[AirbusA340]

Originally Posted by manujkansal

where did you hear about the 520d facelift ? When is it expected & with what changes ?

Sorry if I sort of gave a wrong image but no official news yet. In general conversations on bimmerpost.com also, quite a few were surprised at the new variants and models in all series' which are out on testing. BMW has, supposedly, never delivered so many new variants and sub-variants over such short spans of time. They're mentioning 2 & 4 series, 3-GT, M6 gran coupes, etc., etc.,

The reason I mentioned it on this thread is because a year is hardly anything when weighed against so much money that you spend on a model.

Spending big bucks close to 520d price on a 3 just for those little extras is not sensible for everyone. Of course, a few lower trims with competitive pricing is worth a look. Especially, since it would start hitting you in as early as a year after the 520d comes in with the new gimmicks that a bigger better car is already out.

The X1 is already undergoing a facelift. There are rumours of the F10 facelift in 2013 which should be just around a year from now. They are rumours as of now but there is nothing so secretive about it. After its launch in 2010, it's definitely due in 2013. The new LCD displays have really caught my attention since you spend quite sometime looking at it while driving. It's one feature which is here to impress!

pEaCe

[bigbadwolf]

Upon their invitation went over to Infinity BMW yesterday in the afternoon during non-peak time(since their actual preview was from 7-8:3-pm) to check out the F30 3 Series so that I could get enough time for interaction with the sales staff and both the models on display which were a Melbourne Red 328i and a Black Sapphire 320d Luxury Plus. Even though I'm a self-confessed car nut and pretty much knew everything about the models, the sales rep was extremely knowledgable and attentive, may also be because I'm a previous BMW customer. Was looking for a daily drive car to replace the Honda Accord mostly for self-drive.

I was extremely impressed with the exterior look and proportions which are perfect for Indian conditions. Also rear legroom is improved by about an inch over the previous generation E90 and even after adjusting the front seat for myself being 6'2" the rear legroom was reasonable. The interior look, fit and finish was exemplary as has come to be expected of BMW. The 328i was really impressive especially in the Melbourne red and since it comes only in the fully loaded Sportline variant with the bigger screen anbd 18inch wheels looked super and for me is the most desirable of the range. However with an ex-showroom price of 37 and on-road Mumbai Individual of nearly 45 may not represent remotely decent value for money and is pretty overpriced.

Instead I would probably go for the 320d Sportline and maybe add the 18inch wheels later. Both the 320d Sport and Luxury Line are priced at 31 ex-showroom which works out to 36+ on-road Mumbai (the 320d LuxuryLine Plus is 43lakhs on-road Mumbai).

These prices are pretty much in-line with the outgoing model. With the drastic weakness in the Rupee in the last few months against the Euro and Dollar and the increased component of Import duty and other charges in the last budget, the marginally higher pricing should not come as a surprise. Although what I find extremely surprising is that BMW has put certain features at a premium which are standard on some C and D Segment cars. For example even my Honda City AT, Mitsubishi Outlander and Accord have paddle-shifters as standard which only somehow feature on the 328i. Even the Hyundai Verna has a rear view camera not to mention most of the D Segment cars and again this feature is only available on the 328i. What baffles me is why a sunroof has been made into an "exclusive" feature only reserved for the 328i and the Luxuryline Plus models when this is a basic feature on most of the cars abroad and even on my Honda City V/AT, not that a Sunroof makes much difference but when people spend upwards of 35 lakhs they expect features which are standard on sub-10-15 lakh cars. Besides the stinginess on a few features and steeper than expected pricing according to me BMW has a winner on its hands and frankly would be tough (atleast for me personally) to justify spending similar money on an A4 or C-class.

The test drive for both the F30 powerplants is awaited in the first week of August to get a better sense of the ride and real-world drivability in our conditions.

[elantracrdi05]

Well, I went to the dealership in Gurgaon as well and saw a luxury line Saddle Brown leather car clad in the vinyl as spotted all over the country. The first thing I noticed was that they have clearly positioned the front seats in a manner that makes the rear look really roomy. It clearly isn't so. It may be much better than the current E90 but not dramatically more.

