AUDI A3 1.4 TFSI SPORTBACK review

Audi (owned by VW group) invented a new car class with the first A3 in the 90s: the premium compact hatchback. Strange concept? I guess not... Between the millions Vw Golfs roaming European streets, a group of clients wanted a little more, a car to satisfy daily transportation needs but with the capability of boosting also the social status. In early days, the VW Golf platform emproved in the essential parts and gifted with some interesting engines was enough to insure A3 commercial success. There was even an uber version called S3 with 1.8 T engine of around 225 hp. Time passed and competition has woken up trying to compete in this niche created by VW (Audi sorry). Bmw 1 series was, let's say, the main contender with some attents from Volvo (C30) and Mercedes. Audi implemented gradually a 4X4 version and higher spec versions (RS3 was a little bit exagerated and arrived a little bit late). The new VW platform used for Golf, Octavia, Leon gave birth of a new A3 version with a fresh design in order to compete with F20 version of 1 series, Merc A-Class and Volvo V40 (there are other competitors on the market with lower sales volumes than Ferrari, in Europe of course: Alfa Romeo, Lexus, etc.)

Pros:

• Modern design for the exterior and interior (a little boring for my taste in the cabin)
• Interesting gasoline and diesel engine offer
• Solid construction with secure setting of the drive-train
• Precise manual gear box, also DSG available
• Decent luggage compartment
• The quality feel is there, the VW Golf genes are not present
• Torque is present from low rpm

Cons:

• Average steering sensation, not very direct, not very soft, average precision
• The 1.4 TFSI engine (122 hp) doesn't like to be reved upon 3000rpm
• The screen exiting from the dash-board gives you a "cheap" feeling
• Very expensive

Test drive

The first contact with the car gives you a solid feeling: solid doors, nice quality interior, after the ignition key was inserted, a plastic screen pops up from the dash-board. The dash board is literaly dominated by some huge air-vents, the air-condition console is very well designed. The first speed-bums are very nice treated by the A3, no nasty noises (like the VW Golf to be tested later) and feelings are present. The car feels very solid and well made at the first glance.  The 1.4 TFSI is very quiet, no vibrations are sent into the steering or pedals. The engine has plenty of torque from the low rpm and is very pleasant to be driven in the city. The moment waited by all the readers is probably the hit of the gas pedal. Well here is the first disappointment and you will soon find out that the heart of the car is an 1.4 (which feels at low rpms like a good 2.0 litres engine): after 3000 rpm, the engine is starting to scream a little bit and is reluctant to go toward the red line. The sound is also a little bit disappointing and some feeling  "leave me alone, I dont't want to fight" is present. The engine will not disappoint, but is more suited  (my humble opinion) for VW Golf, and for city driving. The car is nimble enough and pleasant to be driven and after some minutes you will start to enjoy it. It is not an emotional moment (these days you don't have this feeling with many brands) but more of rock solid vehicle. By comparing it with WV Golf VII, there is a stellar difference, Audi did a very well job in hiding the common genes and the extra money spent are present every where in the A3. There are some Asian car-makers that are lowering the trims quality in the hided areas (trunk, under the dash board), this is not case for the Audi: even the luggage compartment is looking "premium" with high quality plastic and textiles. The doors design is a little bit spartan, but this could be emproved by adding some additional equipment lines. Another important issue is price: with the basic equipment and engine, this car is touching the 30k euros level, so depending on each country, you could choose e medium size sedan like VW Passat, Mazda 6, Opel Insignia, Ford Mondeo, etc. Nobody said that exclusivity comes cheap, but these days money are an issue.

Competition

The main competitor is the beemer 1 series with his fancy RWD and more outdated design.New A-class is another powerful contender with a higher price tag and some entry-level Renault engines (diesel ones). Volvo V40 is also a "fresh"car, but is dominated with low sale volumes.

BMW 320dA F30 review

Yes the big day arrived! Your dad's  wet dream came true! A Middle Manager best wish after months of hard work with associated bonus and some visit to a local bank...You are driving the new 3 series! It is the real deal, the bestseller of the most successful premium car manufacturer (yes they are selling now more cars than the Audi (overpriced VWs) and the Merc (your grandfather's dreamy car)). Really? Let's see...

