The Germans make solid luxury cars devoid of quirks (gutentag BMW 3 Series).

The Italians prefer sensual looks mixed with a bit of sporty spice (buon giorno

Alfa 156). And the French? Well, they continue making cars that defy any attempt

at categorisation (bonjour to the moustachioed Renault Laguna).

Executive turbodiesel cars have become big business in South Africa. The attraction

of good economy, ever-improving performance and, surprisingly perhaps, the very

"in" image of diesel, have become too much to resist.

Regular readers will no doubt be aware of our thoughts on local turbodiesel

reliability. Soon after our June "Turbodiesel Time Bomb" issue hit

the streets, BMW issued a press release stating that its 320d turbodiesel reliability

issues had been sorted out.

Our concerns regarding the general public's driving and servicing styles

remain, but we won't argue that a turbodiesel exec is a very attractive

option… We tried to get our hands on a manual 320d for this test, but BMW

had only an automatic on offer. Keeping that in mind, it still is the obvious

rival for Alfa Romeo's new 156 2,4 JTD and Renault's oddball Laguna

1,9 dCi.

Design

156 JTD

320d

Laguna dCi

Time has been kind to both the ageing Alfa 156 and BMW 3 Series. The 156 remains

arguably the best looking car in its class, even if a facelifted model is on

its way (see Update). And the 3 Series has just returned from a session at the

Bangle plastic surgery institute, where it received attractive new headlights

and other, smaller detail changes. Our test unit was smartened up by the addition

of BMW's optional Sport Pack (R13 100), which includes, among other things,

chunky 17-inch alloys, sports suspension and an M aero-dynamic kit. The Laguna

is the one here that has the comments - both positive and negative - flying.

Most people like the rear end, and the profile, but the grille, with its awkward-looking

grey "moustache", is another story. One tester suggested the Laguna

be sent for a "shave" immediately… which, according to our European

spies, is about to happen. The Laguna is the only hatchback here,

has the longest wheelbase, and is the widest and the highest. No surprise then

that it's got the biggest cabin. Legroom, front and rear, is better than

in the BMW, but the German has the most generous rear headroom of the three.

The Alfa trails its two rivals in the space race, although its boot is slightly

bigger than the BMW's. The Alfa and BMW both lose out against the Renault

when it comes to utility space, because their rear seatbacks cannot be folded

down.

The Alfa has the sportiest facia design, with two deeply hooded dials and three

smaller ones angled aggressively towards the driver on the silver-trimmed hangdown

section. The seats are finished in leather, the steering wheel sporty and the

driving position just a little bit "Italianate". At its launch back

in late 1997, the 156 marked a big step forward in Alfa interior quality, but

our test unit had one or two glitches - the chrome strip at the bottom of the

hangdown section had come loose (and ended the test in the cubby), and the driver's

door sometimes refused to shut because the latch got stuck.

A few drops of oil quickly solved that problem, but while we're on the

topic of frustrations, the 156's ventilation system still doesn't

do what its job description says at all, and the radio/CD front loader's

buttons are fiddly to operate… a good thing, then that it comes with remote

controls on the steering wheel, as do its two rivals. Stepping into the 3 Series

from the 156 is like being teleported from a sports bar into a library. The

atmosphere is restrained, luxurious and soothing. Instrumentation is typically

previous-generation BMW, which means it "wraps" around the driver

in cockpit style.

No fiddly iDrive here, just plenty of buttons that are clearly marked and easy

to operate. The Laguna was the most rattle/creak/squeak free of the trio. Its

facia design is the most modern, though not necessarily the most attractive,

with a hint of minimalism about it. The sweeping facia design features a (sometimes

hard to close) fold-up lid that covers the radio, small hidey-holes everywhere,

and a drinks holder. And then there is the electronic card "key".

It doesn't save time, and is also easier to lose so it's a bit of

a gimmick, then.

Powertrains

156 JTD

320d

Laguna dCi

BMW's 2,0-litre, direct injection turbodiesel engine has been a hot topic of

conversation for quite some time now, but not always for the right reasons.

At the launch of the facelifted 3 Series earlier this year, BMW conceded that

the vehicle had been experiencing reliability problems. It was revealed that

extensive tests in South Africa and Germany had eventually traced the problems

to a chain of circumstances occurring within milli-seconds and in which air

pressure and altitude played critical roles, rather than temperatures.

BMW further said that driving style and clutch use could also have been factors.

But BMW is confident that the problems have been solved. Various small changes

were made to the engine, including a new "blackdot" turbocharger and

new computer software. BMW now quotes output figures of 110 kW at 4 000 and

330 N.m of torque at 2 000 r/min. Our test unit came with a five-speed Steptronic

gearbox, which frustrated some testers with slow changes. For sportier types,

a six-speed manual is available at R13 000 less.

Alfa Romeo's answer is a 2,4-litre, five cylinder direct injection turbo-charged

engine that delivers 110 kW at 4 000 r/min and 305 N.m of torque at 1 800. Power

goes to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. It's a smooth-shifting

'box, but some testers wanted a slightly shorter throw. The 156 is the

best sounding of the three - the diesel clatter giving way at revs to a sporty

throb. The Laguna has the smallest engine, a 1,9-litre common-rail unit with

peak outputs of 88 kW at 4 000 r/min and 270 N.m at 2 000. To maximise the inherently

economical engine's abilities even further, it comes equipped with a six-speed

manual gearbox, driving the front wheels.

Comfort and features

156 JTD

320d

Laguna dCi

These are three very diverse cabins, and neither can be classified as uncomfortable. The Alfa, with the least

space, starts with a disadvantage, but has perhaps the most comfortable and supportive

front seats. They are also the easiest to adjust. But room for rear passenger

feet is restricted, making entry/exit problematic. Alfa has been generous with

equipment on the JTD - radio/front loading CD player, climate control (woefully

ineffective), remote controls on steering wheel, central locking, electric windows,

power steering, electric and heated side mirrors, height and reach-adjustable

steering wheel and Alfa's "winter pack", which includes rain, odour

and early mist sensors.

