How Does the Budget BMW 320i Perform at the Track?
Want a new BMW 3 Series, but you’re on a budget. If you can afford $33,475, or the payments associated with that price, then the BMW 320i is worth a look. You’ll save $4,000 if you’re willing to give up 60 horsepower and 55 pound-feet of torque to the 328i’s angrier 2.0L turbo four.
But it’s not all about what you have to sacrifice to save those Federal Reserve Notes. One advantage of choosing the 320i is the better fuel economy of 28 miles per gallon in mixed driving. The 328i, by comparison, gets 26 miles per gallon combined.
We’re wondering if anyone has bought a 320i to save four grand, and then applied a stage-one tune to the ECU to get it back to the 328i’s performance level. Also, wouldn’t it be cool if BMW offered an economy mode in the 328i that would cut the engine’s performance to the 320i’s level so one could achieve an extra two miles per gallon? That’s probably a tall order for BMW, but there’s always the aftermarket.
BMW 320i Specs
- 180-hp, 200 lb-ft 2.0L turbocharged inline-four
- 8-speed automatic transmission (6-speed manual available)
- 3,332-lb curb weight
- 0-60 in 7.3 seconds
- 1/4 mile in 15.4 seconds at 89.7 mph
- 60-0 in 111 feet
- 67.8-mph slalom
- 0.89 g lateral acceleration on skid pad
- $33,475 base price
via [Edmunds]