BMW 3 series has come a long way since ithemba la magumusha days. The evolution of this model has been monumental and we “are here for it” as the millennials would say. From the legendary gusheshe owned by the 80’s and 90’s hustlers, to the Dolphin owned by the school principals and teachers, the Germans have been a part of our lives for generations.
Being an award winning and best-selling model is not an easy assignment. For one, topping the predecessor and being in the same segment as the Audi A4 and Mercedes Benz C-Class must be exceptionally difficult but I must say the 3 series has been and still is holding its own. Back to the seventh generation twin turbo charged 330i I got to spend a few days with. The amount of power this car produces is satisfying, even on comfort mode. The ECO pro mode is much more practical as it’s less powerful and saves fuel, for running around town doing errands. I did select the Sport mode just to get a feel of the kind of power BMW is offering in the 330i but it was unnecessary as you already feel it in the other modes.
The 3 series has always been a looker, we learned that from Mazwi in Ubabo Lwam on SABC’s TV1 drama back in the 90’s. Fast forward to 2019, now a lot more modernized, curvier, sexier, there are absolutely no complaints here. The larger kidney grille and headlights makes the 330i look meaner and a babe magnet at the same time.
The 330i I got to drive had chocolate brown leather seats that really stood out. We expect a sedan to have enough legroom, the spaciousness of the cabin does not disappoint at all while still keeping the sporting aura.
BMW did not hold back on the technology on this model, something for everyone and more but what particularly had me jumping for joy is the gesture control, this made me feel like a kid again. The stop/start button is now positioned in the newly designed control panel in the centre console, where the gearshift lever is joined by the iDrive controller and the buttons for the Driving Experience Control switch unit and electromechanical parking brake.
The 3 series is available in two engines petrol and diesel.
Model and Pricing:
- BMW 330i standard Petrol Model: R 694 000
- Sport Line: R 672 600
- M Sport: R 694 400
- BMW 320 Standard Diesel Model: R 649 000
- Sport Line: R 672 600
- M Sport: R 696 400