A question pops in my mind: Was it a mistake in buying my car in Feb when I knew that this was on its way sooner rather than later? Answer is reasurringly clear. I do not think I would have happily paid another 5.3 lacs for this car (the discount I secured). I admit that the Ecopro and 8 speed gear box will be good to have but it is worth the extra?

A simple analogy - in 3-5 years will my car be at a 5 lac lesser resale value than this car? I do not think so...I may be wrong but I still do not think so.

I love my car more than life itself so there will be a bias. But honestly, the lack of sunroof if that may be the case in the new 320d luxury line +..well, it just makes me smile at my decision.

Another thing: Is this car really that far ahead in the handling department? Probably not. It will be better to an extent in the comfort department. If I just wanted comfort, what stopped me from getting a Skoda Superb?

[Abhinav667]

Technical Specifications and brochure scans of the upcoming 3-series.

SOURCE: More details on the BMW 3 Series |Goa On Wheels

[bigbadwolf]

Got the final pricing today from Infinity BMW - 320d SportLine and LuxuryLine are 32.5 lakhs ex-showroom, (works out to 38.5 lakhs on-road Mumbai Individual), 320d LuxuryLine Plus is 37 ex-showroom 43 (on-road Mumbai), and 328i is 39 ex-showroom (45 on-road Mumbai). I feel 38.5 is definitely on the higher side, which makes the discounts and deals being offered on the E90 look even more attractive.

[over.drive]

Originally Posted by bigbadwolf

Got the final pricing today from Infinity BMW - 320d SportLine and LuxuryLine are 32.5 lakhs ex-showroom, (works out to 38.5 lakhs on-road Mumbai Individual), 320d LuxuryLine Plus is 37 ex-showroom 43 (on-road Mumbai), and 328i is 39 ex-showroom (45 on-road Mumbai). I feel 38.5 is definitely on the higher side, which makes the discounts and deals being offered on the E90 look even more attractive.

If that is true, then it is very bad news. On road prices should be more or less the same in Kerala, I guess, with the updated tax rates. Like elantracrdi05 rightly said, it does not make sense buying a new F30 over a discounted E90 if you can find one or even a used F10. No doubt F30 is a great car, but price is on the higher side.

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by over.drive

If that is true, then it is very bad news. On road prices should be more or less the same in Kerala, I guess, with the updated tax rates. Like elantracrdi05 rightly said, it does not make sense buying a new F30 over a discounted E90 if you can find one or even a used F10. No doubt F30 is a great car, but price is on the higher side.

The Mumbai price includes 1.5-2l octroi. In most places besides Bangalore it would be cheaper.

Also the Luxury+ is a bit high IMO considering it offers larger idrive + nav + hifi system + bmw apps.

But the E90 Exclusive was priced at about the same, maybe a lac more than the normal Luxury line. And it was decently loaded, so it does really make the Luxury+ seen a tad high.

But I guess nothing can be done considering the rupee depreciation over the last few months.

I didn't end up going to check out the cars, will pop over for a test drive once they are available.

[karan561]

39 L Ex-Showroom for the 328i ? Are you serious ?

It is replacing the E90 330i globally as well right ? So if the 330i is priced @ 34.77 ex showroom then the 328i should be max 1-1.5 lakhs more expensive than the 330i i.e. around 36-36.5 Lakhs , Ex-Showroom cost

And also another news which is not confirmed yet , that is the 335i will be launched too , not on the 27th July launch but a few months down the line possibly end of year & will be positioned against the AUDI S4

[AirbusA340]

Originally Posted by elantracrdi05

Well, I went to the dealership in Gurgaon as well and saw a luxury line Saddle Brown leather car clad in the vinyl as spotted all over the country. The first thing I noticed was that they have clearly positioned the front seats in a manner that makes the rear look really roomy. It clearly isn't so. It may be much better than the current E90 but not dramatically more.

A question pops in my mind: Was it a mistake in buying my car in Feb when I knew that this was on its way sooner rather than later? Answer is reasurringly clear. I do not think I would have happily paid another 5.3 lacs for this car (the discount I secured). I admit that the Ecopro and 8 speed gear box will be good to have but it is worth the extra?

A simple analogy - in 3-5 years will my car be at a 5 lac lesser resale value than this car? I do not think so...I may be wrong but I still do not think so.

