bimbeano
11742
BMW 420d : A quick drive
A couple of months ago i had a go in the new 3 series from BMW ... the 316d .. .
Apart from the lazy two litre 115 hp diesel engine i was once again surprised by the steering qualities.
The new 4-series is in fact a two door coupé 3 series that stands a bit wider on its feet, and it feels .. this particular 420d with the 2 litre 184 hp diesel was actually quite fun ro drive. Okay, it's not in the fun-league of my hot hatch but if it came to a streetrace 
it would be very difficult to loose it .
it would be very difficult to loose it .
These last years i'm really tending towards classic cars, few modern cars steal my heart these days ...
... neither will this new 4-series but it really comes close, driving qualities are as per most BMW's outstanding, i do like the shape and design ....
... well , the rear lights look a bit strange (too modern to my taste) .... but i keep turning back to the driving qualities ...
I really didn't drive it long, so i couldn't get used to the flappy paddles .. BUT ... that 8 speed gearbox is quite amazing, the automotive press didn't lie about it .. it really is intuitive but i still have the feeling that any flappy-paddled (automatic) gearbox has some kind of slowness/hesitation ... .
Soooo, why can't this 420 touch my petrol-heart ?
The excessive weight and the button-jungle inside the cockpit .... weight will you ask yourself while i praise the steering and driving qualities ? You still feel the weight no matter how good it drives, i tried the 520d with that same engine and gearbox ... and it felt (and is) quite a lot heavier ... so i think a 1 series might be able to steal my heart .... BUT i am 100 % sure a stripped-out 1-series petrol-engined, LSD-equipped would definitely make my mouth water ... .
. More BMW-posts to follow ...
...Bim
This message has been edited by bimbeano on 2014-02-08 10:43:38
BMW 420d : A quick drive
A couple of months ago i had a go in the new 3 series from BMW ... the 316d .. . Apart from the lazy two litre 115 hp diesel engine i was once again surprised by the steering qualities. The new 4-series is in fact a two door coup 3 series that stands a b...
That's a nice car!
I recently had a 2013 328i sedan (non sport suspension) for a eight days where I put 1200 miles on it. It should drive somewhat similar to the 420d. Agree with you, the automatic transmission is fantastic. The electric power steering unfortunately isn't q...
Was that 328 i ...
.. the 2 litre turbo with 240 hp ? Unfortunately i only drove that 420d for 15 or 20 miles ... but it gave me a good impression ... i think i could live with it if i had to .... :-) :-) :-) .... still ... i'd rather have a E30 M3 :-) ... but then who woul...
That is correct!
The 328i here has a 2.0 liter turbo charged engine. It generates around 240 hp and 260 lb/ft of torque. Good engine, no turbo lag, fairly linear powerband. Unlike the C250 Mercedes-Benz sedan and coupe where the turbo lag and turbo boost is very noticeabl...
I really love the line of this new Series 4.
Now the question is to know how it feels on the road... The feeling of the engine... But the body is sublime, I find. Best, Filip. Nicolas
Feeling on the road is ...
... way better than its competitors, there is a lot of comfort but still offers that sporty feeling and to a certain degree a sporty handling. With modern cars you can go amazingly fast due to high powered engines ( yes, i dare to say 150+ hp is a lot ) ,...
Time for fun, indeed.
A serious upgrafe on your Clio won't cost you that much, but will increas the driving pleasure. Air filter box, E.C.U, exhaust... Classic solutions, for a bigger pleasure. Best, Nicolas.
It's a looker but ...
... time will tell if it stays that way ... . When the Audi A5 coupé came out i found it to be an ugly car ... a year later i loved the looks ... and still do :-) This 4 coupé looks well (to me) from the start .... but like most coupés from BMW it stays t...
funny you mention the A5
i went the other way..when it came out if was refreshing.. then a few month later..it became tired... talking to car design guys...a good design is one that brings timeless excitement...not sure if A5 does that for me
Your 420d needs
Interesting to see that there is no badges on the trunk showing it's a 4 series? Anyway, maybe to improve it's performance you can have it sent to Dinan and Patrick can help you with a test drive before sending it back :) Regards, ED-209
I would rather say ...
"my" 420d needs a petrol engine :-) Not sure if you can get the 4 with a badge on the trunk, most BMW's have their badge removed (not applied in the factory) :-) ciao, Filip