GALLERY: Locally-assembled G20 BMW 330i in detail

The locally-assembled G20 BMW 330i made its debut this month, half a year after the Malaysian market debut of the latest 3 Series. Local assembly means that the benchmark German sports sedan is now priced RM40,000 less than before, now at RM288,800, down from the RM328,800 sticker of the fully imported car.

Here on the CKD version, the equipment list remains identical, while warranty coverage continues to be a five-year, unlimited-mileage scheme with a five-year free maintenance package as well as a two-year tyre warranty. A key change to the specification of the CKD 330i is a set of revisions to the BMW ConnectedDrive Services offered; these and the Inokom sticker on the driver’s door opening aside, specification is identical.

As with the fully imported G20 3 Series at its arrival into Malaysia, the M Sport exterior package on the CKD car is joined by mid-range adaptive LED headlamps and foglamps, while rolling stock is a set of 18-inch Style 790 M double-spoke Orbit Grey alloy wheels fitted with run-flat tyres.

Whereas the suite of functions including BMW Online, Remote Services, Concierge Services, Apple CarPlay, Intelligent Personal Assistant and Digital Key features were complimentary on the fully imported 330i, these are now offered on a three-month trial period basis, after which subscriptions are at additional cost.

These are RM299 for the Connected Package which includes BMW Online, Remote Services and a Connected+ feature, and RM399 for Concierge Services. Users wishing to integrate iOS devices will need to pay RM513 annually for Apple CarPlay, while the Digital Key will cost RM370 per year.

Elsewhere within the cabin, infotainment comes courtesy of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional setup, with a 10.25-inch display in the centre and a 12.3-inch digital display for the driver. The onboard BMW Operating System 7.0 receives commands via an iDrive rotary controller, the central touchscreen or the Intelligent Personal Assistant voice control.

Upholstery-wise, the locally-assembled 330i gets Vernasca leather in a choice of either black or Cognac, mixed with Tetragon Aluminium trim and black headlining. Standard equipment also includes keyless entry, push-button start, handsfree bootlid opening, triple-zone climate control, cruise control, power-adjustable sports seats with driver’s side memory, 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats, Qi wireless smartphone charging and a 10-speaker, 205-watt HiFi Loudspeaker sound system.

Driver assistance systems still include Parking Assistant including a reversing camera with the Reversing Assist that helps the driver back out of a tight spot by recalling the path taken on the way in previously. Unfortunately, autonomous emergency braking still doesn’t make it to the G20 330i’s kit list.

Powertrain for the CKD 330i is unchanged from the B48 2.0 litre turbo four petrol engine, sending 258 hp and 400 Nm of torque to the rear axle via a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 0-100 km/h sprint benchmark is done in 5.8 seconds, with rated fuel consumption is from 5.8 to 6.1 litres per 100 km. Suspension continues to be a passive M Sport setup with the lift-related dampers as on the CBU 330i; these provide additional hydraulic damping at the front, and limits compression at the rear.

The range of exterior colours for the CKD G20 BMW 330i is comprised of Alpine White, Black Sapphire and Mineral Grey at present; should you prefer alternatives, the Portimao Blue as seen on the CBU unit we’ve driven will be available from January, while Sunset Orange will be available from March onwards.

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