ROAD TEST: Peter Greenslade drives a BMW 316i. Bavarians close technology gap

Press, 9 December 1988, Page 37

ROAD TEST: Peter Greenslade drives a BMW 316i. Bavarians close technology gap

Motorists disenchanted with the dazzle of cars from Japan may now be able to achieve an ambition that, realistically, has been only within the purview of those fortunate folk for whom money is of no great concern.

In fact, it has come about because the last technological gap in the comprehensive BMW range in New Zealand has been filled by the fourcylinder 316 i, with fuel injection and engine management. This strengthens the Bavarian car-maker’s hand, because it offers not only a technical level unmatched by competitors, but also a BMW at a price which should make the West German marque far more popular in this country. Buyers of the new BMW 316 i will acquire a car with much of the power-unit technology found in the 750 i, BMW’s VI2 flagship.

That means a car with greater pulling power, and improved refinement and economy, coupled with the ability to run freely at high speeds. New Zealanders identify those qualities with European cars that only the wealthy can afford, but BMW New Zealand has introduced in the 316 i a car that should satisfy those who crave high technology but, until now, have not had the wherewithal to acquire it. The new two-door 316 i, with a five-speed manual gearbox, can be bought for $39,850, and although the four-door saloons are a little more expensive, they are certainly not out of the way at $41,850 for the fivespeed manual and $45,850 for the four-speed automatic. Options such as sunshine roofs, electrically-operated windows and central locking, as well as many other facilities, are available in a 316 i sold by overseas dealers, but BMW New Zealand has wisely restricted the range here. Even so, the 316 i model is very much in line with the more expensive cars in the 3 Series range.

'At this - juncture,";it seems appropriate to mention that before the arrival of the 316 i, the cheapest BMW in this neck of the woods was the carubret-tor-fed 318 at $49,449. Taking into account the specification of the 316 i, the prices seem reasonable, and I believe that BMW dealers can confidently expect to make quite a lot of conquest sales. This car is fitted with the new M 40 engine. It has a capacity of 1596 cu cm and is, in effect, a direct steal from the five-litre BMW 750 i Vl2. In fact, it is a chip off the old (VI2) block, having about a third of the capacity of the larger engine.

The 316 i features a com-puter-designed, optimised combustion chamber pattern to provide highly efficient combustion. Thus the engine is smooth, quiet-running and economical.

Instead of the customary five balance weights, the five-bear-ing crankshaft has eight, and the flywheel has a torsional vibration damper. This arrangement bestows the smoothness of a well-designed “six” on the four-cylinder engine. Digital Motor Electronics — the most up-to-the-minute engine management system of the decade — controls and monitors fuel injection, ignition and all engine functions precisely and consistently. Not only is it exceptionally reliable, but also it combines economy

with maximum efficiency. The 316 i engine develops 75kW at 5500 rev/min and maximum torque of 143 Nm at 4250 rev/min. BMW’s claim of an instantaneous and smooth response with the accelerator is no idle boast. The flexibility is much akin to what one would expect from a pulsating VB, and certainly not that to be expected in a 1.6-litre four-cylinder saloon. The two-door model is highly civilised, the gearshift action being satisfyingly smooth and precise.. The hand falls unerringly on the stubby gear lever and the same applies in the case of the other controls, with the result that no great depth of understanding is needed to drive the car smoothly and confidently. In recent years, automatic transmissions have become more compatible with smaller engines but, as a general rule, there is still quite a marked fall-off in power when they are allied with engines of up to two-litre displacement. The 316 i is one of the more notable exceptions. Although I did not get a chance to do any back-to-back comparisons, I have the feeling that there is very little to pick and chooses between the twodoor manual and the four-door,

four-stage automatic sedan. In fact, when ascending Auckland’s southern natural barrier, Bombay Hill, I had to keep a wary eyp on the speedometer to ensure that I did not break the speed limit by too much when using the overtaking lane. Don’t ask me what gears I was using, for the only indication of a change was an almost imperceptible variation in the muted engine note. As a matter of fact, it is in such a situation that one becomes aware that the 316 i is unlike any other BMW. It lacks a rev counter, having instead an analogue clock, matching the speedometer in size. This and the 316 i symbol at the rear end are the only overt features identifying the model. Although most contemporary car-owners probaby don’t set much store by tachometers, I must admit that the absence of a rev counter disappointed me at first. However, the information that a tachometer would add at least $6OO to the price of a 316 i soon convinced me that an engine speed indicator was something that I could do without. Anyway, from what I know of the 3 Series cars, like any other BMW, they will be virtually indestructible, provided they are properly maintained. If you • have any lingering

doubts, I’d be surprised if the Wellington Nissan Mobil 500 winner, Roberto Ravaglia or the Pacific-Asia Group A touring car champion, Christchurch’s own Trevor Crowe, would not confirm my opinion. In fact, I believe a 316 i driver is more likely to stuff his car into a solid object, such as a bank, than to stuff the engine by over-stressing it. But, given the gift of sweet reasonableness, the chances of a 316 i driver coming to grief are pretty remote, for this car has impeccable road manners and is tolerant in its road behaviour, although I’m not entirely certain that the unassisted steering returns to the straight-ahead position as quickly as I’d like. I make the comment with somewhat mixed feelings, because the strength of the self-return seemed to vary, so maybe it was a combination of circumstances that caused the indecisiveness. The unassisted steering can be a shade taxing when indulging in parking manoeuvres, but once the car is travelling at lOkm/h or more, all but reasonable resistance has dissipated and there are no grounds for complaint. I tried the manual transmission model over the regular

test route and found it a goodriding car that was a better than average road-holder. Like all BMWs, the ride and handling tend to be towards the sporty end of the spectrum, and this feeling is enhanced by its liveliness and responsiveness. It tracked faithfully through all the twists and turns and, even when extended towards the general direction of its limits, did not appear to be over-stressed. In short, it conveyed the impression of being a particularly well-designed 2.5-litre high performance car, rather than one of the better 1600 s. Elsewhere the 316 i can be bought with a list of options fitted as long as an arm. In New Zealand the list is much shorter, but the standard equipment in the 316 i specification includes features that as a general rule its European and Japanese competitors don’t always possess. For example, the five-speed gearbox has an economy top gear, while the automatic transmission comprises four stages, or ratios. The exterior mirrors are electrically controlled and the generously sized luggage boot has its own light. There is also a service interval display on the instrument

panel. This computes deadlines in accordance with the work the car has accomplished, and not just by the distance travelled. Like the more costly BMWs, this one has engine self-diagno-sis with a faults memory and direct connection for a BMW service tester. The Standard 3 Series body incorporates galvanised sheet steel in the areas likely to be vulnerable to rust, and there is effective protection against corrosion elsewhere. In truth, although the 316 i looks just like any other 3 Series BMW, it also employs all the high technology that makes it simple to maintain, and is designed and built to be a reliable and durable car for a long time. Even if there is not a BMW 316 i filling a slot in your supermarket car park, an inspection of the other cars that are in it should be enough to convince that it is the best 1.6litre saloon so little money can buy in New Zealand. Popular smaller cars soon begin to look tatty, but a BMW, even-if it has had a hard life, flaunts its quality in a very understated way. On the road it is a truly composed motor car and, let’s face it, that is a type that is getting less common on our highways these days.