The movie 'Coffee and Cigarettes' must have been one of the most interesting films I've caught. Simple yet intriguing are probably apt words to describe the film. There are a series of short films within the show, which share a common theme of coffee and cigarettes.
The angle of the movie, apparently, shows how captivating joys and addictions of life can be as characters in the film enjoying their cup of coffee and smoking their cigarettes while sitting harmoniously at the same table.
I, for one, remembered walking away from the movie thinking how good it must have felt to be enjoying two things at one time. Whether it's coffee and cigarettes, whisky and cigar or just a simple kopi o with kaya toast, having the best of both worlds will naturally make you feel more song (which means satisfying in Hokkien) than wrong.
That's how the 3 Series 320i EfficientDynamics feels like. BMW has given its best-selling compact sedan an extra moniker, allowing drivers to enjoy both the driving dynamics that is synonymous with the car and reasonable fuel consumption.
The angle of the movie, apparently, shows how captivating joys and addictions of life can be as characters in the film enjoying their cup of coffee and smoking their cigarettes while sitting harmoniously at the same table.
I, for one, remembered walking away from the movie thinking how good it must have felt to be enjoying two things at one time. Whether it's coffee and cigarettes, whisky and cigar or just a simple kopi o with kaya toast, having the best of both worlds will naturally make you feel more song (which means satisfying in Hokkien) than wrong.
That's how the 3 Series 320i EfficientDynamics feels like. BMW has given its best-selling compact sedan an extra moniker, allowing drivers to enjoy both the driving dynamics that is synonymous with the car and reasonable fuel consumption.
Up close and Personal
On the outside, there's little to differentiate this car with a regular BMW 320i except for smaller 16-inch wheels and missing chrome strips near the fog lamps.
There isn't much to report in the cabin either. Everything in the cabin of the 320i EfficientDynamics is Bimmer-familiar, which means you can be rest assured that passers-by will be mistaking your car for the more expensive BMW 320i.
Drivetrain
The revises are obviously more performance-focused rather than fashion driven. Instead of a 2.0-litre engine, which you will usually find in a regular 320i, the car you see here sports a smaller but no less capable 1.6-litre four-pot powerplant.
The maximum output of 170bhp and 270Nm of torque also means that the 320i EfficientDynamics slots aptly in between the BMW 316i and the BMW 320i.
But don't let these figures put you off. The car responds with vigour with every jab of the right foot. Squeeze open the throttle and the Bimmer will accelerate off the line in a seemingly limitless and linear fashion, accompanied by an exhaust note that is admittedly sporty.
The revises are obviously more performance-focused rather than fashion driven. Instead of a 2.0-litre engine, which you will usually find in a regular 320i, the car you see here sports a smaller but no less capable 1.6-litre four-pot powerplant.
The maximum output of 170bhp and 270Nm of torque also means that the 320i EfficientDynamics slots aptly in between the BMW 316i and the BMW 320i.
But don't let these figures put you off. The car responds with vigour with every jab of the right foot. Squeeze open the throttle and the Bimmer will accelerate off the line in a seemingly limitless and linear fashion, accompanied by an exhaust note that is admittedly sporty.
Of course in the real world driving, the 320i EfficientDynamics isn't going to live up to its claimed fuel consumption figures but achieving some 9km/L without even trying hard (versus 7.7km/L in the BMW 320i that we tested two years back) proves the car is more than just a marketing gimmick.
Conclusion
It's really quite hard to fault this car, especially when it's $24,000 cheaper than the regular model but is an affordable $15,000 more than the less interesting BMW 316i.
Not that there's anything bad about that. Smoking a lower grade cigarette like Pall Mall compared to a higher quality and more expensive Marlboro doesn't mean you're a cheapskate. It just simply means you have a different taste that isn't necessarily senseless.
Conclusion
It's really quite hard to fault this car, especially when it's $24,000 cheaper than the regular model but is an affordable $15,000 more than the less interesting BMW 316i.
Not that there's anything bad about that. Smoking a lower grade cigarette like Pall Mall compared to a higher quality and more expensive Marlboro doesn't mean you're a cheapskate. It just simply means you have a different taste that isn't necessarily senseless.
