BMW 3-Series VS Volvo S60

I would like to begin by saying that if you have found interest in this test, there's an enthusiast hidden somewhere in you. Somewhere deep down you are not worrying about how much petrol costs these days but more on how you feel then you bury your right foot into the accelerator pedal. So for a change, lets discuss on how that part of you would feel when these two performance sedans lock horns.

Let's begin with the Bimmer,which quite literally looks wicked. Sure it looks a bit dated but then the paint job gives it that sinister look.

Adding to the glamour of the BMW is the additional 'M' kit. But before you get too excited, its only the wheels which are from the 'M' range. Inside the BMW feels plush and the tan leather inserts give the cabin a bit of brightness.

Tan and black combo livens up interiors. Our car came with an 'M' kit, hence the "M' badged steering. Space at the rear is quite decent too.

The BMW, at 1421mm tall, is lower than the Volvo, which is taller at 1484mm. The BMW however offers more ground clearance.

However the instruments and console all look a bit dated. You do get to see another 'M' badge on the steering wheel though, hich is a joy to hold. The seats offer a snug fit and just perfect for racy times.

The Volvo on the other hand has moved on to modern times. The long and stout bonnet belongs to a new generation. The curves too are more pronounced. dding to it are the skid plates, both up front and at the rear.

In profile the large 18in alloys shod with low profile tyres shout business. Inside, the first thing to grab attention are the seats. They sport a unique design and also feel sublime to be in. Up front the instrument panel eams all relevant information and a cacophony of noises are emitted from various places to ensure you don't drive into cars ahead, change lanes 'illegally' or fall asleep at the wheel.

The floating centre console is inclined towards the driver to ensure easy usability. But let'snot any waste more time on how things look and feel. Instead let's get into the real business of performance.

Start up the Bimmer and it greets you with a meaty growl, anda nice roar from the exhaust before it settles into idle. Pop the gear lever into drive mode and bury the throttle and the BMW gets going with quite a bit of zest with the traction control system working hard to stop the rear wheels from spinning to baldness. The paddle shifters fall into hand but the operation isnot that great, frankly.

The Volvo gets a floating centre console inclined towards the driver. The interiors are well put together and exude a sense of plushness.

The dated design of the BMW is evident when compared to the more modern Volvo. In astraightline the S60 edges the 3, courtesy the extra 30bhp.

As you gather speed, the 330i comes to life. The steering is well weighted and offers justthe right amount of feedback, making it a joy to use, be it travelling at great speed in a straight line or speeding around tight corners and bends.

The suspension too ensures that the ride is comfortable instead of being bone jarring hard.At speeds way beyond the permissible limits, the BMW stays so planted that at times you might consider yourself some top league race car driver.

However with the traction control switched off, this rear wheel drive has truly the capabilityto scare! Whilst driving around the city at 'city' speeds, the 330i settles down like any other sedan. There is minimal noise within the cabin and unless you suddenly blip the throttle, which triggers the growl from the exhausts, there's little drama really to speak of.

The Volvo on the other hand is more about being very understated. It does not tell you what it can do, but does it very wellnonetheless. Start her up and the sporty rumble is far less. But once given the beans, the Volvo too goes like a torpedo.

The steering though is not as good as the BMW's. Sure it offers decent feedback, but it is still not upto the 3's standards. This mainly shows in the corners where the electro-mechanical assist fails to assert as much confidence as the German does.

The saving grace of the Volvo though is the AWD system which ensures that the sedan literally stays glued to the road. In 'Sport' mode especially,the suspension offers very limited travel for better cornering and emits hard knocks in case you drive over a pothole. But in normalconditions, the system softens up which ensures a much more comfortable ride.

BMW 3-Series Inline six offers a sporty note accentuated by a growly exhaust. Central armrest has cupholders.

Before I delve into the performance aspect, it is very important for you to know how these two match up on paper. The BMW has a straight six motor displacing 2996cc sending power to the rear wheels via a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Volvo S60 304bhp T6 engine is good enough to blitz past most. The 60:40 split seats makes the Vol- Rear centre console doubles as cupholders.

The Volvo on the other hand has a 6-cylinder turbocharged engine displacing 2953cc. However power is sent to all four wheels via the 6-speed automatic 'box. Thanks to the additional gimmicks the Volvo is heavier too, compared to the Bimmer.