Pros

• Nice attractive design, especially when comparing with the "old" an chunky E90
• Grown car with the capability of transporting 4 persons and additional luggage 
• Quiet interior with "premium" feeling
• Low driving position associated with comfy seats
• Mature suspension setting (deals very well the bumps in the road, speed-bumps and eventually the potholes)
• Full of gadgets (8 speed automatic gear box with joy-stick, flappy paddles , automatic xenon lights, various driving modes(Eco Pro, Sport,etc), Idrive  etc)
• Sport line is very attractive with red trims on the dashboard, red stitches on the leather seats
• Cool diesel engine, likes to be reved up(for a diesel), quiet (inside), very economical ( on board consumption for the test car was 6,8 l/100km, so we expect around 7 litres of average consumption in real life), powerful enough, not brutal but with a constant pull from 1400 to 5000 rpms

Cons

• Semi synthetic steering wheel feeling, in is not as good as the old "trusty" hydraulic system
• The plastic parts of the interior are a little bit flimsy (doors and rear cabin)
• When accelerating, there is a little lag (around 1 sec) due to automatic transmission and turbo diesel engine
• Start stop system is annoying, when you stop to a small junction letting 1 car to pass, then brrr.... engine stopped
• Speed sensation is very low, this could be dangerous with speeding tickets

Test drive

Your previous car was build in the 90s? You are in trouble now Mister! Key less entry - you don't have a key to insert in the car, ZF automatic transmission - you must play with the joystick from P to D, car settings like ECO Pro, Sport, Sport Plus...Ok it will take you some seconds to start driving for the first time. First impression: it is a nice and soft car...it is not an M3 (just kidding)...for me it was a little disappointing for the first seconds, very low noise from the suspension, not rigid at all. The engine is very quiet and no vibrations are transmitted in the cabin at all, nor in the pedals. Ok... this is a soft beemer, ex owners of Audis/Mercs you could come and get one...you will be familiar with this car excepting  the super duper WV interior which is missing. I would not say that the interior is not showing quality, but it is not a reference one, for me the word would be ....decent for a 40k Euro car. Ok... so...., if you go in kick-down mode, the engine will starting to mumble and the speed will growing fast enough, 120 km/h will be easily reached, the engine is not shouting: I am a diesel one, do not push me! It is not at all brutal like old VW diesels, it enough linear and is developing the power gradually till 5000 rpm. The overall feeling is very nice/premium we could say and the cars give you the hovering sensation....cool! Ok next will be the steering feeling...not so good boys and girls. I know that today's ecologist trend will say that an electric steering will absorb less energy from the engine that the old trusty hydraulic thus improving with 0,1% the overall fuel economy, but the real sensation is like using a condom...yes it is ok, but you feel like missing something...in this case the connection with the road. I was heading toward a junction with relatively high speed with a car going in the same direction in my right side, so the road got a little bit narrow and a medium curve to the right "suprised" me suddenly, at that time the steering gave me a little bit of insecure sensation and I touched the brakes... the old beemers were appreciated especially in these types of situations when the rear traction combined with a direct steering was always a winning situation (not on snowy roads though).

So the car gave a little bit of "sportivness" in change for comfort, is this OK or not for the average beemer aficionados?  Who cares when they are selling hundreds of thousands of these middle sized sedans...For the front seats, the cars surrounds you and the space comfort is not acknowledged easily by the passengers  The big change is made by the rear seats where the space sensation is dramatically improved (not a Ford Mondeo size though), two persons could easily travel for long distances whiteout effort.

Some mixed feelings about the gearbox (8 speed ZF automatic) at this time, on "normal" mode it is a little bit annoying because is changing gears all the time and will try to maintain a low rpm in order to produce low consumption figures. In "sport" mode using the paddles behind the steering wheel, you could try to rev the engine till 5000 rpm in order to overtake more agresively. The feeling is sporty and the engine will not disappoint  but keep in mind the feeling of unhappiness of the 2 litres to be reved, he is like a trusty soldier which will try to accomplish the missions, but he is not a killing machine. This car is to be driven on highways with high speeds at low rpm and low consumption, not to be reved at 6000 rpm.

