F30 330D M Sport Touring test drive

[MikeR]

Test drove one of these yesterday. Lots of toys. Normal M Sport suspension. 19" wheels. Sport automatic.

Impressions:

V.comfortable
tremendous surge of speed
engine note powerful but not overly pleasing - had hoped the 6 cyl would sound much sweeter than my D3
motorway driving fantastic, some roar from the tyres but otherwise quiet (mind you my D3 saloon on Mich. P Supersports is phenomenal in this regard - compared to a touring shell on Yokohamas)
bumpy back road driving extremely good - I was fearful it would ride very hard, but no it flowed down the road extemely well
handling - I'm no racing driver so difficult to say really - I fancied turn in down a little on the D3, great grip but overall felt a really good drive
steering very nice
good brakes
not sure there's much point to the kinda cool flappy paddles - kickdown pretty effective!
Boot OK, definitely not in the cavernous category

Overall I liked it a lot. Hope to try an S4 Avant during the week...

PS one of the new Alpina D3s must be monumentally fast based on this!!!

[dep]

Hi Mike, did you take out an X-Drive or a standard model. We were in our local dealer yesterday & a very nice X Drive one came in to park near us.

They do look very nice I think.

Any interest in the BT yet?

[MikeR]

It was RWD not X drive. Estoril blue. Extremely nice car.

No interest in the D3 yet, but only on here so far - I need to take some pics before advertising it elsewhere.

[MikeR]

Any interest in the BT yet?

Also on Pistonheads now - some speculative (low) phonecall offers, then one chap test drove it last w/e. Think he liked it a lot - hope to learn his decision this w/e - we'll see...

[dep]

As Ade will probably have said we did think about it, but the other half is insistant on a auto touring next so we need to hold out for one of them

[MikeR]

As Ade will probably have said we did think about it, but the other half is insistant on a auto touring next so we need to hold out for one of them

Pity!

"My man" has gone off the boil - his old Accord Type R needed >£1,000 spent on it to get it through this week's MOT without attending to several advisories, so he's more skint than he'd planned and needs to sell his car first...

[ade and liz flint]

Test drove one of these yesterday. Lots of toys. Normal M Sport suspension. 19" wheels. Sport automatic.

Impressions:

V.comfortable
tremendous surge of speed
engine note powerful but not overly pleasing - had hoped the 6 cyl would sound much sweeter than my D3
bumpy back road driving extremely good - I was fearful it would ride very hard, but no it flowed down the road extemely well
handling - I'm no racing driver so difficult to say really - I fancied turn in down a little on the D3, great grip but overall felt a really good drive
steering very nice
good brakes
not sure there's much point to the kinda cool flappy paddles - kickdown pretty effective!

Impressive car, the F3x in any diesel guise.

I think your comments re turn-in are down to the weight of the 6-cyl further forward in the engine bay: I found it going from your D3BT to my B3SBT. The D3 made the B3 feel very slow and lacking in positive feedback at times through the steering. The tone of the 6-cyl diesels (as my M57-engined 535d is atm) is very truck-like IMO, and I'm not a fan of the acoustics. Nice engine other than the sound...

The 8-speed 'box they have in the current range is incredible and the hardest decision I had in going to Porsche next with the 7-speed PDK: the BMW unit makes it feel a bit slow and old-fashioned, but one can't have everything! I enjoyed driving a 435d with the flappy paddles.....but I am a control freak, so I just had to take over! That was, however, about all I liked about the particular 435d xdrive we had a play in: wouldn't buy one of those, but no use to you either.

As Ade will probably have said we did think about it, but the other half is insistant on a auto touring next so we need to hold out for one of them

Pity!

I tried, Mike.....he was just too indecisive



Hope someone else comes along soon, Mike!

[MikeR]

There's the occasional 328i Touring knocking about - know anything about them?

Light 2.0 Turbo might be good, but what'll it sound like?! Less torque than the diesels too - maybe I should track one down though.

[dep]

[/quote]

I tried, Mike.....he was just too indecisive :lol:

:wink:

[/quote]

Me Ade, never.

Its a lovely car & I remember the short trip you took me out in it.

However Sam has her heart set on a tourer next, plus after two dark cars she has no interest in maintaining another dark one

[James_G]

OP, now that you've driven the F30 330D and liked it, can you see a case for an F30 Alpina D3?

I've driven an S4 (saloon) and I loved it, especially the sound. Alas Audi couldn't do a deal for me so ended up with another BMW.

[MikeR]

OP, now that you've driven the F30 330D and liked it, can you see a case for an F30 Alpina D3?

I've driven an S4 (saloon) and I loved it, especially the sound. Alas Audi couldn't do a deal for me so ended up with another BMW.

Well I think the new D3 must be monumentally fast! I'm no expert but I was impressed by the ride and maybe handling (I wasn't a hooligan) of the m sport on run flats so maybe that takes a little away from the usual ALPINA advantage.
The only trouble for the D3 (apart from a lack of a Touring ) I'd see is the price. I saw pre registered 335d x drives for sale this week for £35k....and I read on forums of ~15% discounts being not too uncommon.

I drove an S4 Avant. Liked the engine note but underwhelmed by the speed after the 330d. Surprised. Nice though.