103 MOTORING ROAD TESTS BY NICK FLETCHER


OuR MOTORING COLuMN, BY THe eXPeRIeNCeD AND AWARD WINNING MOTORING JOuRNALIsT NICK FLETCHER HELPS OUR READERS CHOOSE THE BEST OF THE LATEST CARS.


BMW 330E Sports Saloon


PETROL-ELECTIC HYBRID CARS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, BUT TECHNOLOGY KEEPS MOVING ON AND THERE ARE NOW AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PLUG-IN HYBRIDS AVAILABLE, RECHARGABLE AT HOME OR AT PUBLIC CHARGING POINTS. BMW has become well- established in this expanding market with models such as the i3 and i8, and now there is also a version of its iconic 3-series, the 330e. It is a plug-in hybrid with all the cachet of a BMW but the environmental credentials of a supermini. Base price of the 330e is £34,235 including Government grant, but with a variety of options my test model topped £42,350. It was of course lavishly equipped and included premium sat-nav system, reversing and wing-mirror cameras, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable (and heated) sports seats, cruise control, automatic dual zone climate control, auto lights and wipers and M Sport suspension. Powered by a 2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol


engine, an electric motor delivers 87hp of the 249 hp on offer. It is mated to a superb 8-speed automatic transmission with well- spaced ratios and a smooth shift action. Running in electric mode wherever possible the 330e switches to internal combustion seamlessly, and you can run the car in electric- only mode for up 25 miles at city speeds at the touch of a switch. Domestic re-charging takes just two hours with a special wallbox or three hours from a home plug-socket. Plug-in hybrid it is but don’t expect it to be slow - the 0-60 mph time is a searing 6.1 seconds, top speed 140 mph. Official fuel economy is 134.5 mpg combined but in real-world driving expect about half that - still


impressive for such a fast, powerful car. And you can also tick the green credentials box - emissions are just 46g/km. The 8-speed auto gearbox is utterly smooth, the


steering delivers intuitive feedback and the M Sport suspension provides a perfect balance between ride comfort and cornering firmness. The car has svelte elegant styling which


THE 8-SPEED AUTO GEARBOX IS UTTERLY SMOOTH, THE STEERING DELIVERS INTUITIVE FEEDBACK


complements its prestige persona and that continues in the cabin, which is beautifully designed for both comfort and driver-focus. The dashboard is thoughtfully laid out for ease of use, seating is very comfortable, with ample room for all occupants. And though the boot space is


slightly smaller than on a normal 3-series (they have to put the batteries somewhere!) at 370 litres it is still quite substantial. Not everyone is yet ready for


plug-in hybrids - some are holding back to see how fast-moving technology advances and how residual values hold up - but anyone checking out this BMW 330e cannot fail to be impressed. Beautifully built, smooth, quiet and powerful, it


offers a cost-effective alternative to the conventionally powered premium saloons - particularly for business users.


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