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Road Test: BMW 328i
Can I keep this a little longer?
"Boy, I could get used to this." I lost count how many times I said that to myself as I drove the BMW. I got spoiled waking up each morning knowing that my commute would be in one of the best sports sedans in production today.
I knew following my First Impressions of the BMW 328i that I would have a hard time going back to my Scion tC.
Daily driver
Let's cut to the chase. If you're in the market for a sporty four-door, money spent on a 3-series BMW would be a wise investment. You have the convenience of the extra set of doors and room for four adults, wrapped up in a svelte German suit.
Notice I said four adults. The 328i, or any 3-series BMW for that matter, is meant to be comfortable for adults in sets of four. Yes, there's room for five. But I wouldn't want to be the fifth wheel. For comparison purposes, the Pontiac G8 GT that I road tested is more comfortable for five. But the G8's real Bavarian counterpart is the 5 series.
Six-shooter but not down low
Under the 328i's hood is BMW's 3.0-liter, 24-valve, inline 6 with 230 horsepower. The Ridestory test car came with the standard 6-speed manual.
Let's get my power train quibble out of the way first. Low end torque in this motor is lacking. At first I attributed my stumbling starts from a dead stop to inexperience with the car. But I continually had to modulate the accelerator and clutch for smooth starts. Otherwise, BMW's straight six is smoothly subtle when you want it to be but takes on an aggressive rasp when driven aggressively. It is loads of fun.
Quibbles aside, I'll gladly shake the hand of any BMW engineer in charge of this cars six-speed manual. It is smooth and notch-free. And it inspired confidence. At no time did I feel I was grabbing the wrong gear, which I can honestly say, I never did. The only other car that I've driven that had a similar feel was my old Acura RSX. The single advantage the RSX's six-speed had over the BMW's was shorter throws.
A BMW owners opinion
As 328iDude alluded to in his comment following my first post about the 328i, BMW's are incredible cars.
"I can easily sign off on the fact that most BMWs, and the 328i in particular, are magnificent cars. I'm on my 5th BMW now (+1 Mini Cooper), and I can't see myself without one in the future," he said.
"(My) current ride is a 328i, used for the daily commute and also track day use. Show me another brand that offers that same versatility. Maybe a Porsche, but even that is stretching it a bit up here in the arctic Norwegian climate."
I think that's putting it rather succinctly, don't you? Those who experience a BMW, whether it be a short-term test or a long-time owner, come away feeling the same way. This is a solid, well engineered car with outstanding performance.
As I asked following my first post about the 328i, I would love to hear from BMW owners. Anyone have an opinion similar to 328iDude's? Does anyone feel differently? Maybe your BMW experience was less than stellar. Leave your comments below and help educate all of us.
First Impressions: BMW 328i
Gushing over German engineering
You've heard it all from the motoring press. Rock-solid German engineering, a true enthusiasts sports sedan, slick shifting 6-speed manual and one of the best six-cylinder engines on the planet. In other words, BMW can do no wrong.
But I'm a newbie. I'll admit it, I've experienced minimal time behind the wheel of any BMW. So does that make me the perfect candidate to cast a critical eye? Maybe, maybe not. But I'll leave it for you to decide.
Details, details
The first thing that strikes me about BMW is their attention to detail, where making the little things matter is important.
First point, the turn signal, where a light touch provides three flashes for a lane change. But a firmer flick pushes the stalk past a second notch, leaving the marker blinking during a right or left-hand turn. This took some freeway and city driving to get used to but once you comprehend its purpose, it makes complete sense. How many other auto makers mimic a detail such as this? Probably not many for fear of being called a "copy-cat". Nonetheless, the savvy of BMW at work.
Second, the cars transmission. The 328i I'm driving has BMW's six-speed manual. It is very smooth and easily one of the best manuals I've driven. But what impresses me the most is the feather-light clutch. Now you may ask, "Shouldn't a car in this price/performance range have an excellent manual?" Absolutely. But you don't realize the importance of it until you drive it. You can't brand yourself the enthusiasts car without properly engineering one of the most important aspects of driving; i.e., simply shifting gears. It shouldn't be a distraction but a function of your driving. BMW realizes that their cars are purchased by drivers who will take their kids to school and run to the grocery store but also carve up their favorite switch-backs on the weekend. An excellent transmission makes performance driving that much more enjoyable. With this manual, there's no need to worry about your leg getting tired.
Long-termer
I have to laugh a little because for Ridestory, this BMW is a long-term test. It's a unique treat to have a car to wring out for six or seven days. But I'm not complaining. I'm looking forward to it and will bring you even more impressions as the week goes on.
