London car hire fans may want to check out BMW's new 320d Efficient Dynamics saloon when it hits the market next year.

The vehicle will bring a new level of efficiency and performance to the market because of its environmentally-friendly attributes, its carmaker recently announced.

After test driving the vehicle, motoring website autocar.co.uk concluded that a mixture of "first-class handling, premium finish and potential economy" are what makes it stand out.

The model is capable of hitting 62 mph from standstill in just 8.2 seconds and can reach a top speed of 137 mph while achieving an impressive 68.9 mpg and a CO2 emission of just 109 g/km.

Autocar singled out the vehicle's relatively new flywheel design, saying it "not only further smooths out the harshness inherent in a diesel engine, but now also allows the ideal gearshift points to be set at lower revs than normal".

However, the magazine was unimpressed by the 3-series' "cramped cockpit and limited boot space", which it said showed the vehicle's age.

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