Ok, in order to conclude... does the new beemer got softer? Yes it does... it is not as nimble as the E36, and not giving the "tank" sensation of the e46 with his "direct" unbiased steering sensation. It is a better car? Probably yes! It is more fun to drive than his predecessors?  Probably not! It is more luxurious?  Yes a little bit, considering the space inside the cabin.

Competition

Reading the above review you could have a disappointing  feel, but when considering the existing competitors, the 3 series star will shine on the medium-sized sedans market. The Merc has an outdated version of the C-class, Audi A4 is only FWD or 4WD, the second one is boring to drive especially on dry roads. There could be some other contenders like Mazda 6 (lower build quality but superior habitability), Honda Accord (outdated interior design and fewer engines and equipment choices), but for the moment my humble opinion is: this is the king of medium size sedans!

BMW E36 325iA Coupe review

When looking at an old BMW E36 (not that old, but from mid 90s), regular folks think: wow great design but I think this junk is thirsty and people will think I have money issues....well... this could be true if you are thinking with a cold heart. In reality, if you are a little bit of petrol head you will be astonished by this cruiser concept with relatively (for Europe especially) high displacement of 2500cc, (!) 192 horse power (these days a Mazda 6 is "extracting" only 170 hp from 2500 cc of engine) and rear wheel drive (be careful on the wet roads because no ESP in action to correct errors...)

Pros:

• nice engine: elastic, very smooth till 4000 rpm, a beast after with great sound
• runs very nice with 4 speed auto gear box (GM origin)
• very good handling, precise steering, gives you a "secure" sensation
• decent luggage compartment
• comfortable seats and good ventilation system (heating and cooling)

Cons:

• old looking interior (better looking than the 1995 edition with passenger airbag)
• higher consumption by considering modern standards (but not exagerated, you can do 100km with 9 liters on country roads)
• not very reliable electric system (dash board indicators including fuel gauge could go mad) 
• the interior is not very spacious
• noisy 
• the "nervous" rear wheels could give you some spins...

Testdrive

You enter the car, put the ignition on, and a nice growl reaches your ears.... I LOVE BMW L6 engines! I think that in their time they were "creme de la creme" of motoring. At the beginning, it strikes you that you could cruise into the town by reaching 2000 rpm maximum considering legal speeds. There is no need to overpass the 2k limit and the bonus is a decent fuel consumption. This is 90s middle management sensation... you are cruising on the streets with style and opened windows in order to hear the beautiful sound of the bavarian craftsmanship. If you are reaching the high-way and you are in comfort mode, your rpm will not reach 2500 normally, but if you see a car approaching very fast and you want to play a little, you switch the sport mode and the beast will change gear at 6000 rpm and you will reach very fast high speeds, sweeeet! On the country roads you will feel very connected with the car, the steering gives you the right feed-back for the road, what can I say..... the driver will be really thrilled. On the not so good side is the interior with an old looking sensation (girls will not appreciate this side), the lack of security systems (airbag - for driver only at least for this 1994 model, esp, traction control) which could be helpful on the wet roads and if you hit the throttle pedal often you will stop in petrol station often also...Spear parts are easy to find and are relatively cheap (especially sh ones), there are not things to be worried excepting some electrical system glitches and the exhaust system (which could be punctured and expensive to replace). If you will find one in good condition, it is a keeper (check for rust signs because in that time the metal quality was not so good for all cars)! I will recommend it as a second car to be kept in a covered area.

Competitors

The competition is not very large, we can recall the Audi 80 which is more rare, Opel Calibra with a very nice design but not available in RWD and maybe Mercedes CLK with higher prices and with less economical engines. Pay attention, I could bet my money that in some years the owners of some mint condition E36 will return the investment with a real profit!

BMW E46 320d review

Considered as the workhorse of BMW, the successful 3 series premium sedan was a revelation at the end of 90s. The design inspiration from the E36 (the model which was replaced in 1998) was a hit, by adding a more "muscular" image to the straight lines. The improved body rigidity, the smoothness of the steering, pedals, gears and design contributed to the great success of this entry-level luxury sedan. The engine range from 1.9 to 3.2 l was also an advantage with something for every taste.

