Overview

Sinister Sedans. If it is performance you are craving for, these two sedans here offer exactly that. But which one is better and worth putting your money on? AUTO BILD INDIA tells you...

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.

Exterior & Interior

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.

Engine & Gearbox

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.

Dimension

BMW 3-Series (mm)
The BMW offers more space both at the front and the back. However it does not feel as spacious, thanks to its low slung stance and appearance.	The BMW's boot is larger at 460 litres. Also, there is no spare wheel.
Volvo S60 (mm)
Getting in and out of the Volvo is more comfortable. It also sports a larger boot than that of the BMW. It also is higher than the BMW.	The 60:40 split seats makes the Volvo's boot more versatile.

Scorecard & Verdict

Volvo S60- If it is performance you want, look no further. This has the power, AWD, safety and is cheaper as well.

BMW 3-Series- The charm of the BMW is overpowering and in a good driver's hands, it provides good competition.

Scorecard

Body: As far as space is concerned, the 330i gains more points than the Volvo. However the Volvo fights back thanksto a more useable boot. Both cars are equally well built and that shows clearly in our points table. However the Volvo's trump card in this segment is the 'safety' it where it creams the BMW thanks to its sophisticated equipment like City Safety and so on.

Drive: The Volvo offers a massive 304bhp and that helps in it being quite a bit faster than the BMW. However both score equally as far as the top speed is concerned. The BMW's gearbox though is a notch better and those paddle shifters are something which come as a bonus. It is also more fuel effi cient than the Volvo and hence scores more in this part of the game.

Comfort: The Volvo rides better and is more dynamic, thanks to it ability to switch modes. Getting in the Volvo is also more comfortable as are the seats. While the Volvo emits a sedate noise, the BMW gets a rorty exhaust note. Comfort equipment on board the Volvo too is more and all these things come together to make it lead here.

Dynamics: The BMW definitely has a more dynamic steering and offers a good amount offeedback, making it a joy to drive. It is also better at hauling down from high speeds and also turning around. The Volvo on the other hand offers an electro-mechanical steering which feels artifi cially weighed and does not offer as much feedback.

Cost: The Volvo gains here thanks to being marginally cheaper to buy than the BMW. At the same time it does offermore equipment than the BMW. Resale values too hold well for the Volvo, thanks to it being a niche product in the Indian market. Warranties on both cars are similar.

Verdict

The very fi rst day I took it out for a drive, I knew it is going to be very tough to come to a conclusion. But thanks to our accurate points table, we now know the Volvo S60 is better. It offers more performance, more safety features, looks more modern and at the same time is cheaper. On the down side, it does drink a lot more petrol than the BMW 3-series, which too is a tarmac scorcher and hence, a worthy opponent.