BMW 325i v BMW 325i

Safety features, a raft of new technology and Chris Bangle. In spite of all that's changed in 20 years, the E30 and E90 3-series still share the same spirit.

Inevitably, the drive back home ends with Mrs Sorabjee slamming the door and storming off in a huff, muttering something to do with irresponsible behaviour. It’s hard to explain to my wife that the only way my 20-year-old E30 325i likes to corner is with its tailing hanging out. That’s the problem (for her) with my pride and joy. Age hasn’t dampened my Bimmer’s enthusiasm and, true to the DNA of the marque, it simply yearns to be driven in a fashion that might not qualify for mere A-to-B motoring. The handling is so crisp and predictable, the chassis so finely balanced and that creamy in-line six so responsive, that you can’t help but toss it around with gay abandon and full knowledge that it won’t snap back at you.

Ever since I bought MFC 977 from my dear, late friend Jangoo Nicholson in 2002, I have never sat in any seat except the one behind the meaty, yet minimalist three-spoke steering wheel. I honestly can’t tell you what it feels like to sit at the back and couldn’t care less, but the driver’s seat is a very special place. For a person who has suffered lower back problems for 20 years, I know a thing or two about seats and the embrace of this snug-fitting bucket is what really does it for me. But it’s not just the perfect contours and bolstering of the seats that gives you that special feeling. The E30’s interior design maybe simple and old-fashioned, but it gives the driver a delightful sense of control, which is an intrinsic part of the BMW aura. The centre console is angled towards the driver, the gear lever sprouts up from the high tunnel to fall perfectly to hand and it is impossible to fault the position of the steering wheel, pedals and other controls. This driver-focussed approach holds true for the rest of the car too, which makes it so entertaining to drive. The definitive bonding point with the car is the incredible steering. It’s light, yet accurate and with loads of feel through the chunkily-rimmed wheel. There’s no slack at all, nor any sogginess to dilute the driving pleasure. And when you couple a brilliant steering with a chassis that has near-perfect weight distribution, every corner becomes a joy. Be it the wrongly cambered sweeping left-hander down Hanging Gardens at Malabar Hill, the tight U-turn under the Kemps Corner flyover or one of the 90-degree rights onto Marine Drive, the 325i is ever eager to change direction with a poise and fluency that makes the driver feel like he’s Nick Heidfeld. A smooth, twisty road in some deserted corner of the country would be the perfect playground for this Bimmer, but my car is too old and not quite in perfect nick for long-distance jaunts. But the wonderful thing about this three-generation-old 3-series is that you can enjoy it without having to go bonkers. Even at moderate speeds, the whole driving experience is so precise and involving. This is a car I enjoy on Sundays or late at night; at a time when I don’t have to suffer its heavy clutch in bumper-to-bumper traffic or worry about the temperature needle inching towards the red (got to get the electric fan fixed). The high-profile tyres (70-series) make light work of Mumbai’s potholed roads and this is the only reason I haven’t gone back to the standard 65-series profiles, even though they would greatly improve the car’s looks.

The 325i wouldn’t be even half the fun it is if it weren’t for its 2.5-litre motor. The ‘straight-six’ or in-line six-cylinder layout, to which BMW has traditionally stuck, has played a strong role in building the charisma of the marque. The M20 motor has a simple, belt-driven, single overhead cam and two-valve-per-cylinder architecture, but it is so smooth that you feel it’s lubricated with Amul butter instead of multi-grade oil. As the revs rise, it sounds absolutely fabulous, and it’s hard not to make quick visits to the 6500rpm redline where, thankfully, a stern rev limiter cuts in. But it's not just the velvety smoothness that is enthralling but a linear shove this 170bhp motor belts out from 1000rpm all the way to the redline. The engine is incredibly responsive through the rev range and this only adds to the amazing driving experience. The E30 325i is still quick by any standards, and though I haven’t strapped our VBOX onto it yet, I am sure it’s not far off the company-claimed 0-100kph time of 7.7 seconds. But these figures are only academic. No numbers can quantify the sheer magic this two-decade-old car conjures. The E30 3-series is an important chapter in the history of a company that has focussed on producing the greatest sporting saloons the world has seen.