Pros

• very good quality built, timeless design
• large variety of engines (petrol and diesel) and body styles
• precise steering and gears, smooth ride (on good roads), great efficiency (especially for diesel engines) 
• premium feeling
• solid and comfortable car, great driving pleasure on twisty roads due to rear wheel drive conception

Cons

• not very spacious according to modern standard
• luggage compartment is not great
• drive train components are prone to failure due to overweight problems (320d touring is approx 1550kg)
• due to RWD, winter tires are mandatory on snow
• spare parts are relatively expensive

Test drive

The test drive model was a 320d touring model with manual gear box. Once turned the ignition key, a strong diesel engine noise is heard under the hood, but after few seconds the noise gets smoother (oil flooding the engine). The engine response is not brutal, the sensation of a torque lack under 2100 rpm is present, but once the car is in motion (there is a sensation of struggle when starting to move) the premium feeling is back again. The steering wheel is not very easy to turn, but is very precise and you are in a perfect link with the road. There is not a sensation of artificial connection with the exterior like in the more economical cars. You will feel ever bump in the road and you will always know where your front wheels are going. In the tight corners you can easily make steering corrections without unbalancing the car. The weight distribution is very good to BMW cars and when driving you are feeling very confident and always in command. It is very easy to be attached to this car especially if the interior is gifted with some nice options: two colours dashbord, leather seats with premium finish, climate control (very efficient), cd player, navigation system, etc. On the interstate the car is very easy to drive-the elastic diesel engine doesn't require the change of the gears often. The automatic version is even better: smooth gear changing, responsive kick-down,  everything is high class! Hundreds of kilometers are eaten alive without any fatigue! The orange dash bord lights are very cool at night.

Competitors

There is some hard competition from Mercedes C- Class and Audi A4. Audi lacks the premium driving sensation but has more "modern" interior and more brutal diesel engines. Mercedes is more comfort oriented without driving agility. At his time the BMW 3 series was the best compromise for a premium entry range car a real "driver oriented" vehicle.

SUV-ul aparent cel mai controversat automobil...

As dori sa propun discutiei in acest articol un subiect "fierbinte" al industriei auto. Trecand in revista presa romaneasca am dat peste un articol "Romanul in SUV-specia care preia comanda in traficul urban"-un articol foarte bine documentat (nu vreau sa-i jignesc pe jurnalistii de la Evenimentul Zilei, dar din cand in cand apar unele articole "extrem de bine documentate" in presa romana, care ar trebui sa se limiteze la stiri de interes general).

Dar sa incepem cu inceputul, ce inseamna de fapt SUV? Conform Wikipedia, Sport Utility Vehicle-ul reprezinta un fel de break montat pe un sasiu de camioneta ce prezinta unele capabilitati de tot teren si remorcare. Bun, aceasta definitie mai simplista insa nu deosebeste clar SUV-ul de celelate vehicule cu capabilitati off-road. 

Vom incerca sa dam o definitie: SUV-ul reprezint un fruct al marketing-ului auto si desemneaza un vehicul in doua volume ce aparent detine o parte (si aici ma refer la cele mai interesante) din calitatile masinilor de teren, camionetelor, limuzinelor: capabilitate tot teren, posibilitate de a tracta remorci, sarcina mare, spatiu interior generos, motoare puternice, design modern, polivalenta, statut social ridicat etc. Mai pe limba noastra e un fel de combina Sony din deceniul trecut: are radio, CD, caseta, boxe cu un bas puternic, design modern, luminite colorate, starneste gelozii in vecini,etc.-multe atribute insa putine calitati. 

SUV-ul a fost de fapt in ultimile 2 decenii o gura de oxigen pentru industria auto (in special cea americana). Daca pentru a crea un vehicul compact industria auto americana pierdea bani la fiecare autoturism, la  fiecare SUV se castigau bani frumosi. Cine platea? Oups-aici vom zice lucrurilor pe nume: clientii unui nou trend in lumea auto: initial cei care locuiau inafara oraselor cu viata activa, amatorii de iesiri off-road, fermierii, poate unii cetateni ai lumii occidentale care traiau din muzica si din alte exprimari artistice. Apoi produsele au inceput sa fie cumparate de lideri de opinie (fotbalisti, rapperi, oameni de afaceri, femei supraponderale cu familii generoase, au urmat fotomodelele, avocati, medici, ingineri, toata lumea ce isi permitea, racheti, toti cei din europa de est care aveau peste 50 000 euro de cheltuit pe o masina). "Uite ce camion are vecinul draga! Noi cand ne luam asa ceva?"

