingchassisharshness.Itx19sarewardingandenjoyableyetcomfortableset-upofasimilarveintosaytheFordFiestaZetec-Sx19stheyshowhowitx19spossibletoblendcorneringabilitywithridequality.SoIheadforacarswapandclimbintotheC-class.Howmanywaysdoesitfeelinferiortothe3SeriesHowmanydoyouwantImmediatelyitsengineseemslouderitx19sslowertoaccelerateanditsgearboxismarginallylessbrightinitsshiftsx13althoughtheyx19reequallyassmooth.TherealdifferenceishowleadentheC-classx19schassisfeelscomparedwiththatofthe3Seriesthough.Itnotonlytakeslongertosettleovercrestsanddipsbutalsofailstoroundtheedgesfromsurfaceimperfectionswiththesame7DECEMBER2011WWW.AUTOCAR.CO.UKdexterity.Itfeelsmorewooden.Itsteerswithsimilaraccuracyandstabilitybutlessverveenthusiasmandfeelx13althoughthelinearityisquitepleasing.SelectingtheSportbuttononeithercarsharpensthehandlingandworsensthesecondaryridetotheextentthatyoux19dprobablynotbothertoooftenbuttheresultisthesametheBMWismoresatisfying.PartlytheMercedesx19relativefeelingofheftisbecausetheC-classisheavierthanthe3Seriesat1600kgversus1495kg.Isuspectthoughthatmostlyitx19sbecausethenew3Serieshasdrivenawedgebetweentheirrespectivedynamicabilities.Donx19tgetmewrongtheC-classisstillafinecar.Ix19dhavequitehappilyclimbedinitandspentadayspearinghomefromSpainknowingthatitsnoiselevelsatacruisearelowergonomicsarespotonandthathithertoitwasthebestvehicleintheclassbyanoseovertheBMWandbyafathomovereverythingelse.Butwhatx19sremarkableisthatthenewBMWhasputasimilaramountofairbetweenitandtheMercedes.Therearenx19tnowtwophoto-finishclassleadersandtherest.Withtheobviouscaveatthatwehavenx19tyettrieda3Seriesonpassivesuspensionitx19stheremarkablestandoutcarinitsfieldbyseverallengthsovertheC-classbehindwhichcomethealso-ransatasimilardistance.Sometimesanewcarcomesalonganditisbetternotjustthanyouexpecteditwouldbebutthanitcouldbe.Thenew3Seriesisoneofthosecars.LBMW320dvsMercedesC220CDIComparison