I would love to hear from current or past BMW owners, particularly of the 3-series variety. You've driven this car or past variations much longer and I think your opinions and experiences would prove invaluable to Ridestory readers. You can DM me on Twitter, drop me a note via the contact form or leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Upcoming Ridestory Roadtest: BMW 328i
First of all, a quick thank you goes out to Jawna Prieto of the The Prietive Group out of Torrance, California. She's lined me up with a BMW 328i for a 7-day review. I will be taking delivery of the car Wednesday and, as you might imagine, I'm looking forward to an extended period behind the wheel.
Look for my posts over the course of the week as well as my brief snippets on Twitter.
Yes, the Ridestory garage is a bit bare. We're new to car reviews and have only done a few. But we're doing our best to build our own library of automotive impressions and will bring each to you as opportunities come our way.
You can check out the Ridestory Vehicle Reviews page for our opinions of the Pontiac G8 GT and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR.
BMW's M line grows with X6 M, X5 M
Say what you will about BMW's X6, car manufacturers are picking up on the new niche of the tall riding coupe. Case in point is the new Acura ZDX Prototype. Acura see's the potential of the new market, with their new car based on the MDX, while BMW's new X6 M is built off the X5 platform.
The X6 M is being heralded as one of the most powerful road-going BMW's built, packing a twin-turbocharged 555hp V8 engine. Mix in the advantage of all-wheel drive and you've got the makings of a true high-performance vehicle. The X6 M sprints to 62mph in a time of only 4.7 seconds, comparable to the incredible BMW M3.
Not only is the styling of the X6 groundbreaking, but it's 4.4-litre engine incorporates a world first for an M-badged vehicle. BMW has engineered the V8 to have both the turbochargers and the catalytic converter located within the vee of the power plant. This helps the engine breathe better and at a higher efficiency due to the shorter exit manifold, resulting in better packaging as the motor is more compact.
As I implied above, the X6 has no doubt raised eyebrows among BMW enthusiasts. Is it a coupe, an SUV, a sedan? All of the above. For now, it's unique, with BMW getting a lot of controversial attention. Time will tell how it translates into sales.
Porsche launches Panamera teaser
Although, how much of a teaser is it? The official photography from Porsche is what's shown above...the current model line "welcoming" the newcomer, the Panamera.
There's plenty of photography and video of Panamera mules cruising the globe. I'll reserve my styling opinion's for later when production-ready cars are shown, hopefully at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Right now, I'm not excited by what I've seen.
In addition, Porsche has launched a Panamera microsite, complete with an intro video that visually recaps Porsche's current and past models, hinting that the Panamera won't suffer any unPorsche-like deficiencies.
What's working in Porsche's favor is the success of their SUV, the Cayenne. Many criticized the company known for their exceptional sports cars for producing a vehicle that couldn't possibly perform like a Porsche.
But the critics were proved wrong as the Cayenne has been a sales success for Porsche.
Do you think the Panamera will be as widely accepted as the Cayenne? What do you think of a four-door Porsche? Cool idea or blasphemous? Let me know what you think!
Paying homage to BMW's M1
Created specifically for the Villa D'Este classic car concours event in Italy, the BMW M1 Homage concept pulls design cues from the original M1, softening the original car's sharp lines but not to the extent that the exotic car look is compromised.
We especially like the louvered rear window and the BMW badges on the sweeping rear pillars. The original M1 had pop-up headlights, which seem a little old school today. Fortunately, the Homage's nose reflects today's styling with exposed headlights, albeit barely visible within the car's bull shark-like snout. BMW's kidney shaped grill has, of course, been maintained. In addition, the wheels say only one thing...unmistakably BMW M1.
Does this car look a little over the top? Maybe. Details such as interior layout and performance were not talked about, not that we expected BMW to expand on such niceties. But it is a concept. A design experiment paying homage to a classic exotic. And it may be a bit of a stretch to see future BMW's taking on any of the Homage's design details.
But how great would it be to see BMW introduce a car similar to the Homage, taking on the likes of Audi's R8 and Lamborghini's Gallardo?
A little history
The BMW M1 began its life in the mid 1970s as BMW's Motorsport Division began development of a GT race car for Group 4 and Group 5 racing. For manufacturers wanting to qualify, 400 cars had to be built, with some being made available to the public and the rest set aside for competition. For BMW, their foray into GT racing became known as the Mid-Engined BMW M1 Project, or simply the E26. Development kicked off in 1976, with completion in 1981.
The M1 was designed by Giugiaro, with inspiration from the 1972 BMW Turbo. The original plan was to have Lamborghini develop the car's chassis, assemble prototypes and manufacture the car. But financial problems with the Italian car maker and delays brought development back to BMW. They contracted with Baur, a German convertible builder, for assembly but by the time production resumed, the rules for Group 5 racing had changed. In addition, BMW had not met the required sales goals so they moved the M1 to the Procar series.
There were only 456 M1's built, with production discontinued in 1981.
BMW M1 history
• The first M1 was completed on July 10th, 1978.
