We have the BMW 330d Coupé  powered by a 3.0L 6-cylinder inline diesel motor driving the rear wheels through a 6 speed automatic transmission.  Options include sunroof and 8.8" screen for the iDrive system.  The MLP of the standard model is $94,700

Spoil yourself with looks and performance for around $100,000

Im sorry, its looks sleek with understated elegance, has power to burn, handles superbly, is exceptionally comfortable and uses bugger all fuel. What is not to like about the 330d!

Good

·          Drivers positioning

·          Performance/ economy balance

·          Sophisticated style

Not so Good

·          Lack of useful storage spaces internally

·          Ridiculous bottle holders

·          Ride slightly harsh on run flat tyres

The first thing you notice about the 330d Coupé  is that it is a striking design. It has an understated elegance about it. Unlike the 650i Coupé , the 330d is balanced from the family front grill through to the sleek tail. It has purpose and ability built into the design. It is truly one of the more attractive Coupé  designs on the market. 

The 330d has an overall length of 4612mm, wheelbase of 2760mm, width of 1782mm and height of 1395mm. Tare mass is 1540kg and the turning circle is 11.0m.  

The 330d wears Light-alloy wheels V-spoke 188 with mixed run-flat safety tyres, 8 J x 17 inch, 225/45 R 17 tyres at the front, 8.5 J x 17 inch, 255/40 R 17 tyres at the rear. Don’t however take the Coupé  to the snow as snow chains cannot be fitted.

Climb inside the 330d Coupé  and you immediately realise that like all BMW’s the driver zone is of utmost importance. 

It starts with the very comfortable multi adjustable electric seats that have adjustable lumbar, squab length and tilt and backrest width to ensure they grip you comfortably. Set the memory and you are in heaven. The seats remain comfortable even after many hours.  

Combine this with a thick rimmed, small leather multi function steering wheel that is both height and reach adjustable and  frames the console in front to give you the perfect drivers position.  

Driver fixed, the front passenger is also treated to the same levels of comfort. Surprisingly enough the rear seats for two are also comfortable and my two teenage daughters could both sit at ease in the passenger side. Not so luck for any legless midget that tried to sit behind me. Having heaps of seat travel kills any possibility of a rear passenger on the driver’s side. Headroom in the front seats is adequate, hampered by the sunroof and restricted in the rear. Access to the rear seats is pretty good though 

Boot space is quite large and functional and could handle weekend luggage for four at a pinch.  Another big tick.

A really cool feature is the little mechanical arm that ‘hands’ you the seat belt. This prevents kinked necks from trying to reach around behind you. Not so cool is that it operates every time the door shuts whether there is someone in the seat or not.  

Overall visibility gets the thumbs up, as does the level of features found in the 330d. These include, Automatic air conditioning with rear air vents, Bluetooth connectivity, Automatic Climate Control, Auxiliary in-put, 10 speaker HiFi loudspeaker system, Cruise Control with braking function, Park Distance Control (PDC) front and rear, Adaptive Headlights with turning lights, Xenon headlights for low and high beam, etc 

What gets a big cross and thumbs down is the lack of useful storage space in the cabin. There are some nooks and holes but they are not useful and it is very frustrating.  

Now let’s chat about the bottle/ coffee cup holders. Somewhere in BMW Design someone signed off on what they thought was really smart design in having the holders pop out from the dash in front of the passenger. Well that person must have short legs and doesn’t drink water. They are rubbish and get in the way.  There are no cup holders for the rear passengers.  

There has been some criticism of the iDrive system which controls not only the navigation system but also operates a range of other functions such as cabin climate control and the entertainment and communication options, including CDs, the radio and the telephone. The four most frequently used controls, CD, radio, telephone and navigation system, can be operated using the direct selection buttons. The anti-glare, high-resolution display (8.8 inches) is optimally situated above the central console.  

Personally I really like the iDrive system. I find it easy to use, intuitive and it certainly helps centralise a range of functions. Consider that a big tick for the controls.

As you would expect the 330d Coupé  has a 5 star ANCAP safety rating. Safety features include

Dynamic Stability Control covering ABS, CBC and Traction Mode DTC with additional functions for the 330d. Driver and front passenger airbags, with seat occupation detector for front passenger airbag, front-to-rear head airbags, covering the entire window area and side airbags for driver and front passenger.  

The DSC works through precise sensors that constantly monitor the wheel rotation, lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the 3 Series Coupé. At the first sign of discord, DSC discretely intervenes with brake or engine management. Furthermore, five extended DSC functions have been introduced for the six-cylinder models.

Let’s start this section off by saying that I simply love the performance/handling combination of the 330d Coupé . It has power to burn, an abundance of torque and when pushed, the rear wheel drive and almost perfect weight distribution makes the 330d enormous fun.  

I found the steering provided rapid response in all situations: the six-speed transmission, features a highly effective hydraulic control unit and a new torque converter to ensure fast acceleration at virtually all speeds, shifting gears with a response time of only 100 milliseconds. The new automatic transmission also gives drivers the option to shift gears manually using paddles mounted on the steering wheel however my opinion is that these are a waste of time. The skill level required too shift better than the automatic makes these redundant. It just makes the drivers think they are good.  

The Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) on the 330d gives the driver complete confidence as the vehicles abilities far exceeds most drivers’ abilities. It allows a certain amount of wheel slip and even slight drifting to ensure optimum traction on any surface. The behaviour of the BMW 3 Series Coupé can then be controlled entirely by the driver, with the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) on hand to keep the vehicle from going off track if need be. 

This super smooth and super frugal 3.0L straight six diesel produces 180Kw of power and a thumping 520Nm of torque from a low 1750rpm. The combination of motor and 6-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic will propel the 330d from 0-100kmh in just 6.1sec, has a top speed of 250kmh and yet sips fuel at an ADR rate of just 6.2l/100km.  

Around town and with an admittedly heavy foot we were averaging 8.8L/100K, which is simply awesome considering the performance. On the freeway and motorway we averaged 5.5L/100Km, which is very close to the ADR figures. Surprisingly enough the 330d Coupé  will also tow up to a braked limit of 1800kg.  

I have to say it is outstanding and raises the question of why anyone would buy a petrol or Hybrid in fact.

Despite tHe fact that it absolutely poured the entire time we had the BMW 330d for review we had a blast. We revelled in its poise and performance, took delight in its frugal economy and basically really enjoyed our time with the stylish Coupé

The BMW 330d Coupé certainly is the pick of the current BMW Coupé  ranges. Better looking and way more affordable than the 650i Coupé, more space and power than the 1 series Coupé, it strikes a happy blend of affordability, performance, style and prestige. 

The in line 6 cylinder 3.0L Diesel motor combined with the 6 speed Steptronic automatic transmission, chassis dynamics, weight distribution and almost perfect driving position ensure this vehicle is easy and balanced to drive. The motor is so smooth, has more power than most drivers will ever want and sips fuel like a sparrow drinking water.  

The 330d does have its down side though, noticeably the lack of useful interior storage spaces and the ridiculous water bottle holders. Ok I know that is nit picking but those two factors detracted considerably from the daily driver comfort. Nothing however can distract from the driving experience, sublime… 

At around $100,000 by the time you drive away it is pricey but worth it. I still can’t figure out why anyone would choose a normal petrol or hybrid motor over this beautiful 3.0L diesel.