Hai sa analizam la rece calitatile general acceptate ale acestor vehicule.

Pros

 Siguranta: cand mergi cu 2.5 tone printre masini de 1.5 tone maxim de obicei iti curge un sentiment de "siguranta" prin vine-acest mit este confirmat de fizica newtoniana si crash-teste. Pozitia la volan: perspectiva mai inalta de la volanul unui SUV iti asigura o vizibilitate superioara. Spatiul interior: interiorul unui SUV este mai aerisit mai ales pe verticala si usureaza accesul in vehicul. Off-road: garda la sol mai inalta si unghiurile de atac generoase iti permit sa te furisezi inafara asfaltului.

Cons:

Gabarit: de cate ori nu ati observat acesti colosi ai soselelor ocupand 2 locuri intr-o parcare de mall? Sunt greu de manevrat mai ales pe strazile inguste, in aglomeratia urbana. Consum: de cele mai multe ori consumul mediu incepe cu cifra 2 pentru diesel sau chiar 3 pentru versiunile pe benzina. Costuri: de la revizie pana la piese de schimb si chiar spalatorie-posesorul de SUV trebuie sa fie darnic cand vine vorba de cheltuieli. Senzatie condus(partial subiectiv): senzatia de elefant pe gheata e prezenta la condus-balans pronuntat in curbe datorita centrului de greutate inalt, coeficient aerodinamic mare ce se traduce prin consum mare la viteze superioare, franare mai putin eficienta datorita greutatii ridicate.

Intrebare. De ce este SUV-ul atat de popular? Raspuns: I have no idea! De ce Iphone-ul de la Apple este popular avand multe minus-uri la functii, camera slaba, pret ridicat, lipsa usb, lipsa memory card? I have no idea! De exemplu in Romania de ce break-urile, care sunt net superioare fata de un SUV (cu exceptia capabilitatilor off-road) se  vand ca Lancia in Germania (adica 100 bucati pe an)? De ce Louis Hamilton detine un pimp wagon gen GL 420 CDI chiar daca in majoritatea timpului se bate pentru titlul la Formula 1? V-ar place ca Robbie William sa asculte in timpul liber Cheeky Girls? Cred ca nu. Posesorul de SUV nu se prea pricepe la masini, dar a vrut sa dea lovitura cumparand multa masina la kg. Cate Porsche Cayenne circula la noi pe strada si cate Porsche 911? Bineinteles 1 bucata Porsche Cayenne de 2.5 tone costa 80 000euro (32 euro/kg masina) in schimb un Porsche Carrera ajunge la 100 000 euro la doar 1400 kg. (De neinchipuit 71 euro/kg masina). Asa ceva este de neconceput pretul la kg este dublu. Spatiul interior ar ramana ca argument-ati vazut vreodata cate bagaje incap intr-un VW Touareg? Credeti-ma pe cuvant ca un Logan il face de ras. Oare majoritatea cumparatorilor de SUV stiu inainte de achizitie cat costa un set de anvelope de iarna pe 18" pentru masina visurilor? Nu cred, deoarece anvelopele de iarna sunt optionale, ce naiba doar are tractiune 4X4...
Deci analizand la rece, motivatia cumpararii unui SUV este doar emotionala, total irationala, neeficienta economic si lipsita de imaginatie. Uimitoare sunt si asteptarile clientilor de SUV cu privire la performantele asteptate de la acesti elefanti  pe sosele... de multe ori am fost provocat in depasiri si cu un motor de doar 2 litri chiar si diesel am facut fata furiei dezlantuite a unor soferi cu V6 de 3 litri dar si o caroserie de peste 2 tone.
In acest moment veti  concluziona ca sunt impotriva conceptului de SUV. Nimic mai neadevarat, imi place diversitatea si respect gusturile celorlalti, insa asta nu inseamna ca le si inteleg. Parerea mea este deoarece viata e scurta, decat sa cheltuiti banii pe un SUV mai bine va achizitionati un automobil compact cu tenta sportiva (de ex.Golf GTI) si un roadster (de ex. un BMW Z3) si veti parea si mai putin penibili in ochii vecinilor si veti trai si senzatii mult mai variate la volan.