I love my car more than life itself so there will be a bias. But honestly, the lack of sunroof if that may be the case in the new 320d luxury line +..well, it just makes me smile at my decision.

Another thing: Is this car really that far ahead in the handling department? Probably not. It will be better to an extent in the comfort department. If I just wanted comfort, what stopped me from getting a Skoda Superb?

Do not worry about the resale. There are always takers for a well maintained E90 with the interiors in good nick & decently maintained bodywork, which is not easy to find. As long you've done it, you should be fine.

What handling? They are all 'bludy' same. Even the E90 LCIs were partly EPS and none of these can ever get close to the driving feel in the 2007 E90. I have not driven BMWs older than 2005, so I wouldn't comment.

Speaking about comfort, the older suspension setup was considered horrible by some and "is it uncomfortable? I never noticed since I'm busy cornering and hitting straight stretches whenever I find them". Just looking at the seats, there are a million designs in a zillion cars. As you said, seat comfort in a superb is very good too. so, this topic is never-ending!

There have always been conversations within my closed group that guys who already own a earlier model always crib that the new model is not very impressive, DNA lost, pricey due to taxes, blah blah blah especially since they cannot do anything about it and cannot immediately buy or exchange it. They would lose a lot of money by doing that. On the contrary, there are guys who also go on and on about the newer model since they couldn't grab the older one and the new one is the only choice they have got They never stop criticising the older one on some small nicks.

IMHO, both the arguments may be right sometimes but there are also people who do some research and consider many things before making the buy. Specifically in the recent E90 purchases, the discounts speak a lot and are definitely a juicy temptation, why not?! One of my friends in hyderabad cannot even spell 'discount' since he's so well off.

I sincerely feel a buyer should know exactly why he is buying it.
I just like upgrading to a newer model to maintain my garage and lifestyle-well, happy spending!
I like maintaining my current ones unless a very good model is launched-well, enjoy your rides until then!
I have a good model but the newer model seems to have a couple of new extras but has lost out on some good old features-don't stay confused, make up your mind!


So, if you have not experienced the E90, it's time to go for the F30. If you have experienced the E90 but not happy, time for the F. If you are happy with the E90, future facelifts with more gimmicks are worth waiting for.

I feel you bought a very good car. Discounts were just an added bonus to smile a little more.

Happy cornering!

Originally Posted by akshay1234

The Mumbai price includes 1.5-2l octroi. In most places besides Bangalore it would be cheaper.

Also the Luxury+ is a bit high IMO considering it offers larger idrive + nav + hifi system + bmw apps.

But the E90 Exclusive was priced at about the same, maybe a lac more than the normal Luxury line. And it was decently loaded, so it does really make the Luxury+ seen a tad high.

But I guess nothing can be done considering the rupee depreciation over the last few months.

I didn't end up going to check out the cars, will pop over for a test drive once they are available.

Hi there. Hyderabad is also very expensive alongside Bangalore with taxes. 320d exclusive was 40 on road pre-budget and 41.5 post-budget. The F30 high end prices would surely raise some eye-brows. The 320d sport and the 320d luxury seem to be ok except for a couple of features lost. At least the new shape should counteract everything lost since a few really want a refreshed look.

pEaCe

[HKap]

I went to one of the BMW dealers in Mumbai for the exclusive pre launch event for the F30 3 series. I also happened to drive the E90 320d exclusive. My impressions of the F30 328i (sport)

1) Visibly more legroom for the rear passengers. With the driving seat adjusted to my driving position (5'10") I tried the rear seat and I was fairly comfortable in the back. The only complain that I had was the foot getting stuck under the front seat while trying to get out of the car. Please note that this is strictly a 2 passenger rear seat thanks to the massive transmission tunnel.

2) The driving seat is the place to be. The ergonomics are FANTASTIC. Everything is within reach and easy to operate. The idrive as usual dominates the experience. Its very intuitive and has a functional GPS. One neat feature that I saw was the torque and horsepower meter that shows up on the 8" screen. I wonder if the screen will be just as awesome at noon when the sun is beating down over the dashboard and the screen is directly exposed to it. The full colour HUD was AWESOME too.

3) The front seats had fantastic support all round. The side support should hold you in the seats in the corners and the "extended under thigh support" should keep you equally comfy on long drives.

