2013 BMW 328i Touring Luxury Line

A full-color Head-Up display allows the driver to focus permanently on the road and the updated system comes clearly displays all the relevant information to make the ride as smooth and safe as possible. As seen in our pictures, in addition to the car’s speed and current speed limit, the Head-Up displays now recommends which lane to follow. The iDrive menu allows the driver to determine what information should be shown in the HUD and it is highly customizable.

Driving Impressions

Under the hood, the 328i uses the new and efficient 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine which sends 245 hp to the rear wheels. Acoustically, the engine remains most of the time in the background and its sound is mostly heard only when the driver firmly pushes down on the accelerator pedal. The engine sound, even in this situation, is of course not up to the acoustic levels of the six-cylinder unit, and we find it to be comfortable and not intrusive.

In combination with the engine, the eight-speed sport automatic transmission and its shift paddles on the steering wheel can perform any desired acceleration maneuvers. At the correct speed range, the engine is spontaneous and the driver is not presented with an annoying turbo lag. If you drive in the optimized and environment friendly Eco Pro mode, the acceleration response and gears set-up are tame therefore reaching the desired sprint requires some patience.

In corners, the BMW 3 Series Touring shines even when compared to the smaller F30 Sedan, and we were impressed by the lack of torque steering, which not all competitors can claim. The steering provides great road feedback up to a comfortable level, but we can see why drivers with “sporty traits” are going to want a little more feedback from the road.

Cargo Space

The boot of the F31 Touring has a capacity of up to 1,500 liters, which makes the 3 Series Touring stand out in its premium class. The tailgate can be electronically opened and closed; an optional Hands Free Opening Tailgate is offered as well. If one approaches the new 3 Series Touring with hands full, one need only stick a foot under the rear bumper to automatically open the tailgate.

As seen in the E46 generation of tourings, the rear window can be opened separately to load or unload small items from the trunk. In order to optimally use the space behind the large rear hatch, BMW designed many clever stowable solutions: separate partition net and luggage compartment cover. An additional strap along the right side panel can be used to help secure cargo and four tie-downs are integrated into the cargo floor, so transporting delicate items is safe and convenient.

Conclusion

The new BMW 3 Series Touring not only visuals represents what a 3 Series model should look like, but it also feels and behaves as you would expect from a mid-size premium car. The driving experience is less isolated than in a 5 or 6 Series, and the vast majority of customers will be pleased with the steering feedback.

The luggage space can be segmented and it’s well equipped for many cargo transportation scenarios . Thanks to the adaptive suspension, the F31 also masters the balance between sportiness and comfort, occasionally required in everyday life, and we believe it’s a significant improvement over the previous generation.

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BMW M135i

Small cars with big engines have always been fascinating to consumers around the world, and particularly to young people that embrace fast, compact vehicles. English-speaking countries label this type of vehicle as a “Hot Hatch.”

BMW joined this segment in 2004 with their first 1 Series vehicle. With its rear-wheel drive setup and sporty dynamics, the E87 130i was a compelling product in a competitive market. At launch time, the three and five-door hatchback was powered by a 3.0 liter six-cylinder engine which output 265 horsepower. But customers were looking for more power in a small package, and the 135i Coupe and Convertible came to market just a year later.

With the second-generation 1 Series, BMW wants to do accomplish better things from the beginning, and a year after the introduction of the F20 1 Series five-door hatch, a super sporty model is launching: M135i. The new compact sports car from Munich is available with three and five doors, in addition, customers have the choice between the classic rear-and front-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive architecture. BMW M135i is powered by a 3-litre, straight six-cylinder engine and 235 kW/320 hp and 450 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. The technology package includes a TwinScroll turbocharger, direct High Precision Injection with central multi-hole injectors, VALVETRONIC variable valve control and Double VANOS variable camshaft timing.

We were able to convince ourselves this past weekend of the potential of a small car with a large power pack while sitting behind the wheel of an F21 BMW M135i. The model came equipped with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission which can be operated using shift paddles on the steering wheel. A manual gearbox is offered as well.

While driving in the Eco Pro mode, the car behaves as expected: the acceleration response and gears set-up are tame. But once you move up to Sport Plus, you can immediately feel a more direct response and an increase in steering feedback.

It goes without saying that most of the test drives are done in Sport Plus with DSC on, but even with all the driving controls turned on, slight drifts occur when accelerating out of tight corners. Driving completely without a safety net can be achieved with a long press of a button, and without a doubt some customers will find that to be quite fun.

On the road, the turbocharged inline six-cylinder under the hood provides – in addition to the rear wheel drive BMW- a unique driving experience and it certainly impresses with its power and driving dynamics. Even at low speeds, the 320 hp delivers great acoustics. Push down on the acceleration pedal and an aggressive sound comes from under the hood.

The response of the turbo engine obviously behaves different than the naturally-aspirated S54 engine, but at the right speed range, the M135i’s acceleration is spontaneous.

The revised chassis with individual tuning of springs and dampers is M135i-specific allowing the first BMW M Performance model a largely neutral handling. Only if the rear wheels are not supplied with the right amount of power, the compact M135i starts to understeer.

The bottom line is that the BMW M135i is a true hot hatch, which dominates the road with its athletic stance without bothering us with excessive force in every day life. In combination with the new BMW luxury infotainment system and a very spacious interior, the Munich folks deliver a great package on the wheels, which we believe will give many headaches to its competitors.

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