Q.Unique Cars In India

Call me a skeptic but I don't think it's fair to compared the diesel power unit to the nuclear plant powering the M3/M4 ( if we consider generation-wise that 330d would be in a soup since you're gonna end up comparing it with that glorious 4.4L v8) Petrol engine-there's something about that rev range and that engine note that a diesel can never better. ( no, I'm not talking Le Mans before someone starts quoting it)

[USER="42"]CorsaVeloce[/USER] I can safely say that was the first time in my life I have sat in the back seat of a car, that too a convertible, doing donuts :) . By the way, what do you mean by the "weight really pushed the car down" - I'm not FAT! Humph! :mad:

This machine is a rocket! I've had the pleasure to drive it more than once, and it has always left me wanting more of it. I dont think many people understood what this beauty is capable of, hence BMW only sold a handful of these. Now after 4 years, astonishingly so, the used price of these beauties is actually going UP! Truely something unique about this mean machine. I remember taking [USER="6"]Roshun[/USER] for a drive prior to our drive, and with 4 people in the car, the weight really pushed the car to the ground and it was doing donuts comfortably, almost like it was born to do so.

[U][B]We drive a BMW 330d convertible[/B][/U] Late in 2011, BMW brought in the 330d convertible to India. It was a unique offering from the German auto major because it was the first convertible available in our country with a diesel engine and what a motor it was. The 3-litre diesel mill put out a peak power of 245Bhp and a gargantuan 520Nm of torque from 1750-3000 RPM. Imported to the country through the CBU route, the 330d convertible wasn't cheap. It was sold at an ex-showroom price of Rs 70-odd lakh depending on the option boxes ticked. A couple of years back, I saw a white 330d convertible zip past me and ever since, I have always wanted to be driven around in one. Guess what Santa [USER="42"]CorsaVeloce[/USER] got me for Christmas? Yes, a black 330d convertible owned by Sahil Saxena, a fellow car enthusiast. [CENTER] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2163[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2164[/ATTACH] [/CENTER] First impressions of the car – it's a sleek design, even with the roof up or down. The car we had wasn't in perfect nick cosmetically, but the motor was as smooth as silk. The car had already clocked 40,000 kms but one would think otherwise from the way the car drove over roads out here in Gurgaon. [USER="42"]CorsaVeloce[/USER], [USER="40"]Praveen[/USER] and I strap in and decide to take it to the nearest empty parking lot where we can let that beautiful motor breathe a little. [CENTER] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2165[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2166[/ATTACH] [/CENTER] What I found unnerving was the attention we got with the roof down. Bikers rode inches away from the car to get a closer look. Others would argue that the whole point of a convertible is to show you've made it in life but I beg to differ. In my book, a good car is one that excites your senses and leaves your jewels tingling for more. A good car should be able to get you to work comfortably and at the same time let that hooligan in you out of it's cage when you get to a set of twisties. Despite the attention, the 330d convertible managed to meet all my expectations. [CENTER] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2167[/ATTACH] [/CENTER] On to the drive now. The BMW 330d convertible pulls away cleanly when you are soft on the throttle, but give it the beans and the rear steps out ever so slightly till the ESP kicks in and sets the car pointing in the right direction again. I could feel the car loosing grip at times while cornering hard but the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and other active and passive safety features make sure you never lose control. The diesel engine is a thing of wonder. I keep reading that the diesel engine has come a long way in the last 15 years or so but I never felt it as all the diesel cars I have driven where in the lower end of the price spectrum and were not that refined. I always felt these motors could do with a bit more refinement and better NVH levels. The 3-litre BMW motor, however, left me astounded. The super silky motor with a linear torque curve and well controlled NVH seemed better than any petrol powered car I have ever driven or been in. To feel such a long, sleek convertible pull away from a traffic light so effortlessly is something to behold. I was left wondering why the German car maker was still selling petrol engined cars here in India, a nation that loves its cars powered by the dirty oil. As [USER="42"]CorsaVeloce[/USER] drove around Gurgaon, I had time to look around the cabin. Like any German car, the cockpit has a typical BMW driver oriented dashboard made of good quality materials. Little details like the M Sport interior kit lift things up in the cabin. The three-spoke steering wheel feels chunky to hold and seems perfect for a car of this sort. If you are used to a BMW, then things fall in place and all the buttons and switches are placed right where you expect them to be. The all-electric front seats were firm but comfortable. The rear seats can accommodate two people and the legroom wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The high-set transmission tunnel splits the seat into two. Accessing the back seat too wasn't as cumbersome as I thought it would be. The minute you fold the front seat to access the ones in the back, the front headrest folds automatically so that it doesn't hit the dashboard. We reach the parking lot and take a couple of shots of the car. Later, I see [USER="42"]CorsaVeloce[/USER] ticking away waiting to hoon around the lot with the Beemer. After clearing the parking lot of pesky onlookers and kids smitten by the BMW's killer looks, [USER="42"]CorsaVeloce[/USER] let the Beemer rip kicking out a cloud of dust which got the crowd all wild and applaud his driving skills. [CENTER] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2168[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2169[/ATTACH] [/CENTER] Overall impressions of the 330d? Pure joy. It left me wondering why anyone would want an M3/M4 when the 3-litre diesel motor is so quick and responsive. It's a shame there aren't many on the road but BMW, if you are listening, please plonk this gem of a motor on the 3 Series sedan again could you? [CENTER] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2170[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n2171[/ATTACH] [/CENTER] [B]Tech Specs[/B] Engine – 6-cylinder 2,993cc diesel Stroke/bore in mm: 90.0/84.0 Max. Output: 245Bhp @ 4,000 RPM Max. Torque: 520Nm @ 1,750-3,000 RPM Compression ratio: 16.5:1 [B]Wheels[/B] Tyre dimensions front: 225/45 R17 Tyre dimensions rear: 255/40 R17 Wheel dimensions and material front: 8 J x 17 inches, light-alloy Wheel dimensions and material rear: 8 1/2 J x 17 inches, light-alloy [B]Performance[/B] Top speed in km/h: 250 Acceleration 0–100 km/h in s: 6.4 Acceleration 80–120 km/h in 4th/5th gear in s: 5.2/6.6 [B]Fuel consumption[/B] Urban in litres/100 km: 7.7 Extra-urban in litres/100 km: 5.2 Combined in litres/100 km: 6.1 CO2 emissions in g/km: 162 Tank capacity, approx. in litres: 61 Weight in kg: 2,180 Permitted load in kg: 430