It's always rather entertaining to scan back through old editions of car magazines and chuckle at what they deemed was 'close to perfection' or thereabouts. Baggy, inefficient, ill-equipped and, by today's standards, manifestly unsafe cars have all attracted this tag by overexcited motoring scribes and although the temptation to label BMW's latest 320d with this tag seems strong, I'll temper the enthusiasm for the time being at least.

After all, judged by today's standards, there's precious little that's wrong with the 320d. It's quick, safe, well engineered, economical, desirable and will retain a huge chunk of its value when the time comes to sell. Given BMW's recent track record, it even looks acceptably uncontroversial. Family buyers may carp at the fact that luggage space is a little tight and that upfront prices aren't the most accessible, but this is a compact executive car and family duties aren't the key priority. This is a car for young thrusters who've one eye on the stock market rather than parents with one eye on the shenanigans happening in the seat behind them.

Statistically, the bald figures speak for themselves. Roll back the clock not too many years and the 320d's performance figures would have been a credit to a two litre petrol sportster. It'll get to 60mph in 7.9 seconds and run onto a top speed of 143mph. That's comfortably quicker than a 320i from the mid nineties and the ability to eke 58.9 miles from a gallon of derv would leave engineers from ten years ago slack jawed in wonderment. Come to that, it'll leave many engineers today similarly bamboozled.

The 318d's outstanding economy and emissions figures come courtesy of BMW's EfficientDynamics technology programme. Features including Auto Start-Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration, high precision direct injection, active aero dynamics and optimum gear shift indicators go into EfficentDynamics and the results put BMW products near the top of the tree when it comes to environmental and running costs considerations.

"The 3-Series defines the compact executive class and the 320d is BMW's best effort yet"

Prices start at £24,910 for the entry level saloon, in 'value edition' ES form. If you like all the bells and whistles, the £25,940 SE variant will doubtless appeal and there's always the M Sport version for buyers harbouring M3 fantasies. Whichever trim level you opt for, you're getting the same fundamentals. The 177bhp engine is one of the most powerful in its sub-class and is refined and civilised to boot. Like all E90 3 Series models, the starting process is slightly convoluted, and involves slotting the plastic key unit into the dashboard and then pressing a starter button to fire up the diesel unit. After the first couple of times you do it, the process seems a bit of an unnecessary work up, but the rewards are well worth it. The engine's torque comes in long, smooth streams and the engine disguises its turbocharged roots very well, feeling like a bigger normally aspirated unit to drive. The thing that really impresses is how much work has gone into making the car feel suitably premium.

The balance of weighting between the steering and the slick six-speed gearchange, together with the effort required to depress the various pedals is all beautifully judged. The spacing between those pedals, the driving position and the sightlines out of the cabin all lend the belief that the 320d was screwed together by a manufacturer who deeply appreciates the finer aspects of building a car. Drive other rivals and you'll see how quickly they drop the ball in these apparently fundamental regards.

Developing an all-new 3-Series was never going to be easy and the latest car shows that the money men and the stylists have gone head to head in the battle between shifting big numbers and continuing the trend for challengingly styled BMWs. It looks like the stylists have blinked first, the 3-Series looking a good deal more conservatively penned than the rest of the BMW line up. Although those wearing the black polo necks may grumble, it's a wise choice. With the 3-Series accounting for fully 52 per cent of BMW's UK sales, alienating this bedrock of customers with a wilfully odd looking car was never going to make a sound business case. Although sales of the latest 5-Series have swelled as people became used to its sharky lines, for the first few months that styling was manna from heaven for Mercedes and Audi.

Many of the contemporary BMW styling signatures are present although they have been toned down radically. The sill line is bowed, although nowhere near as radically as in, say, a 1-series. Compare how the rear bootlid is a chamfered and smoothed version of that worn by the 5-Series. Even the flanks betray a less aggressive concave contouring, while the rest of the traditional BMW cues such as the 'Hofmeister Kink' at the rear window and the kidney grille are present and correct. Although it's not what you'd call a striking piece of design, it is nevertheless mature, assured and, with a little imagination, it's possible to figure out what forthcoming Coupe, Touring, Cabriolet and M3 versions will look like.

The 3-Series also has to redefine its place in BMW's range. For the first time in 29 years, it's no longer the entry level BMW model, and the range must be planned so that 1-Series buyers can easily migrate to a Three on the way to bigger BMWs. At least that's what the suits in Munich are hoping. Bigger in every dimension to its predecessor, the 3-Series is an impressive undertaking with engines that have been revised to offer a combination of more power and more economy.

Run out of superlatives too early and it's easy to inadvertently play the 'virtual perfection' card. In few cases is it justified, but in the interests of denying future journalists the opportunity to crack a smile, I won't play it here. The BMW 320d is such a well rounded car, so brilliant in its engineering execution that it marches instantly to the top of the pile. Virtual perfection? Well, let's just say that some cars are more virtual than others.

TOP 5 3 SERIES DEALS

The results below show the top 3 SERIES deals on buyacar

	BMW 3 Series 320d SE [177] 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,439	Price £24,606
	BMW 3 Series 320d M Sport 2dr Coupe
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £360	Price £30,555
	BMW 3 Series 320d ES [177] 4dr Saloon
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,346	Price £23,669
	BMW 3 Series 320d ES [177] 5dr Touring Estate
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,453	Price £24,742
	BMW 3 Series 320d SE [177] 4dr Auto Saloon
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,575	Price £25,960