Welcome back to the German-dominated luxury compact saloon arena. BMW’s sixth-generation F30 3-series is out in the market and we pit it against the recently facelifted Audi A4 and the Mercedes C 250 CDI.
The three cars you see here come with the most popular engines in their respective model ranges. The four-cylinder diesels under all three hoods have all the performance you expect from a German saloon and won’t blow a hole in your wallet every time you tank up. Simply put, they make functional and financial sense.
And nothing makes more financial sense here than the Audi A4. At Rs 29.64 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), it is the most affordable by far, but it is also the least powerful of the trio. The Mercedes C 250 CDI, on the other hand, is the most powerful, and in this AMG Performance Edition spec, is the most expensive too. At Rs 35.94 lakh, it costs Rs 70,000 more than a standard C 250 CDI. The 320d in Luxury spec slots neatly between the two at Rs 31.5 lakh. So, will the A4 prove powerful enough, can the Merc justify the extra money in the face of its rivals, or has the new 3-series taken the game even further ahead?
The face of things
Sure the 320d looks the most contemporary – it is the newest, after all. The new F30 further blurs the lines between the 3-series and the larger 5-series. In fact, from the rear three-quarters, it looks exactly like a scaled-down version of the 5. The new front, however, is the most interesting bit of the car. It’s replete with complex curves, and the clamshell bonnet and flatter kidney grille follow the design cues of the latest Bimmers.
The Audi, over time, has gotten new LEDs, a hexagonal grille, a new chin and a slight nip and tuck all over. It’s simple, minimalistic and handsome. The Merc is the extrovert, thanks to the AMG body kit. The sporty wheels, bulging wheel arches, low skirts and faux diffuser at the rear will make you think there’s a growling V8 under the hood. Take away the body kit and the C’s curvier headlights, three-slat grille, oversized Merc star and classic ‘power saloon’ stance still make it quite the looker.
Most will also agree that the new 3-series no longer looks compact. But, then again, the specs reveal the A4 to be the longest and widest and the C-class the most compact. The C-class also has the shortest wheelbase, and the BMW the longest (it’s just 2mm more than the A4’s though).