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WWW.AUTOCAR.CO.UK29DECEMBER2011BMW320dSOMECARSx13NOTthatmanyitmustbesaidx13feelrightsomehowprettymuchfromthemomenttheybegintomove.ThenewBMW3Seriesespeciallythe320disverymuchoneofthosecars.Exceptinthiscasethegoodvibesstarttoflowlongbeforeyouclimbaboardandturnthekeyorprodthestarterbuttonifwex19rebeingpernicketyx13foralthoughitmaynotlookparticularlydifferentfromitspredecessorinphotographsintherawtherex19sanelegancetothiscarthatelevatesittoanewlevelofdesirability.Itlooksmuscularandsportingbutatthesametimegracefulandsophisticated.Bestofallitlacksbulkbesideitsmoreobviousrivalswhichlendsitadegreeofagilityontheeyethatbeliesitsactualsizeandweight.Notthatthenew3Seriesisaheavycarrelativetoitscompetition.Quitetheoppositeinfactbecauseunlikeits5Seriescousinthelatest3Serieshasactuallylostweightcomparedwithitspredecessorx13andthatformsthefoundationfortheentiredrivingexperienceandmore.Soalthoughtherex19sgreaterecologicalawarenessandmoretechnologycontainedwithinthiscarthanatanytimeduringits36-yearhistoryitx19salsobetterthanevertodrive.Andthatdoesnx19tjustmeanthis3Seriesiscleanerandmoreeconomicalalthough62.8mpgand118gkmarenottobedismissedlightlyinthe320dx19scaseitalsomeansitx19ssharperhandlingsmootherridingandmoreresponsivetoyourinputsgenerallythanatanyperiodduringthepreviousfivegenerations.WhichissomeachievementconsideringhowmuchsaferandmorerefinedthenewF303Seriesiscomparedwiththosethathavegonebeforeit.Anddidwementionthatitx19sroomierinthebackseatsOfthe320dspecificallytherearesomanyhighlightstothinkofthatitx19shardtoknowwheretobegin.Theengineisanamazingpieceofengineeringcombiningadegreeofsmoothnessandpurethrustthatwouldhaverenderedusspeechlessaslittleasfiveyearsago.Andthenewoptionaleight-speedautomaticgearboxwex19veyettotryamanualunfortunatelyissimilarlybreathtakinginthespeedandqualityofitsoperation.Butintheendtheseitemsastonishingthoughtheymayseeminisolationarebutpiecesinthejigsawoverall.Theyaremerelyelementsthatcontributetoformawholecarx13onethatcouldwellrepresentBMWx19sfinesthour.Andthatmakesitoneheckofacar.STEVESUTCLIFFEFACTFILEPrice28080Engine4cyls1995ccturbodieselPower181bhpTorque280lbft0-62mph7.6secTopspeed143mphx18Theengineisanamazingpieceofengineeringcombiningadegreeofsmoothnessandthrustthatwouldhaveleftusspeechlessjustfiveyearsagox19BRITAINx19SBESTCARSLooksbusinesslikeinsideandoutanddoesthebusinessFormoreinformationonthenewBMW3Seriessaloonvisitwww.bmw.co.uk3SeriesSaloon