[6] 1986 Bmw 325e In Weekly Topic

In 1986, an “e” on the rump of a BMW 3-series denoted the slowest, most fuel-efficient version on sale. From 1984 through 1987, the North American 325e packed a 2.7-liter inline-six with a diesel-like 4700-rpm redline. The “e” stood for “eta,” the Greek letter associated with efficiency, and the model’s formula of high torque, lazy revs, and a tall final-drive ratio equaled a then-stellar 28-mpg highway rating (roughly equivalent to 26 mpg by the EPA’s current test procedure). Practically everything has changed on the 3-series, yet the principle of an economy-minded BMW sports sedan at a premium price lives.

Today, the “e” denotes a plug-in-hybrid powertrain derived in part from the i3 hatch and the i8 supercar, which is why BMW now groups all of its cars that end with “e” or begin with “i” into a new iPerformance lineup. If BMW’s stated 3915-pound curb weight holds up on our scales, the 2017 BMW 330e would carry an extra 350 pounds or so versus the last rear-wheel-drive automatic 328i we tested, which means it’s not the ideal 3-series for pegging the speedo needle on the German autobahn or for charging through the Austrian Alps—although we did both with a Euro-spec 330e. We’ve also driven an early U.S.-spec prototype, and while we’ll reserve judgment until we run a production car through our tests, everything but the squishy brake feel puts it almost on par with a 328i.

View PhotosMARC URBANO, THE MANUFACTURERModest Range, Significant Change

At our prototype drive some months ago, BMW had promised 22 miles of all-electric range. In the charge toward production, the 330e’s number dipped to only 14 miles, the same as the X5 xDrive40e. Like that plug-in SUV, the 330e marries a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine to an eight-speed automatic with its torque converter lopped off. In its place is an electric motor/generator that spins out 87 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque (or up to 184 lb-ft in short bursts). A 7.6-kWh lithium-ion battery constrains the trunk by four cubic feet (to 13 cubic feet); it also forces the gas tank to shrink by five gallons (to just 10.8 gallons). To maximize battery life, BMW cordons off the last couple of kilowatt-hours, so effective capacity is rated at 5.7 kWh. Charging at a 240-volt station takes up to 2.5 hours; figure six or seven hours on a 120-volt household plug. Fuel-economy figures are not finalized.

All in, the powertrain is good for 248 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which beats the 328i by 8 hp and 52 lb-ft but falls below the X5 by 60 hp and 22 lb-ft. That’s because the 330e borrows the 180-hp 2.0-liter from the 320i, not the 240-hp version in the 328i, and its reduced battery capacity and motor output power only the rear wheels. All-wheel drive will not be offered. The battery’s refrigerant cooling system, inverter, and power-management hardware are shared with the i3 and the i8, although unlike them the 330e doesn’t make any spaceship sounds upon startup and shutdown.

A Smart Electric, Just Not That One

What is sort of space-age about the 330e is how the navigation system can feed the powertrain real-time data. While GPS-connected transmissions that preemptively shift for corners aren’t new to the BMW Group (see the Rolls-Royce Wraith), the 330e has a master’s degree in trip planning. It scans the entire route, accounts for traffic, and plots how best to split its dual power sources along your drive. On a highway section, for example, the 330e would recharge its battery quicker so that later it might whisper silently through a small village it knows you’ll be entering. And in practice, the software actually works. However, when starting with a full charge, the 330e runs as an EV only for the first few miles. After that, it acts more like a traditional hybrid with the engine running and the generator charging the battery.

View PhotosMARC URBANO, THE MANUFACTURER

Three selectable electric driving modes (Auto eDrive, Max eDrive, Save Battery) let the driver take command from the navigation system (of note, Save Battery will charge and maintain the battery at 50 percent; this significantly reduces fuel economy). Full electric driving in Max eDrive is possible up to 75 mph, but since there are only 87 ponies on tap, mashing the accelerator will indeed fire the gas engine. The familiar BMW driving modes (Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport, Sport+) also are on hand and perform their usual steering and throttle-response tweaks. BMW claims a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph. (The last 328i automatic we tested clocked a 5.2-second sprint to 60 mph.)

That’s “e” for Expensive

Outside of its novel powertrain, the 330e is standard 3-series fare—which means very little comes standard. The 330e starts at $44,695 and launches this summer. Special features are limited to blue trim on the kidney grilles, on the wheel centers, and on the fender-mounted “i” badges; that smarty-pants navigation system is optional. Compared with its siblings, the 330e is $3850 more than the diesel 328d and $5350 more than a 328i. Considering that pricing, and the limited fuel-economy benefit, we’d be surprised if the 330e attracted significantly more interest than the now-discontinued ActiveHybrid 3, which found fewer than 1500 takers in the U.S. over its three-year life span.

Unlike its first electrified efforts, however, BMW is pushing these plug-in hybrids hard. But worldwide fuel-economy standards are ratcheting up dramatically in the near future, so there will be an iPerformance trim for every BMW model. Still, we have to wonder if saving half a gallon of gasoline per full charge—less on the highway—is really worth all this trouble.

MARC URBANO, THE MANUFACTURER This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io