Things are fairly conventional in the cabin of the 330 as well. Conventional in BMW-speak, of course, typically translates to the best quality materials you can think of across the board. And, while the rear is a little cramped, the interiors of the 3 series are a great place to spend time. In fact, I felt pretty good even after an entire day of non-stop driving – better than when I started actually.

The sports steering wheel is just the right size, and almost urges you to get a move-on. The equal size, circular gauges for the speedo and tach are fuss free and fantastic. Even the new iDrive system is so much easier to use. Like in the 7 series, you also get the option of voice commands, and a park distance control that’s displayed graphically on the iDrive screen. Bluetooth for your phone copies your address book to the car, which can be accessed via iDrive. If you’re stationary, you can even watch a DVD on the screen. To connect an iPod, however, you need BMWs proprietary cable, which is a bit of a nuisance. You can, however, connect a pen drive to the USB input, which works almost as well. If you’re old school, there’s also a 6 CD changer in the boot. Speaking of which, the boot isn’t especially large, but will fit a couple of suitcases nonetheless.

The best part about the interior, though, isn’t necessarily something you can touch and feel! BMW goes to great lengths to ensure that the acoustics within the cabin are up to a certain standard – to the extent of even making sure that the windshield wipers have a suitably engineered and purposeful resonance to them. What they pay even more attention to, however, is the aural interplay between the intake, engine and exhaust. And, in this case, the deep throated growl from the exhaust as the revs rise is certainly music to my ears – albeit a little too subtle perhaps. Nevertheless, the engine truly does sing – putting the sweetest sounding canary to shame if you ask me.



On the road

At 10:30am on the dot, four-and-a-half hours from when I started, I’ve covered exactly 300 effortless kilometres to reach my breakfast destination. The 330 covers large stretches of highway without so much as batting an eyelid. Despite the 17-inch rims and run-flat tyres that have a reputation for a stiff ride, not to mention the fact that it’s lacking the variable dampers of the 7 series – which allow you to choose between comfort, normal, and sport modes – the ride is surprisingly composed. The 330 has, thus far, handled every surface that the NHAI (National Highway Authority of India), and its many contractors, have thrown at it with absolute aplomb.

But the real fun has only just begun. As expected, it’s in the mountains where the 330 really shines. The power delivery is so smooth and linear, the chassis so communicative and predictable, that it truly allows you to exploit every ounce of performance without any trepidation whatsoever. If anything, the chassis is simply too good – to the extent that it almost masks the power of the engine. Outside of a racetrack, it really doesn’t feel that far removed from the haloed M3 with which it shares its chassis – the power of the M3s V8 notwithstanding of course. And that’s saying a lot.

Even with the traction control off, on smooth tarmac, it’s a real challenge to get the car to slide – challenges are meant to be relished of course. In fact, my ritual every time I got into the car was to press and hold the DSC button on the center console. If you press it once, the traction control eases off a little to allow some level of enthusiastic driving before cutting in. If you keep it pressed, for what’s supposed to be 3 seconds but actually feels a lot longer, it deactivates the system completely and gives you a free hand. The DSC still acts as a limited slip differential though, and transmits power from one wheel to the other to give you maximum traction – of which there’s plenty. Find a little bit of broken tarmac or dirt, however, and you can power-slide at will. Showing restraint is very difficult in this car, simply because its assuredness eggs you on all the time – and there’s nothing like a good power-slide to put a smile on your face. If the 330 feels a little sluggish in ‘D,’ all you have to do is flick the gear lever into ‘SD’ or manual mode and, especially with DSC off, which leaves power delivery unhindered, the car lunges forward in response to your right foot. Now the throttle response is sharper and the shifts are quicker. Even if you let the car change gear for itself, it changes down sooner and holds the revs much more readily. In fact, the engine is so smooth that it’ll rev to its 7000rpm redline every time with no hesitation at all – another BMW hallmark.

The only thing that leaves you a little cold is the automatic gearbox. While up-shifts are smooth and quick, downshifts could do with being a little quicker, and could really use an automatic blip of the throttle to ensure that they’re completely seamless. Moreover, while the M3 has proper paddles mounted on the steering column to control its dual-clutch gearbox – up on the right, down on the left – the 330 has steering mounted paddles. You press down on either paddle to change down, or pull to change up. It’s not particularly intuitive, although you do get used to it eventually. And that’s my biggest beef with 330. Sure, BMW will likely sell more automatics, but people who spend up to 35 lakhs on a 3 series will be doing so largely based on its performance, and it would be nice if they at least had the option of choosing a manual gearbox. Or, is it just me?

The gearbox apart, what really determines the driving experience is the chassis. Another BMW hallmark is 50:50 weight distribution – and there’s a lot to be said for an evenly balanced chassis and rear-wheel drive. The stiff chassis means that turn-in is instant. While the steering can feel a little heavy in traffic, it really comes alive at speed. The 330 is so immensely capable that it responds to your slightest input – even at the very limits of adhesion, which is really its defining factor. It works with the driver, and, in the process, flatters him or her all the time. And, as they say, flattery will get you everywhere!

Verdict

As I head back into the city, it’s now the orange glow of the setting sun that’s in my side view mirror – 13 hours, 650 kilometres, long straights, winding mountain roads and accompanying fresh air. A good days’ work – made much better, of course, by the BMW 330i.

There’s a reason why the 3 series has consistently been hailed as the best sports sedan in the world – and it’s unequivocally proven its versatility and innate ability once again today. Strangely, the only fault you could possibly find with it is that it’s perhaps over engineered. It doesn’t involve you quite as much as you’d like. It’s too capable – but you can’t really hold that against it, can you? Not really, because, overall, it truly is a delight. In many ways, it’s very much the perfect car in Indian conditions for people who actually love driving – but I’ll take mine with a manual transmission if you don’t mind.