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    Jul 25, 2010 9:05:36 AM

    RCA
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    Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    I just had the chance to testdrive a BMW 330d Cabriolet, he are a couple of thoughts:

    - powerful 245 HP Diesel engine with 520 Nm (as far as I remember) torque

    - 0-100 kph in 6.4 seconds

    - the automatic tranny really works well with this engine

    - lacking a sporty sound (which is a pity in a sporty cabriolet)

    - incredibly low fuel consumption of not even 9 liters / 100 km (and I drove this baby really hard)

    - average fuel consumptions of under 8 liters / 100 km easily achievable

    - base price 50000 EUR (incl. 19% german VAT)

    - chassis as good as on any other 3 series cabriolet (very sporty)

    Personal conclusion: if you want a powerful cabriolet for mostly city and country road driving and if you care a lot about fuel consumption, the 330d Cab is just perfect. The huge torque really gives the impression of driving a monster V8 under the hood, especially in the 1500 to 4000 rpm rev range. Perfect for city driving. Unfortunately the engine/exhaust sound isn't very sporty, so if you're somebody who enjoys a car with your ears too, this may not be the right product for you.

    I was especially impressed with the low fuel consumption, on an auto tranny car which does 0-100 kph in 6.4 seconds. Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

    Jul 25, 2010 11:12:50 AM

    pride355 Offline
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    Reply to: RCA

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Christian,

    Can you compare it with your M3 cabrio?


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    Jul 25, 2010 1:51:11 PM

    RCA
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    RC
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    Reply to: pride355

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Pretty simple comparison: for city driving, I would actually prefer the 330d Cab. Torque is incredible, you always have the feeling you drive a monster V8 under the hood. The M3 Cab is different, it needs high rev figures to be fast, especially in the city, this is a pain in the ass.

    Steering feels more direct on the M3, throttle response is also more direct (no wonder, it is a N/A engine) and the ride is slightly stiffer.

    Last but not least: engine/exhaust sound. Nothing on the 330d comes even close to the wonderful M3 sound. The M3 engine/exhaust sound alone is worth the extra money...if you like it.

    There is of course also fuel consumption, the M3 Cab eats around 19 l / 100 km average, the 330d Cab under the same conditions 10 liters / 100 km less.

    Personal verdict: for city driving, the 330d Cab is just perfect. The huge torque makes it a very fast city commuter and a very relaxing one too. Just press the throttle and you get a real kick in the back, awesome.

    For fun driving, the M3 Cab is still the king. For 30000 EUR less however, the 330d Cab delivers a lot of fun with an absolutely amazingly low fuel consumption (for those who care).


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

    Jul 25, 2010 4:28:54 PM

    Atzporsche
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    Reply to: RCA

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Thanks for the driving report. I think it is really good to see such diesels making their way into sports cars providing fun yet such great fuel consumption numbers.


    --

    indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine..  I happen to like both :) 

    Jul 26, 2010 12:36:58 AM

    pride355 Offline
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    Reply to: Atzporsche

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Nice review Christian.

    Thank you


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    Jul 26, 2010 6:31:10 AM

    Rossi
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    Reply to: pride355

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Very interesting read, thank you Christian.


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    The secret of life is to admire without desiring.

    Jul 26, 2010 12:36:04 PM

    Ferdie
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    Reply to: RCA

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    RC:

    Torque is incredible, you always have the feeling you drive a monster V8 under the hood. The M3 Cab is different, it needs high rev figures to be fast, especially in the city, this is a pain in the ass.


    Correct me if I´m wrong but until you drove the X6 and 3-series with diesel engine you weren´t a supporter of that engine concept. What´s the reason for the change of opinion now? Smiley
     

    Jul 27, 2010 8:25:58 AM

    RCA
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    RC
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    Reply to: Ferdie

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Ferdie:
    RC:

    Torque is incredible, you always have the feeling you drive a monster V8 under the hood. The M3 Cab is different, it needs high rev figures to be fast, especially in the city, this is a pain in the ass.


    Correct me if I´m wrong but until you drove the X6 and 3-series with diesel engine you weren´t a supporter of that engine concept. What´s the reason for the change of opinion now? Smiley
     

     

    I'm impressed with the high power feel at lower rpm, especially in the city. I'm even more impressed with the low fuel (Diesel) consumption.

    Would I buy one ? Definitely not.  Smiley

    I would however consider buying a Diesel engine on the X5 or Cayenne, if it delivers the same performance as the X5 M or Cayenne Turbo at a much lower fuel (Diesel) consumption. Let's say 15 liters or less and I'm in. Smiley


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

    Jul 27, 2010 9:30:28 AM

    d997h
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    Reply to: RCA

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    I currently drive the limousine (shifter) and I like the engine very much as you rightly pointed out (power, consumption etc.), though, I understand that the engine does not really match your "rennteam air traffic control"-approach to driving... 

    My fuel consumption in mixed traffic is around 7l and even on the autobahn cruising between 160 and 200 km/h does not get the consumption over 8 l...so, for  me, a brilliant engine...ah, yes, and I usually stay in 6th all the way (from,say, 70km/h onwards), because of the massive torque available...and, last but not least, with EURO 6 you can even have some peace of mind thinking about the environment...

