Post by alf on Mar 6, 2024 18:04:25 GMT
Tina has had the 330e a little while now (the Audi is on AT but little interest so far), and though I have only driven it for one school run, I've been in it a fair bit as a passenger. I'm really impressed overall, and was right from the first one she test drove. The transition from electric to ICE+electric is incredibly smooth, much smoother than I recall the Panamera being (though I was pasting that, no pootling about). You frequently can't even tell when the engine comes in, you just assume it is - its impressive tech. It doesn't save the planet much, but the way she uses it (most journeys by far being all-electric) it feels sensible and saves the most innefficient part of the ICE engine journey, while its warming up.
What I like most about this tech is the drive - electric horses are different in feel to ICE ones, with much more instant low-speed grunt, even in full electric (around 110bhp) it feels highly rapid, snapping you back in your seat without needing the engine... That ability to "torque fill" and effectively mimic a larger engine is what I like - its not saving the planet, mind.... The geekery around regen is great as well, but the digital dash is a bit much for me. I saw it as a good thing when I was looking at 440i's but glad I didn't get one with it, I'd prefer the older style I think. There is too much info and all I really want is the speed/speed limit as shown in the HUD. Tina has found some of the tech handy though, especially the button that sets cruise to the speed limit.
Inside its a nice thing, the newer screen design (compared to the E9X one on top of the dash) is nicer and its interesting to see the evolution E91>G21 as an ex owner. The buttons and screen work well and the HK sounds very good. I would say that - with this and the Giulia side by side - the materials are miles worse on the BMW, it has cheap feeling plastics, hard leather, and feels a bit bendy and thin in places. The Giulia has much better materials quality all round, not just the "Quad" bits. A surprise.
Its also not been nearly as well looked after in the paint department - I waxed it at the weekend and it now looks like this, but its miles away from the ceramic-coated Giulia in full sunlight, which shows loads of small imperfections, whereas on mine I'm very happy with both the previous owner and the Jag dealer that prepped and applied the ceramic as black paint is a bastard in sunlight but mine is near blemish-free even in full light, especially now I've learned to use different detailer on top of ceramic (I use this www.autofinesse.com/collections/detailing-sprays/products/caramics-gloss-enhancer)
What I like most about this tech is the drive - electric horses are different in feel to ICE ones, with much more instant low-speed grunt, even in full electric (around 110bhp) it feels highly rapid, snapping you back in your seat without needing the engine... That ability to "torque fill" and effectively mimic a larger engine is what I like - its not saving the planet, mind.... The geekery around regen is great as well, but the digital dash is a bit much for me. I saw it as a good thing when I was looking at 440i's but glad I didn't get one with it, I'd prefer the older style I think. There is too much info and all I really want is the speed/speed limit as shown in the HUD. Tina has found some of the tech handy though, especially the button that sets cruise to the speed limit.
Inside its a nice thing, the newer screen design (compared to the E9X one on top of the dash) is nicer and its interesting to see the evolution E91>G21 as an ex owner. The buttons and screen work well and the HK sounds very good. I would say that - with this and the Giulia side by side - the materials are miles worse on the BMW, it has cheap feeling plastics, hard leather, and feels a bit bendy and thin in places. The Giulia has much better materials quality all round, not just the "Quad" bits. A surprise.
Its also not been nearly as well looked after in the paint department - I waxed it at the weekend and it now looks like this, but its miles away from the ceramic-coated Giulia in full sunlight, which shows loads of small imperfections, whereas on mine I'm very happy with both the previous owner and the Jag dealer that prepped and applied the ceramic as black paint is a bastard in sunlight but mine is near blemish-free even in full light, especially now I've learned to use different detailer on top of ceramic (I use this www.autofinesse.com/collections/detailing-sprays/products/caramics-gloss-enhancer)