• The last car was completed on February 13th, 1981.
• All VINs have the same 14-digit prefix (WBS59910004301XXX) with individual 3-digit suffices.
The entire production range used numbers 001 to 460, with seven numbers never used (045 to 049, 428, 431) and two Group 5 race cars built without VINs.
Manufacturing breakdown...
In 1979, 79 cars were built (41 road, 38 race).
In 1980, 188 cars were built (178 road, 10 race).
And in 1981, 188 cars were built (180 road, 8 race).
A total of 455 cars were built, with 399 sold to the public and 56 for competition.
Hat tip to the Unofficial BMW M1 web site.
Follow this link to check out our photo gallery of the M1 Homage.
2009 Audi RS8 to pack twin-turbocharged V10 power
Contrary to earlier reports, the Audi RS8 is confirmed for delivery in the second quarter of 2009 and will share the RS6's twin-turbocharged, 572bhp V10.
Autocar is reporting that the RS8 should prove to be the fastest Audi ever with a zero to 62mph sprint of less than 4 seconds, reaching 100mph 4.5 seconds later and top out well north of 200mph.
Wolfgang Hatz, head of Audi powertrain development, said, “The car is now signed off, and will appear during the second quarter of 2009.â€
“I can’t say much about it until then,†but he did confirm the RS6's V10 as the cars powerplant.
Initial reports were that Audi was having cooling problems with the twin-turbo V10, further proven by an RS8 prototype's "carbeque" at the Nordscheife in 2006.
Quattro GmbH boss Werner Froweim said the RS8 would get a new 5.2-liter V10, based on the existing 4.2-liter V8 currently used in the R8 and outgoing RS4.
Apparently though, the cooling problem has been solved. Much of the work was done with the V12 TDi concept which would logically carry over for a V10-powered RS8.
“Why would we spend money developing a whole new engine for this car, when we already have such a good one,†Hatz said.
Audi's R8 Spider: A better exotic drop-top?
It's no secret to anyone who follows auto news with us that we love the R8, as we followed most recently with the kick-off of Audi's new advertising blitz during the Superbowl. And Car Magazine's interpretation of what the R8 Spider may look like is incredible. No, this is not a production-ready convertible R8 but likely very close.
Now, is this better looking than other exotic convertibles? Ferrari's, both past and present, are always considered beautiful. Porsche's cabriolet, maybe not so much. Lamborghini's Gallardo Spyder also looks pretty good, but better than this R8?
Let us know what you think. Any exotic drop-top that you just love and couldn't live without? Do you own a convertible exotic? Let us know what you think.
Will Scirocco fans approve this new VW?
Volkswagen has pulled the wraps off the new Scirocco, set to spend this week on the podium at the Geneva Motor Show.
As we mentioned in an earlier post, Volkswagen and, in particular, Scirocco fans have been waiting and anticipating this news. But is this the car they were expecting, the one they feel carries the torch for VW fans looking for an affordable performance-minded coupe?
Volkswagen CEO Dr. Martin Winterkorn said, “In the Scirocco we will be bringing the kind of sports car into the showroom that people dream of. Yet it is a dream that an exceptionally large number of car drivers will be able to afford — despite all of the high-end technologies we have implemented.â€
In our eyes, we see a flatter version of the GTI. Does this car generate the interest VW is hoping for? Time will only tell.
Volkswagen of America executive Adrian Hallmark tipped his hand, saying the new Scirocco would not be coming to the United States because "we don't want it." His concern? Cannibalizing GTI sales. It doesn't make sense to distance yourself from a new model, especially one hoping to attract buyers to a growing segment. The small, economical yet fun to drive group of cars taking off with higher gas prices. Yet Hallmark seems OK to go without this new car.
But Volkswagen of America won't have much say in whether or not the Scirocco will be available in the U.S. That decision will be made by CEO Martin Winterkorn in Germany.
Explosion suspends 911 production
UPDATE: Porsche announced today that production will resume at the Zuffenhausen factory Monday, March 3rd. The damage to the paint shop following the explosion amounts to several hundred thousand Euros. Apparently the escaping gas that caused the explosion was due to a defect in a PVC fusion oven. The other ovens used in the plant were inspected and found to be safe and fully functional.
Because of the loss in production time this week, Porsche has a backlog now of about 800 911's. As I mention below, they expect to make it up during the course of the year.
Contrary to earlier reports, and Porsche getting a better handle on the damages, production of the 911 has been suspended at least through the end of this week. Assembly was initially going to be halted for two to three days.
Porsche produces the 911 at their Zuffenhausen factory, which is the only manufacturing facility that builds the car.
The plant builds about 160 cars a day. Porsche says they should be able to make up the shortfall during the course of the year.
The explosion was caused by leaking gas from a drying oven which ignited. Any injured workers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and later released.