4) The boot space has gone up by about 20 lts which should be handy.

5) The 328i comes with standard 18" alloys which look awesome.

6) Another neat feature that they couldn't stop talking about was the easy to open bonnet. I know this sounds dumb but it is indeed a very helpful feature and come to think of it I wonder how no one else could up with it in all these years. To unlock the bonnet pull the lever in the car once. To open it you pull the same lever again and thats it!! No need to hunt for levers under the bonnet and get your hands greasy. Pull the bonnet up from anywhere and leave the rest to hydraulics.

7) The 328i comes in just 1 variant which is sport. This variant is loaded with all the goodies that you can possibly think of. Everything like xenon headlights, sunroof, idrive with sat nav, leather seats is standard.

The variants that will be offered initially are

1) 320d (sport and luxury line)
2) 320i (sport and luxury line ...this one I'm guessing)
3) 328i (sport only)

The pricing will be similar to the existing models with the 320d top end coming in at 42L on road mumbai and the 328i coming in at 42L also!!! I wonder why would anyone pick the diesel over the 328i (that's another topic lets not get into that here).

Also the dealer was more than happy to get rid of some of the E90s at really awesome deals. He had 1 black 330i and a few 320d dynamics. They also had one demo 320d exclusive with 500 kms on it. Please pm me if you need details on the discounts.

Honestly speaking the F30 definitely seems like a generation leap over the E90. However, these discounts on the E90 might just be worth going for.

[bigbadwolf]

Originally Posted by HKap

The variants that will be offered initially are

1) 320d (sport and luxury line)
2) 320i (sport and luxury line ...this one I'm guessing)
3) 328i (sport only)

The pricing will be similar to the existing models with the 320d top end coming in at 42L on road mumbai and the 328i coming in at 42L also!!! I wonder why would anyone pick the diesel over the 328i (that's another topic lets not get into that here).

Two corrections. Firstly there will be no 320i at launch, only the 320d and 328i variants. Secondly the 320d LuxuryLine Plus (top of the line variant) will be 43lakhs on-road Mumbai and not 42 as you mentioned and the 328i will be 45 on-road Mumbai not 42lakhs. Feature wise they are pretty much identical and fully-loaded except for the paddle-shifters and Heads-Up Display in the 328i. Inspite of only a 2 lakh gap between the 2 variants I still feel people may opt for the 320d Luxury Plus even though the 328i comes with the brilliant TwinTurbo Petrol motor, owing to the exorbitant petrol prices and improved fuel efficiency in the Diesel. Also would be the choice for those choosing the car to be driven in rather than drive themselves. The 328i remains the choice for enthusiasts and incase the car is majority self-driven and would certainly be the variant I would opt for without doubt.

[karan561]

Correction guys the 328i is ' not ' a twin turbo its havin ' twin scroll turbo ' technology i.e.

A twin scroll turbo has two paths for exhaust to enter the turbo so that pressure pulses in the exhaust stream from one cylinder does not impede the passage of exhaust from another cylinder into the turbo.

Also to highlight i quote from a website for reference ;

'' But the benefits of twin-scroll design don't end there. With its greater volumetric efficiency and stronger scavenging effect, higher ignition delay can be used, which helps keep peak temperature in the cylinders down. Since cooler cylinder temperatures and lower exhaust gas temperatures allows for a leaner air/fuel ratio, twin-scroll turbo design has been shown to increase turbine efficiency by 7-8 percent and result in fuel efficiency improvements as high as 5 percent ''

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

I didn't end up going to check out the cars, will pop over for a test drive once they are available.

>>>

Akshay,

Look forward to your report on your test drive - enjoy.

Regards
issigonis

[karan561]

Anyone going for the launch event hosted by Navnit Motors at NCPA on saturday ?? Two timings one @ 11 am & 2nd event 7:30 pm onwards ??

[bigbadwolf]

Originally Posted by karan561

Anyone going for the launch event hosted by Navnit Motors at NCPA on saturday ?? Two timings one @ 11 am & 2nd event 7:30 pm onwards ??

Going for the Infinity BMW launch event on Friday 27th at NCPA @ 7:30pm with a friend. I'll probably wait for the test drive in the first week of August before finalizing. Keep you'll posted.