Audi A4 B6 1,9 Tdi

Introducere

A venit vremea sa discutam si despre o arma grea ce strabatea neobosit drumurile patriei in perioada 2005-2008. Upgrade-ul necesar de la un Cielo sau Golf 4 era, ati ghicit Audi A4-un fel de VW Passat mai bine dichisit si cu aspiratii spre clasa premium. Design inspirat de A6, platforma ieftina de VW, un interior bine finisat si spatios, o paleta larga de motoare-o reteta de succes.

Caracteristici

Pros:

• Design modern, original, interior spatios cu finisari premium
• Senzatia de masina solida, inchegata cu o tinuta de drum sigura
• Motor puternic pentru cilindree(vorbim de cel de 130CP) si economic
• Portbagaj spatios
• Dotari de serie cuprinzatoare

Cons:

• Motor diesel zgomotos si necizelat
• Directie lipsita de feed-back, "grea", ce nu te indeamna la condus pe drumurile serpuite
• Cutie de viteze ce agata cateodata lipsita partial de precizie
• Suspensie elastica, balans mare al caroserie in cazul accelerarilor bruste

 

Test drive

Odata urcat la volanul lui A4 te invaluie o atmosfera placuta, moderna, cu detalii atent finisate-aici cei de la Audi sunt adevarati maestri. Schimbatorul de viteze, plansa centrala, cadranul vitezometrului si turometrului sunt detalii ce incanta ochiul. Pana si cheia de tip briceag este un spectacol. La pornirea motorului, din habitaclu se aude un sunet de motor serios, nu seamana deloc cu mormaiala din exterior. Tehnologia cu pompa injector daruia motorului un fel de "salbaticie" in momentul apasarii pedalei de acceleratie. Motorul trage foarte bine de la 1500 ture, puntea fata se lupta cu aderenta, masina se ridica de bot, impresia este de putere dezlantuita. Motorul trage uimitor de bine pana la 3000 de ture dupa care se plafoneaza. Zgomotul interior este grav si apare senzatia ca sub capota exista un propulsor cu cilindree superioara. Motorul da cam tot ce poate la o turatie mica, depasirea celor 3000 rpm devenind inutila privilegiind economia de carburant.

Deci condusul alert prin oras se face relaxat datorita cuplului considerabil obtinut la turatii joase. Primele ezitari apar atunci cand se bruscheaza comenzile, directia filtrand imperfectiunile strazilor si izoleaza soferul de contactul cu solul. Setarea suspensiei se afla undeva la granita dintre confort si sportivitate, insa neexceland in nicio directie. Calitatile trenului de rulare si ale motorului se pun in valoare la drum intins, cand masina se aseaza cuminte pe drum neoferind senzatii de nesiguranta la viteza mare. Totusi drumurile de munte cu multe viraje nu reprezinta arealul nativ al acestui autoturism. Viteze ridicate sustinute in ultima treapta sunt specialitatea unui Audi A4.

Competitori

Cei mai importanti competitori pentru Audi A4 sunt BMW Seria 3 si Mercedes C-Class. Primul are un design interior mai putin elaborat dar exceleaza prin tinuta de drum, directie precisa, tractiune spate si suspensie confortabila dar si cu o doza de sportivitate. Merc-ul este setat pe confort cu un interior atent finisat si o larga paleta de motoare dar vine si cu un pret mai ridicat pe piata second-hand. Este o masina sobra, ce nu detine detalii de design inutile.

BMW E36 320i Coupe

Introducere

Cititi cu atentie, pisicuta trebuie managaiata cu grija, a se intelege pedala de acceleratie. Aceasta masina provine dintr-o perioada neagra si indepartata a istoriei (anii 90-mai tineti minte cand ne uitam  cu uimire la MTV ziua la niste negrii care topaiau pe ecran si seara cu toata famiilia la sclava Isaura). In acea perioada cand PIB-ul Romaniei era compus din 5 cifre in dolari, in Bavaria se construiau masini cu un pic ''pasiune" si traditie. E36 a inlocuit legendara serie E30 (a se citi ursulet) de la BMW ce nu mai trebuie comentata. Oricum nu mai vreau sa plictisesc lumea cu superlative, insa as vreau sa evit unele sintagme gen "rigoare germana", "consum mare", "impozite mari", "cocalar", etc. de genul celor asociate cu tipul asta de masini.