The JTD also has dual front, side and window airbags.

The 320d, except for the Alfa's winter pack, matches the JTD's equipment

level. As we've mentioned before, comfort is boosted by the BMW's

noticeably larger cabin. Perhaps surprisingly, the BMW offers even more rear

headroom than the taller Renault. The BMW is not perfect, though - most testers

found its front seats slightly problematic to adjust to perfection, and they

don't support quite as well as those on the Alfa.

The Renault, with its wide, flat seats, clearly has seating comfort high on

the agenda. But the design doesn't work as well around corners, where side

support becomes important. The Laguna, at R239 995, is not the cheapest car

here, but in typical Renault fashion, standard spec is impressive and includes

everything the BMW has to offer, while adding no less than three 12V outlets,

roller blinds for the rear side and rear window, and folding rear seats. In

EuroNCAP crash tests, the Laguna performed the best.

Performance and braking

156 JTD

320D

Laguna dCi

The 320d recorded a 213 km/h top speed and a zero-to-100 km/h time of 9,86 seconds,

putting it on top of the performance sheet. Compared with the manual Alfa, however,

it is not quite as responsive. Then again, a manual 320d may change that picture.

The 156 JTD is not much slower than the BMW - top speed is 208 km/h and the benchmark

sprint is despatched in 9,9 seconds. The Alfa was the fastest over a kilometre.

In general driving terms, the Alfa's flexibility impressed hugely, the engine

keen to respond to throttle inputs and turbo lag never really being an issue.

The significantly less powerful Laguna recorded an 11,09-second sprint time

and a 205 km/h top speed. More than fast enough, most would agree, especially

considering its excellent economy. The Laguna is a very relaxed car to drive

- the best cruiser, we would say. The BMW also performed best in our simulated

100 km/h-to-zero emergency braking test, recording a stopping average of 2,9

seconds. The 320d's ABS is backed up by CBC (cornering brake control).

Second best was the Alfa (3,13 seconds), but the disparity between its best

(2,75 seconds) and worst times (3,47) revealed some inconsistency. The 156's

braking system comprises ABS backed up by EBD (electronic brake force-distribution).

The same inconsistency was evident with the Renault (with brake assist and EBV

rear proportioning brake assist), which recorded a 3,19 second average.

Fuel economy

156 JTD

320d

Laguna dCi

The Laguna, with its relaxed sixth gear and smaller engine, wins the economy battle,

recording an impressive 8,07 litres/100 km fuel index figure. This translates

to 12,39 km/litre and a tank (70 litres) range of 867 km. With a fuel index figure

of 8,27 litres/100 km, the BMW 320d takes second place. Its 63-litre tank gives

it a range of around 760 km (12,09 km/litre).

The 156 JTD recorded a 9,29 litres/100 km figure, perhaps slightly higher than

expected, but still acceptable, considering the performance. A full 63-litre

tank should keep you moving for about 680 km (10,76 km/litre).

Ride and handling

156 JTD

320d

Laguna dCi

The Laguna is not marketed as a sports saloon. Its MacPherson strut front and

H-form torsion beam rear suspension has been tuned for an exceptionally fluent

ride, an objective it achieves admirably. But the comfort hasn't come at the

expense of confident cornering ability. Although not on the same level as its

two sharp rivals, the Laguna can be hustled when needed. It's just not as much

fun, because the steering is slower and feedback through both the steering wheel

and suspension is muted. The Laguna isolates the driver more from what's going

on, resulting in a cocooning effect that some will find highly relaxing and

other, more sporting types, boring.

The Alfa is the direct opposite. Steering is razor sharp and feedback nfiltered.

It's a car that keeps the driver involved and informed... part of

the action. But this "interaction" sometimes camouflages ride quality

and understeer characteristics that ultimately mean the 156 will not be fastest

car over a challenging stretch of road. The 156's suspension system comprises

a double wishbone, double trailing arm front and MacPherson strut, reaction

arm rear set-up. It can lose composure on bumpy surfaces, but ride quality is

generally good.

In terms of handling, understeer sets in at the limit, but because the steering

is so fast in its reactions, the effect is masked. It's still an entertaining

car to drive, though, because the feedback and steering feel is constantly of

a high level, even at slow speeds. The Beemer is dynamically the best balanced.

Its central arm rear suspension is legendary, and rightly so, because it gives

the rear-drive BMW superb twisty-road talents.

The DSC III stability system can be partially or fully disabled, allowing drivers

of all levels of skill access to the car's superb abilities. Our test car came

with optional 17-inch wheels that spoilt ride quality to some extent, but our

experience with a standard 16-inch shod 3 Series is that the BMW has an excellent

compromise between comfortable ride and sporting dynamics.

Value for money

156 JTD

320d

Laguna dCi

At almost R240 000, the Laguna faces the toughest challenge. It's a solid car,

with a high equipment level, but a manual BMW 320d costs only R10 000 more...

The 320d has BMW's usual 5 year/100 000 Motorplan, while the Renault's is limited

to 3 years/75 000 and the Alfa's to 3 years/60 000.

Service intervals are set at 10 000 km on the Renault, while driving style

will influence the frequency of services on the BMW (calculated by the on-board

computer). At R230 000, the Alfa 156 JTD is well priced. Some people will also

be attracted by the unusually long 20 000 km service intervals... perhaps

too long for South African conditions. The 156 has a good resale history, while

the 320d suffered under reports of unreliability. With its problems now apparently

sorted out, residuals should improve.

Original article from Car