European cars have much to offer

Press, 2 May 1985, Page 26

European cars have much to offer

BEHIND the WHEEL with

Peter Greenslade

Besotted as we are with Japanese technology the number of New Zealanders familiar with European cars continues to diminish. That is probably because products manufactured in Europe are almost invariably in short supply and often tend to be expensive. Because European cars are beyond the reach of most New Zealanders, there are many among us who tend to build up defence mechanisms and adopt stances which suggest they are over-priced and somewhat unreliable. It is true that the Europeans do make cars that are overly expensive and somtimes not entirely reliable, but it would be wrong to claim that such is the norm. Europeans make some of the world’s best cars and, no matter how loyal other nationalities might be, they accept that fact in the main.

Take the Japanese as an example. In 1983 they produced 27.8 "per cent of the world’s motor vehicles. The United States produced 23 per cent and West Germany 10.4 per cent. Yet, even though the Japanese had cars of all shapes and sizes as well as prices coming out of their ears, they bought 8000 West German BMWs. BMW sales in the United States were much more spectacular, 70,000 cars

from the West German firm being sold that year. Today BMW’s annual sales to the United States are running at about 90,000.

Those Japanese and United States sales figures are quite telling because BMW has yet to produce 500,000 cars in a year. It is interesting to see that the world’s largest car manufacturing nations do appreciate the worth of products manufactured by what is, relatively speaking, one of the world’s smaller car makers and a West German firm at that.

With annual production running at around 420,000,

BMW has quite ambitious aspirations in New Zealand now that the Government has put in place the motor industry plan with its accompanying liberalisation of completely-built-up car imports. BMW New Zealand, Ltd’s, sales have been running at around 200 a year, but this year the company hopes to double the figure, in part by offering the most comprehensive range of European cars seen here for many years and also by selling them at prices which should be extremely competitive, taking into account the relatively small market there is for this type of car in New Zealand. Nine basic models to a rationalised New Zealand specification will be available. With the variations of manual and automatic transmission, however, two and four doors and limited options, BMW dealers will be able to offer a wide variety of cars ranging from the $36,000, 1.8 litre fuel injected four-cyclinder, two-door 3181 saloon, to the $115,000, 3.5 litre fuel injected six-cylinder 635CSi sports coupe with anti-lock braking and three-mode automatic transmission.

Examples of the small and agile three series cars, ranging in price from $36,000 to $54,000, will account for more than 65 per cent of the cars imported. The slightly larger and more highly specified five series, four-door saloon will range from $49,000 to 566,000.

The splendid six and seven series models, the 2.8 litre fuel injected automatic 728 i saloon and the similarly mechanically specified 3.5 litre 7351 Executive will compete head-on with the better examples of Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, and maybe Jaguar and Daimler. The 728 i at $75,000 is likely to get in under the ribs of the aforementioned cars, as, indeed, will the more expensive 735 i Executive.

The sporty 635C51 is a car that is aimed at a very specialised market segment that, one would expect, is somewhat different from that for the seven series saloons. All these cars will be offerd with sunroof, stereocassette player, electrically-

adjustable door mirrors and electrically-operated radio aerial. Where such items as air-conditioning, alloy wheels, metallic paint and central door locking are not included in the standard specification, they will be avilable as options. By BMW standards, the three series cars are fairly basic, not being as electronically sophisticated as the larger models. Nevertheless they do feature the plug-in diagnostic system which pinpoints any malfunction under the bonnet instantaneously, and a full range of indicators on the instrument panel to alert the driver that routine checks are needed, as well as giving assurances that the mechanical functions are operating as the designers and engineers intended. During a test day in the Rotorua district recently, I was able to drive each of the BMWs the New Zealand company intends to distribute and form some opinions about them which might, however, be more _ accurately described as ’ fleeting impressions, as the tight programme only permitted 16km behind the wheel of each car.

The Rotorua test day confirmed impressions I had gained after driving the 635C51 and 735 i Executive for extended periods in Australia. These impressions were confirmed on Melbourne’s Sandown Park racing circuit where I was able to drive some of the models BMW has yet to publicly reveal as well as others that are about to go into dealers’ showrooms in the Northern Hemisphere. The overwhelming impression a BMW conveys to me, irrespective of its size, weight and power, is one of solidarity without being ponderous.

There is none of the contemporary flimsiness about the three series cars, although they are light and agile. Responsive and very secure, remaining foursquare on the road irrespective of its surface, they are quite roomy and fall into the small touring car role very easily. All BMWs ride quite harshly, but not uncomfortably so, and I suppost the security they impart to occupants stems from this characteristic. Many con-

temporary cars in the 1600 to 2000 cu cm class seem to lose ground contact and virtually float around 80km/ h. The harshness is quite pronounced in the three series cars and tends to diminish in the larger ones.

I think if I was in the market for a three series model I would opt for manual transmission. Good though the automatic gearbox may be, and the changes are exceptionally smooth, it seemed to “hunt” quite a lot and although this characteristic did not impede progress in any way, I found the change in engine note became irritating in next to no timme. The five series cars give the impression that they are larger, but they are only 6cm greater in the wheelbase. They are pleasant to drive, handle extremely well, but are not as lively as I had expected they would be. In making that comment, it is perhaps worth adding that a few weeks ago I drove the specially-built five series road car of Jim Richards, lead driver for BMW Australia’s Motorsport Division, at Sandown Park and was not overimpressed with the power although handling, as expected, was beyond reproach. The 7281 is a markedly larger car than the others in the stable, having a 279 cm wheelbase and an over-all

length of 486 cm and weighing 1480 kg. This is a substantial and highly computerised saloon, its engine developing 138 kW to provide quite sparkling performance effortlessly.

The 735 i Executive weighs 1520 kg and develops 160 kW and otherwise is the same size as the 7281. I found it a most civilised car to handle in Melbourne’s Dandenong Range and was most impressed with the willingness of the overhead camshaft engine which turned over with turbine smoothness. Although the suspension is very refined, roll angles even when the car is cornered quite vigorously are insufficient to throw back seat passengers about and there is still more than a trace of firmness in the suspension. Undoubtedly the 7281, at $75,000, will be the more popular large saloon here and although it has a smaller engine than the 735 i and lacks the buffalo hide upholstery, the standard of appointment and finish does not pale in comparison. This is an exceptionally well-rounded saloon which anyone who takes an interest in better cars would be proud to own.

As with all the other cars in the range, the 7281 displays thoroughbred handling qualities and the anti-lock braking system has to be sampled to be believed. This

is undoubtedly a major breakthrough in car safety and must have a significan effect in reducing road accidents once its use becomes widespread. The six and seven series BMWs, like all the others, have the plug-in diagnostic system but also employ digital motor electronics which, in effect, manage the engine. It adjusts the Bosch L-Tetronic fuel injection in accordance with driver and other demands, takes care of the fuel-air mixture and the engine warm-up phase and looks after the grid controlled ignition system. Additionally, a simply

operated, remotely-con-trolled computer tells the driver everything that is needed to be known about the condition of the car, as well as the current rate of petrol consumption, distance covered and other relevant data. In short, the seven series cars are very desirable. Unfortunately BMWs are cars that only a very small segment of the motoring public have an opportunity to drive. Having been one of the fortunate few, let me declare that they are worth every cent of their price tags. You can take my word for that.