The 3 Series Corporate Edition has a very tempting price tag.
Sarmad Kadiri creates a checklist of what your get and what you don’t
According to a popular proverb, ‘Boys are known for the toys they own’. For those who believe in the saying, it’s time to get famous as your dream of owning a finely crafted European luxury sedan can finally come true. BMW has launched the 3 Series Corporate Edition (CE) for individuals at a price that will make you rub your eyes in disbelief. Previously, the CE variant of the 3 Series was only available for fleet purchase with a minimum order of three vehicles. But now this fine piece of machinery can be bought by individuals at a mouth watering price of Rs 29.5 lakh (OTR Pune). That’s a whopping Rs 10 lakh less than the 3 Series Highline variant! Alright, now please stop rubbing your eyes.
The Munich based company is looking at tapping the surging disposable income of successful executives and young entrepreneurs of India with the new 3 Series CE. The brand is known for its performance and reliability and now they have a price tag which can give other average sedans a run for their money. So, where’s the catch? The Corporate Edition is like a no-frills edition of the 3 Series Highline and the list of gizmos missing from the CE version is rather long. There is no sunroof, Xenon lights and headlight washer, the six CD changer makes way for a single CD player. Further, they have done away with the on-board monitor with TV function and you get no wood trims either. It also doesn’t have a Bluetooth interface for your mobile phone, USB interface for the entertainment system nor any sun blinds for rear side windows. But the moment you step on the
accelerator, you leave this list far, far
behind and get overwhelmed with the joy
of owning a BMW.
The 3 Series CE retains the very reliable and extremely efficient 1995cc four cylinder, common-rail direct injection diesel engine with a maximum output of 179.45PS at 4000rpm and maximum torque of 350Nm between 1750-3000rpm . The other good part about the no- frills variant is that the sedan now comes fitted with high profile tyres (205/55 R16) which are better suited for the Indian roads and the new alloys
look much sharper. It comes with semi-electric adjustable seats but if you speak to the dealer, you can opt for completely manual seats which can further save you upto Rs 1 lakh!
For this lip smacking price you don’t just own a car. What you get is a round blue-and-white badge which assure lots of things that money can’t buy. How about loads of pride, envious neighbours, unparalleled driving pleasure, peace of mind, unbelievable attention and maybe even the cute girl next door. All this adds up to super value for money. Simple maths!
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| The seats are semi-electrically adjustable, but you can opt for manual ones and save some more moolah | The brilliant 1995cc oil burner compensates for all the missing gadgets | Nope, you don’t even get the ‘automatic anti-dazzle system’ equipped RVMs |
