The dog leg from Chalk Farm tube station, in North London, to the bottom of the M1 is just 4 miles long, yet there are an overwhelming 22 sets of traffic lights.
What better place to test BMW’s ‘efficient dynamics’ STOP – START technology? As soon as the car stops, provided you are in neutral and have released the clutch, the engine cuts out. As soon as you dip the clutch, it fires up again. No need for keys or buttons.
Every time I stopped at one of the 22 sets of lights, I drew to a stop, put the car in first with the clutch dipped, ready to go. Then realised that I do that more than I should, that it’s tiring on the ankle and bad for the clutch. So I put the car in neutral, released the clutch and the engine cut out. Clever stuff.
An ‘A’ symbol appears on the dashboard so that you know it hasn’t stalled, but is simply waiting to go again. The sound from the diesel engine, inside at least, is a pleasantly muffled, throaty grunt. It is as refined and quiet as you would expect from a premium brand. Anyone used to older cars will comment on how quiet it is.
But every time it cuts out you think, ‘gosh it’s noisier than I thought.’ That’s a real shame. But there is no time to reflect on that now, the lights are at red-and-amber and this is London. People are already reaching for their horns in case I don’t move.
Dip the clutch, simultaneously engage first and amazingly, it starts, catches the gear and you are away as fast as if the engine were running all the time.
On average, at each set of lights I had to stop for 14 seconds. No sooner had the engine cut out, but I was firing it up again - or so it felt. My maximum stay was 38 seconds.
When I first heard about this technology I rather imaged trees sprouting up around me while I sat silently in queues. But 14 seconds is really not long. However, over those 4 miles I was stationery for over 2 minutes and in rush hour that would rise to at least 5 minutes. If I commuted each way for a week it would be an hour of engine off time – in just those 4 miles. Like gambling debts, it soon racks up.
All this sitting at traffic lights provides plenty of time for you to play with the BMW’s I-drive system. Much has been said about the I-drive system being difficult and complicated and designed by 12-year-old boffins.
Don’t listen to any of that. It really is very simple. If you know how to operate a Sky TV handset or send an email, you will get this too. Slide the controller to the right and set the sat nav, (which is good, but the timings and clarity of directions are not quite market leading).
Once you have a route planned, slide the controller down and roll through the attractive retro display of radio stations. Nothing on you like? Play a CD. Oh no, hang on, there isn’t one. Bizarrely, that counts as an extra. Still, BMW never used to even give you a radio as standard.
Which is why I have always found the British public’s fascination with the brand so interesting. At a friend’s wedding recently, the Groom’s mother told me that she was annoyed her son had managed to get a BMW before her. What is it about these cars that makes them unquestionably popular?
You don’t have to be driving one for very long before you find out. The clutch is light but has a firm feel. It doesn’t flap about, you know what it’s doing, but you won’t require a elasticised bandage on your ankle to live with it.
The feel of the leathers and plastic is sublime. Holding the small chunky steering wheel makes you feel like you are doing something important. The gear lever is very small and while shifting gear is a short movement, it never feels over-the-top like you are in a sports car. The seats are very supportive (on a hot day, even with air con, your back may get a bit tacky because you are clamped into the seat), but they are gently forgiving over a long drive too.
Motorway refinement is industry leading; little wind, engine or road noise. Even though this car is on serious BMW motorsport alloys I never once heard any low speed road drone. It accelerates swiftly and the handling is, as all those BMW adverts, promise, neutral and perfectly balanced.
I sometimes felt that in faster corners, or the roundabouts that punctuate Milton Keynes, the feel of the handling arrived a bit late. It took a second or so for the steering to give the driver some sense of weight on initial turn in, but once it was there, the handling was perfect.
All this praise doesn’t mean it is a perfect car. The handbrake had very little strength unless you pulled it up tight to the top of its travel. I rolled back a couple of times because I hadn’t put my back into it. And the gear ratios mean second gear doesn’t have enough torque for those inner city moments when you want to pull away having slowed to a roll rather than a stop. But, these are petty gripes when you consider the overall package.
Summary
The industry benchmark for small executive cars. High-handed build quality and style. Expensive new and used, but highly desirable.
Road test car details:
BMW 320 d M Sport
OTR: £ 28,585
0-62: 7.9secs
MPG: 58.9
Co2 / KM: 144
Words: Matthew Tumbridge