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our test drives or view them all

BMW 318d SE four-door automatic

BYE, bye Bangle! The controversial American car designer who changed the face of BMW, and put me and many other car lovers into a state of shock, has left the Bavarian car maker.

Chris Bangle, who has been with BMW for 17 years, introduced ground breaking styling across the range with hard chines and deep sculpted panels that split the motoring world right down the middle.

His first complete car was the 2001 E65 5 Series – a jaw-dropping replacement for its pretty, round-contoured predecessor that had dyed-in-the-wool BMW owners trying to find out where he lived!

Originally from the American mid-west, Bangle trained as a preacher before turning to car design. He carried that belief to his new profession and was a committed follower of a design philosophy that while many described as "ugly" has proved to be successful for the German prestige car maker.

On one side there were those who thought he’d shaken up the predictable curves of the BMW stable for the better – and then there was old traditional me and my camp who considered his early designs nothing short of an abomination!

Well, after eight years leading BMW’s design reformation Bangle has gone – but he leaves knowing that despite the controversy he created he has delivered a heritage that has seen BMW cars flood roads across the globe.

Last week I slipped behind the wheel of one of his last designs – the latest 3 Series saloon.

And you know, I actually like it. It still has that edgy chine and deep fluting that singles out the “mark of the Bangle”, but it’s an elegant interpretation of his innovative vision.

His final involvement will be with the new folding metal roofed Z4 that is due to have its UK press launch in the Highlands in mid-May over a route to and from Inverness via Kinlochewe, Gairloch and Dundonnell.

I must confess the Z4 looks reasonably well in early photographs and follows the general "softening" of his design trend, but, with all due respect Chris, I’m glad you’ve gone. Your departure will help keep my blood pressure in check!

The 318d SE is a brilliant compact saloon. It drives beautifully, is frugal and quick with a surprising punch from its 143bhp two-litre turbodiesel.

What’s more the application of BMW’s EfficientDynamics gives it astonishing environmental credentials with emissions of just 123g/km in six-speed manual guise and 144g/km in my six-speed automatic version. Better still is its economy – an official combined figure of 52.3mpg overall that translated into 50.7mpg during my test that took in twisty and steep west Highland routes and a lot of town driving.

The 318d SE with automatic uses a similar two-litre power plant to the 320d. The differences, apart from a £1150 higher price tag, are 177bhp for the more powerful model thanks to a modified cylinder head and turbocharger that delivers very similar economy and emission levels that are exactly the same for the automatic at 144g/km. That’s a measure of BMW’s excellent EfficientDynamics programme.

It makes me think that for £1150 more and a rise from Group 12 insurance to Group 14, the 320d SE automatic might be a more attractive buy.

But in reality there is little in it. The 318d SE is a modest member of the clan, but is one of the most satisfying sports compact turbodiesel saloons I’ve driven.

You have to experience the balance and poise of the car to appreciate its refined handling. It might be rear-wheel-drive, but the 318d SE is so neutral, so controlled and so confident on a twisty road that it’s easy to forget you are not in a front-drive car.

And yet that rear-drive bias is the all-important plus point. The 318d SE "feels" like a driver’s car. It’s not demanding, never tricky and always surefooted and planted on the road.

With a kerb weight of 1.5 tonnes it’s no lightweight. But that simply adds to its exceptional road feel. The car is a delight to pilot round a torturous west Highland road with just enough torque to wind it out of a tight corner without feeling strained or lacking muscle.

The optional six-speed sequential automatic works well with the 318d. Changes are smooth and quick and apart from the novelty value of the sequential mode or to elicit some manual control in slippery conditions, this excellent transmission should be left in full auto to do what it does best. Some diesel automatics are a compromise – but not here. The combination of oil burner and auto-swapper work perfectly.

Comfort and interior finish are good. Seating is firm but supportive and while rear seat space is a little restricted, none of my passengers had anything other than praise for the overall comfort. Mind you the car’s standard 45 section low profile Continental Contact 3 tyres on 17-inch alloys generated a substantial amount of road noise and reduced ride refinement. Higher profile covers would have reduced noise generation and done nothing to spoil the saloon’s fine handling.

I have a soft spot for the 318d but I find Bangle’s dash design hard to accept. The sweep of the panels look disjointed to me while BMW’s insistence on using aluminium finish as the default trim highlight ruins the appeal for me. However, there’s no criticism of the instruments and controls – they are clear and work with a precision that singles this car out as a member of the fine BMW breed.

As a practical saloon the 318d SE offers a reasonable boot with 460 litres capacity, but I’d be annoyed to have to fork out an extra £330 to get a split and fold rear seat just so I could boost cargo capacity.

In fact, the same old BMW options list problems are still around. While the 318d SE is well appointed and comes as standard with superb electric BMW DSC electronic stability programme, ABS, front and side airbags, climate control, alloys, central locking, powered front and rear windows and door mirrors, cruise control and handy rear parking sensors, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of expensive extra equipment. Order a BMW sat-nav system and it’ll set you back £1530 while leather costs £1215 extra and opting for a powered sunroof is another £735. Even metallic paint is a pricey £580.

If you are in the market for a sporting four-door with a quality build and outstanding driving dynamics, but hanker after economy, look no further than the 318d SE. It may be at the leaner end of the fat BMW shank, but it’s lithe, agile and very satisfying.

Rating: 9/10

FINAL THOUGHT: It’s easy to dismiss a low-powered diesel BMW 3 Series as a sop to the environment lobby, but the truth is that the two-litre 318d is a clean and economical sports saloon that drives brilliantly. It’s no slouch and handles sharply with a firm ride that’s never uncomfortable. You may not like the style, but as a booted mid-range executive it makes a huge amount of sense and deserves top billing. The more powerful 320d SE automatic costs just another £1150 and is worth serious consideration.

BMW 318d SE four-door automatic

• Price: £26,990
• Capacity: 1995cc
• Power: 143bhp
• 0-62mph: 9.4 seconds
• Maximum speed: 130mph
• Economy: Combined 52.3mpg; Urban 39.8mpg
• CO2 emissions: 144g/km
• ESP: Standard
• Insurance: Group 12