Sadly, Indian car owners have missed out on the previous generations of 3-series but it’s never too late. The latest iteration of the 3-series (E90) is a giant leap forward and is now assembled in India. In less than a year we have got to know this car only too well. The brand-new 320i impressed us with its awesome handling and the 320d saw off the A4 and C-class diesels in a shootout, but it’s the 325i, with its legendary straight-six motor updated to produce 214bhp, that caught our hearts. But does the new 325i have the magic of its predecessors? Can it entertain and bewitch you in the same measure? Or has the increase in weight and size and the lack of a manual transmission option blunted its appeal?

Parked side-by-side, the three-generation gap is glaringly obvious. The E30 looks like a bread box, wearing gumboots for tyres, next to the E90 with its swooping, muscular frame and rubber-band-thin, 45-profile 17-inchers. However, the E30’s square shape still has an old-world charm and its simple design exudes the sort of confidence that can only be found in a BMW. The interiors are light years apart as well. The E30’s dashboard looks prehistoric compared to the futuristic, flowing surfaces inside the E90, but sadly the slight tilt of the centre console towards the driver — BMW’s subtle way of letting you know who’s in charge — is missing in the new car. With every successive generation (the E36 and E46 followed the E30), the 3-series has grown up and now, in its latest E90 guise, it is more than a class larger than the E30. Wider, longer and taller than its predecessor, the E90 is also a significant 165kg heavier, despite substantial use of weight-saving materials. That’s because with each successive model, the demand for better crash-worthiness and safety features (The E90 325i has 8 airbags and a sophisticated stability and traction control system, while in contrast the E30 has none) and more features grows. Apart from central locking and power windows and mirrors, the E30 is quite basic. There are no powered seats, no complicated iDrive, no 10-speaker audio system and no TV. It’s nowhere near as well insulated either. So while the E30 feels raw and more exposed to the elements, the solid thud of the E90’s doors cocoons from you the outside world. Fire up the engine via the Start/Stop button and you are instantly reminded of the latest 325i’s lineage. The two 325is maybe several generations apart but the core ingredients of both these cars remain the same. The straight-six motor still has that delightful growl, but feels more mellow and refined. Though the basic architecture of the engines are similar, it’s the high-tech bits and pieces and years of tweaking that have taken the smoothness and fantastic flexibility, a legendary characteristic of BMW’s straight-sixes, to a completely different level. The engine spins like a turbine to 6900rpm and, though the six-speed auto doesn’t quite give the immediate response of a manual transmission, you just can’t miss the eagerness of the motor.

True to its pedigree, the E90’s handling is phenomenal and, like its forebears, rewards the driver with neutral handling that is derived from a perfectly balanced chassis. The way this latest 325i dives into corners with unflappable poise and grip means you need a wide and empty road to truly exploit its full potential. The steering, too, is razor-sharp, with zero slack around the straight ahead position. However, the steering isn’t as light as the E30’s, which calls for fingertip control and not the heavy wrists (especially at low speeds) the E90’s rack demands.

Driving the two cars back-to-back, it’s fascinating to see how far the game has moved on. The 325i is faster, smoother, far more refined, comfortable and safe. However, the raw, unbridled appeal of the lighter E30 is missing. Modern technology and a raft of electronic gizmos keep the new 325i pointing in the right direction, and that’s no bad thing. But, as a result, it’s difficult to exploit the limit at sane speeds, and this makes it hard to get intimate with it. What I really love about my E30 is that it is unhinged from today’s demands of all sorts of electronic controls and offers a purer driving experience. Best of all, after all these years, it's still an absolute hoot to drive. Just wish the Missus would agree.

Factfile
BMW e30 325i BMW e90 325i
Price - Rs 10 lakh# - Rs 32.2 lakh*
Top speed 219kph** - 235kph
0-100kph 7.7sec** - 9.03sec
L/W/H -4325/1645/1380mm - 4520/1817/1421mm
Wheelbase 2570mm - 2760mm
Kerb weight -1293kg - 1460kg
Engine - 6 cyls, in line, 2494cc - 6 cyls, in line, 2497cc
Power -170bhp at 5800rpm - 214bhp at 6500rpm
Torque - 22.7kgm at 4300rpm - 25.08kgm at 4000rpm
Gearbox - 5-speed manual - 6-speed auto
Front suspension - MacPherson struts, coil springs - Independent, double-joint, spring struts
Rear suspension - Semi-trailing arms, coil springs - Independent, five-link suspension
Fuel tank - 55 litres - 63 litres
Tyre size - 195/65 R14 - 225/45 R17