The revised baby Beemer looks only slightly different. Apart from the exterior styling, which is meant to further distinguish the saloon and Touring variants, there are a handful of new trimmings inside. But with a couple of new engines, some suspension jiggery-pokery and an F1-style automated 'manual' gearbox option, the most significant changes are hidden from view.

The SMG is supposed to operate like your average F1 car's gears; you even have steering-wheel-mounted gear-shift paddles. Simply pull the paddle towards you to change up and push it away to change down; or if you like you can jab away at the stubby gear lever which operates in the same manner as the paddles; or push the gear lever to the right and let it drift into fully automatic mode.

But there's a problem. I like using a clutch. I know that, at 15 milliseconds, BM reckons it takes about the same time as a conventional gearchange and I know it's supposed to be easier. But the up-changes, whilst better than previously, are still lumpy. So, at £1,700 (est), this is one option I won't be taking - I'll have the decent, standard-issue, five-speed 'box, ta.

Still, novelty items like that shouldn't take anything away from the rest of the car - though it does get a bit tricky weighing up a revised 3-Series, given that BMW's engineers didn't leave much the first time around that'd need revising after just a couple of years.

They have, I'm assured, tightened up the springs and dampers, both front and rear, so that now you'd virtually have to get a crowbar under each tyre in order to get it to leave the road.

Maybe the surprising qualities of last year's Merc C-Class have shaken BMW up, because all these tinkerings are of a sporting bent. Take the steering, BMW has reduced it to three turns lock to lock, and in the process added a bit more weighting to it. And, sure enough, it does feel more pointable than ever before.

Whilst the three-litre, 231bhp, straight six engine is as strong and satisfying as ever, the real changes for this model come with the diesel engines and a new petrol version. The old two-litre turbodiesel has had its power boosted to 150bhp, and, at 8.9 seconds, can now get to 62mph a second quicker than before. There's also a new entry level, 115bhp, 1.8-litre diesel, which offers new levels of thriftiness to BMW owners.

The all-new 318i petrol engine is not, in fact, a 1.8-litre, but actually a two-litre, and one of its new Valvetronic systems at that. The four-cylinder, 143bhp engine is a gutsy little performer, especially at the top end where it likes to have its legs stretched. But it's also very flexible and delivers improved economy.

BMW's styling might have gone a bit west of late, with rivals like Alfa Romeo, Audi and Mercedes all showing it a thing or two about originality, but the overall quality of its saloons was never in any doubt. This minor cosmetic tweak, and the mechanical fiddling that came with it, simply serves to re-establish the 3-Series' dominance of the class.

Adrian Simpson

VERDICT Its M-powered sports cars get the plaudits, but the Bavarians still do the bread'n'butter stuff brilliantly

FACT FILE
Model Saloon and estate
Engine 1995cc, 143bhp; 1951cc,115bhp; 1995cc, 150bhp
Performance 0-62mph: 10.7 to 8.9secs; max speed: 126 to 135mph
Cost £18,070 to £21,415
On sale in UK January 2002
Rivals Alfa Romeo 156, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class, Rover 75


Back to BMW 3-Series Overview