    Jul 27, 2010 9:52:44 AM

    throt
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    Reply to: RCA

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    RC:
    Ferdie:
    RC:

    Torque is incredible, you always have the feeling you drive a monster V8 under the hood. The M3 Cab is different, it needs high rev figures to be fast, especially in the city, this is a pain in the ass.


    Correct me if I´m wrong but until you drove the X6 and 3-series with diesel engine you weren´t a supporter of that engine concept. What´s the reason for the change of opinion now? Smiley
     

     

    I'm impressed with the high power feel at lower rpm, especially in the city. I'm even more impressed with the low fuel (Diesel) consumption.

    Would I buy one ? Definitely not.  Smiley

    I would however consider buying a Diesel engine on the X5 or Cayenne, if it delivers the same performance as the X5 M or Cayenne Turbo at a much lower fuel (Diesel) consumption. Let's say 15 liters or less and I'm in. Smiley

    RC, have you driven the 4.0DM X5, if so, what are your thought's?..
     

    Thanks.


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    throt

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    Jul 27, 2010 10:32:44 AM

    pride355 Offline
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    Loc: iSTANBUL , Turkey
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    Reply to: RCA

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    RC:
    Ferdie:
    RC:

    Torque is incredible, you always have the feeling you drive a monster V8 under the hood. The M3 Cab is different, it needs high rev figures to be fast, especially in the city, this is a pain in the ass.


    Correct me if I´m wrong but until you drove the X6 and 3-series with diesel engine you weren´t a supporter of that engine concept. What´s the reason for the change of opinion now? Smiley
     

     

    I'm impressed with the high power feel at lower rpm, especially in the city. I'm even more impressed with the low fuel (Diesel) consumption.

    Would I buy one ? Definitely not.  Smiley

    I would however consider buying a Diesel engine on the X5 or Cayenne, if it delivers the same performance as the X5 M or Cayenne Turbo at a much lower fuel (Diesel) consumption. Let's say 15 liters or less and I'm in. Smiley

    I think BMW's new 4.0d engine which is a 3.0L - 6 cylinder - twin turbo engine is good enough, IMO.

    It is almost imposibble to find a diesel engine to deliver 4.4 V8 twin turbo performance, IMO.


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    Jul 27, 2010 4:51:54 PM

    RCA
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    RC
    Loc: Rennteam HQ , Germany
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    Registered on: Mar 26, 2002
    Reply to: pride355

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Yes, I drove the X6 40d (which is very similar to the X5 according to various rerports) and it has a very powerful engine. In the lower rev range up to 4500 rpm, it actually feels at least as powerful as my X5 M and I'm not kidding. Fascinating car, especially for city driving. On the Autobahn, things look a little bit different though. Up to around 200 kph, the engine feels strong and powerful. Over 200 kph, it looses a lot of "momentum" compared to the X5 M for example, which isn't a surprise. Even at speeds over 160 kph, you can already feel the power difference as well.

    So no, this is no Autobahn mover if you are used to high power engines/cars but as a nice family commuter, the X6 40d definitely is a sweet ride.

    Diesel consumption was around 10-13 liters / 100 km, depending on driving style. My dealer told me that he has customers who drive around with slightly under 10 liters / 100 km average. The new 8 speed auto tranny is a treat.


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

    Jul 27, 2010 10:03:22 PM

    pride355 Offline
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    pride355
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    Reply to: RCA

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    RC:

    Yes, I drove the X6 40d (which is very similar to the X5 according to various rerports) and it has a very powerful engine. In the lower rev range up to 4500 rpm, it actually feels at least as powerful as my X5 M and I'm not kidding. Fascinating car, especially for city driving. On the Autobahn, things look a little bit different though. Up to around 200 kph, the engine feels strong and powerful. Over 200 kph, it looses a lot of "momentum" compared to the X5 M for example, which isn't a surprise. Even at speeds over 160 kph, you can already feel the power difference as well.

    So no, this is no Autobahn mover if you are used to high power engines/cars but as a nice family commuter, the X6 40d definitely is a sweet ride.

    Diesel consumption was around 10-13 liters / 100 km, depending on driving style. My dealer told me that he has customers who drive around with slightly under 10 liters / 100 km average. The new 8 speed auto tranny is a treat.

    With the huge torque reserve (I think it is 580 NM), X6 4.0d storms to 200 km/h. BUT for speeds higher than 200 km/h, you'll need HP. This is where the X5/X6 M takes the flag.


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    09 Audi TTS Coupe / 07 997 Carrera S / 05 M3 Coupe / 03 M3 Coupe / 96 M3 Coupe EVO (ALL BUT HISTORY)

     

    Jul 28, 2010 9:58:58 AM

    throt
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    Reply to: pride355

    Re: Drove a BMW 330d Cabriolet...a few thoughts

    Thank you for your thought's, RC...Smiley..


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    throt

    "I didn't do it"

     
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