BMW 320d Sport Auto
BMW 320d Sport Auto
What is it?
I BLAME the small rocker switch just to the left of the console-mounted iDrive button.
It’s there on this, the sixth-generation of the BMW 3 Series – but in reality virtually all-new – version of BMW’s ubiquitous compact executive saloon, which will reach its first buyers in February. It tells the driver, via continuous real time dashboard read-outs, how much further can be travelled on a tankful of fuel if the car is driven in obedience to the dashboard lectures and engine management settings of the switch’s frugal ‘EcoPro’ programme, instead of with the usual brisk throttle-prodding of harassed, schedule-shackled, “bloody traffic, I’m late again” business car users.
After many miles of BMW’s challenging test routes in the semi-mountainous region around Barcelona, I can confirm that it’s a lot. A ‘lot’, indeed, of such dimension as would prove fascinating to a fleet manager under heavy pressure to cut fuel costs, should he ever figure out a way to download EcoPro’s stored data. (Right now you can’t, Mr Business Car Manager; but it’s an idea you might try bouncing off BMW.) And it’s relevant to that divorce headline because, if the fuel has been paid for privately and Senior Management happens to be observing the data herself, she is likely to tell Mr Wannabee Button in no uncertain terms that if he would kindly lift his stupid foot from the accelerator much lucre could be saved to the benefit of groceries, gas bill…or that rather nice watch she’s had her eye on…
To illustrate: the 119g/km CO2 BMW 320d which was the main subject of BCM’s test – it is likely to be the runaway biggest seller in the UK business user sector along with the even more frugal, 109g/km BMW 320d EfficientDynamics version – has a 57 litre (12.5 gallon) fuel tank and fuel consumption of 64.2mpg. Follow EcoPro and you are indeed likely to hit the theoretical 800 mile-plus range. Our more leaden-footed test efforts had the car swilling fuel some 25 per cent faster. Had EcoPro a finger, it would have wagged it. From full to empty, it lectured, we would be covering at least 220 miles fewer. Even at a still highly-creditable 50mpg, that’s £25-plus at current fuel prices down the drai
