Wagons, or estates, as the Brits so elegantly call them, have come a long way since the wood-paneled land yacht your uncle Sal used to drive. These are thoroughly modern machines that arguably fit the definition of an ‘SUV’ better than that lot of well, trucks, currently utilizing the term.
Think about it. Being all low to the tarmac and car-based, they have the ‘Sport’ part covered, while that cargo cave aft of the rear seats means the ‘Utility’ equation’s licked with equal aplomb. To argue our case, we present Exhibit A: our new long-term BMW 328xi Touring.
The fourth generation of Munich’s entry-level Touring model, our $54,625-as-tested Titanium Silver Metallic model wears that now-familiar new 3 Series nose, before adopting a smooth, tapering roofline and that trademark “Hofmeister kick” at the bottom of the D-pillar. The cabin too, carries over from the sedan and has already earned kudos for its minimalism and A1 accoutrements.
Because it shares its basic platform with the new-gen ‘3’ sedan and coupé, world-class handling is already bred into our wagon. In fact, BMW says it lapped the north circuit of the Nürburgring just as fast as a like-engined sedan and an amazing nine seconds faster than its predecessor.
Note though, that was likely a Touring model with more underhood oomph. While overseas markets get all sorts of turbo and diesel engines, Canada’s junior
Bimmer wagon gets just the 3.0-litre straight-six.
Though we long for the 335i’s turbo mill, this naturally aspirated unit has proven a sweetheart of a powerplant in the short time it’s been with us. What it lacks in grunt — 230 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 200 lb-ft of torque at 2,750 rpm — it makes up for in buttery smooth power delivery all the way up to redline, added by the automaker’s Double VANOS variable valve timing system. Our 328xi retains the standard six-speed manual gearbox, which can be worked to maximize the amount of power from said engine.
The ‘x’ in our wagon’s badge denotes BMW’s xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system fitted as standard. Linked directly to the car’s Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC), it’s quite the setup, using an electronically controlled multiplate
clutch to divide the engine’s power fore and aft. Munich says the system can predict wheel slip and reacts in just 100 milliseconds. Normally power is split 40/60 front/rear, but xDrive can send 100 percent of the juice to either axle when needed.
BMW bills our Teutonic tester as “the most versatile 3 Series there has ever been,” offering a 460-litre (16.1 cu-ft) cargo cove with the rear seats up and a vast 1,385-litre (48.5 cu-ft) with the seats folded down. The rear seats don’t fold completely flat, but that max cargo volume is still only short of the X3 SUV’s numbers by 198 L (7 cu-ft).
The Germans claim our wünderwagon can carry a maximum load of 540 kg or 1,190 lb. — and it can tow a trailer if you like your Bavarian autos rockin’ a chrome tow ball too.
Our 2008 328xi actually comes in at a base price of $45,100 before bolting on a raft of options including a $4,250 Premium Package (panorama sunroof, auto dimming mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity) and a $2,300 Sport Package (three-spoke
leather wheel, 17-inch double spoke alloys, sport seats).
Stand-alone options include Comfort Access ($750: open/start the car with the key in your pocket), Burl walnut trim ($585), Servotronic steering ($350), park distance control $450, adaptive headlights ($490), and USB integration ($350).
Typical of BMW, safety features are abundant on our 328xi ‘estate,’ and include said DSC, six airbags, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Cornering Brake Control and even Set-Off Assistant, which holds the car’s brakes briefly on a hill allowing the driver to set off sans roll back.
Tune in next issue to see what mix of hauling we’ve been able to subject our BMW to: whether it’s hauling parcels or hauling around corners.