Caracteristici
Pros:

• Conceptie clasica motor 6 cilindri in linie la un litraj de sub 2000cc
• Directia ce ofera un bun feed-back al drumului (precisa, fara senzatie de asistare, ofera o senzatie de siguranta la viteze mari)
• Fiabilitate(ok, acest aspect este un pic subiectiv cu toate ca in familie am detinut cam 3 modele diferite)

Cons:

• Masina zgomotoasa, acceleratie brutala
• Suspensie ce face fata cu greu drumurilor denivelate
• Senzatia de "spate" nervos
• Ambreiaj un pic cam dificil de manevrat pentru gusturile soferilor de astazi

Testdrive

Inserez cheia in contact, invart si ......placere. Motorul porneste cu un sunet decis, caracteristic marcii bavareze: sunetul celor 6 cilindrii l-ar face curios pe un posesor de 2.0 HDI care deobicei se multumeste cu zgomotul unei masini de tocat busteni de sub capota. Se cupleaza cu oarece efort ambreiajul un pic obosit de trecerea anilor, first gear si se iese usor din parcare. Prima calcare a acceleratiei si apare satisfactia imediata: masina ezita foarte putin pana in 3000 de ture, dupa care incepe sa accelereze cu voiciune nici nu ai zice ca are peste 13 ani. Posesorii de motoare diesel care deobicei se opresc la 3000 de ture cand accelereaza, ar face bine sa inteleaga ca acest motor prinde viata peste 4000 de ture si trage decis pana la 7000 cand intervine limitarea. 

Motorul de 2 litri si 150 de cai face o impresie buna si prin sunetul produs care depaseste net orice "4 cilindri" in rafinament. Senzatia se transforma repede in dependenta si te trezesti incalcand legile rutiere pe strazile aglomerate al orasului. Observi un spatiu in trafic si gata! accelerezi, te asiguri (optional), schimbi banda, accelerezi iarasi, schimbi banda din nou etc. Motorul este foarte harnic, destul de elastic pentru a-ti pune zambetul in coltul gurii. Cu aceasta masina poti sa mergi foarte cursiv printr-un trafic mediu in oras. Odata ce iesi inafara orasului aglomerat, poti dezlantui cei 150 de cai cu reprize de acceleratii puternice in viteza 3, 4 pana la capatul rosu la turometrului. In caz ca soferul doreste sa mearga in regim croaziera, viteza 5 iti ofera o deplasare linistita la vitezele ce respecta limitele in vigoare.

Daca te vei opri la un restaurant de pe Valea Prahovei sa savurezi o cafea, iti poti delecta si privirea cu un design reusit, ce a suportat cu ceva relaxare trecerea anilor. Niste jante de 17 inch fac minuni pe aceasta masina, la fel ca orice tip de modificare de bun gust.

Ca sa concluzionam, ai 3000-4000 de euro disponibili, si te-ai plictisit de motoarele "corecte" de 4 cilindri de pe piata, simti nevoia de senzatii tari in viata? Daca raspunsul la aceasta intrebare est pozitiv, nu mai ezita cumpara un model in stare buna atat cat se mai gaseste pe piata, si nu vei fi dezamagit. Garantat de Autoview!

Competitori

In anii 90 E36 nu avea multi competitori. Putem mentiona Audi B4- masina solida, cu o bogata oferta de motoare ce beneficia si de tractiune integrala. Succesul comercial nu a fost foarte mare, pe piata second-hand negasindu-se foarte multe exemplare disponibile. Majoritatea modelelor europene dispun de tractiune fata ce ofera un stil de condus mai putin implicant din partea soferului si feed-back directie redus.

Un alt posibil competitor Mercedes C-Class reprezenta o alta filozofie: setarea trenului de rulare se concentra catre confort, spatiu interior este mai mare, tractiune spate, paleta variata de motoare. C-ul nu e nici pe departe la fel de distractiv de condus ca BMW-ul, are un volan gigantic, si nu-i place sa fie scos din ale lui. E un adevarat cruiser, interiorul iti da impresia de premium.