Driving doesn't get much better than the BMW 3 Series, at least not with room for five, a high-level of all-season comfort and good mileage. Yes, some of its competitors offer a stronger price/equipment equation and comparable objective performance. But if you take off in a 3 Series and immediately realize the gap to the rest of the pack is wider than the price differential, then you can consider yourself an enthusiast driver and that your money was well spent.
If price is an issue, don't hesitate to choose the 325i. For a price less than the typical mid-size SUV, and nearly $7,000 less than the 330i, you get a true European sports sedan. You may never miss the extra power of the 330i, and you certainly won't miss the increase in monthly payments. The 2.5-liter engine doesn't develop the urgent thrust of the 3.0-liter, but it has plenty of power and it's delivered in smooth, linear fashion with no significant dead spots or rushes. Just strong, steady propulsion. It's so smooth that it's easy to rev past the redline to where the rev limiter cuts back on the throttle.
BMW uses inline six-cylinder engines instead of V6s. Though it takes up more space, an inline-6 is has its strengths in terms of operational performance. Indeed, BMW believes that six pistons lined up in a row run more smoothly than two banks of three pistons arranged in a V, and we agree. Both 3 Series engines feature the latest high-output technology, including fully electronic throttle control and a dual-resonance intake system. The throttle feels light, responsive and linear in its power delivery. BMW's double VANOS variable-valve timing helps both engines provide plenty of torque (the force that makes a car jump when you hit the gas) throughout the rev range. Both engine meet new ULEV2 emissions standards in California and the Northeast.
The 330i's 3.0-liter engine delivers most of its gusto at the top of the rev range, yet is surprisingly strong at lower engine speeds, too. BMW claims a 0-60 mph time of 6.4 seconds for the 330s with the manual transmission, versus 7.1 seconds for the 325i. Both top out at an electronically limited 128 mph, unless you order the Performance Package.
The new Performance Package for the 330i sedan adds 10 horsepower and 8 pounds-feet of torque to the 3.0-liter engine. Moreover, it includes an integrated package of performance upgrades, including a sport suspension tuned by BMW's elite M division, and a manual shifter that reduces shift throws 0.4 inch (the Performance Package is also offered with the automatic transmission). So equipped, the 330i sedan goes like a virtual four-door M3, with a similarly aggressive appearance for at least $7,000 less than the M3 coupe. This package trims another second from the 330i's 0-60 times: 5.4 seconds is fast for any sedan, much less one with a six-cylinder engine. The top speed extends to 155 mph, which is the voluntary limit adopted by most German automakers. We should note that this increase in speed is not solely because of the engine. The performance package includes Z-rated tires that are certified to operate safely at 155 mph. (That doesn't mean the driver will operate safely at this speed, however.)
Shifting in the 3 Series is a smooth, satisfying operation, even with the base five-speed manual in the 325 models. The shifter uses longer throws than that in a sports car, but its movement befits a world-class sports sedan. The six-speed in the 330 models adds more flexibility with six gears to choose from and reduces engine revs at cruising speeds. The short-throw shifter with the Performance Package is more like that of a sports car; it shortens lever movement between gears and snicks impressively from one slot to the next.
The automatic transmission works superbly, always keeping the engine in the optimal power range. All automatics are five-speed Steptronics. Pulling the lever to the left allows auto-manual downshifting and upshifting. In 2003, BMW switched shifting directions: Now, tip the shift lever forward to downshift, pull it rearward to upshift. Steptronic can be useful and entertaining, but the real benefit of these transmissions is how well they work in the automatic mode. Shifting is smooth and precise and the driver almost always feels the transmission is working as part of the team, rather than fighting against driver and engine.
For 2004, BMW offers the Sequential Manual Gearbox previously reserved for the M3 in all rear-drive 3 Series variants. We've tested the SMG extensively in the M3, and you'll either love it or hate it. At first, I hated it, but after a few days I loved it. It's important to understand that this is not an automatic transmission per se. If you want a smooth-shifting automatic, this isn't it. While the Steptronic is an automatic with a manual feature, the SMG is a manual with an automatic feature. Like a Formula 1 car or a Ferrari 360 Modena, the SMG has a clutch, but no clutch pedal. In automatic mode, it shifts like some robot is working the clutch for you. When I first climbed into the M3, it was set in the slow mode, which, to me, feels like someone who hasn't mastered smoothly coordinating the gas and clutch pedals is doing the shifting. The car slows down, the shift is made, and the gas comes back on. Dial this up to the fastest setting and it shifts quickly, but very abruptly, more like an F1 machine. Advanced engine electronics interrupt the engine's power for just milliseconds, the control unit disengages the clutch, the transmission changes gears electro-hydraulically, and the clutch is engaged. You can also set it for manual shifting, and this is where I began to love the SMG. The sequential gearbox is shifted manually either with the shift lever or with butterfly paddles on the steering wheel (one paddle to upshift, one to downshift). The stick has a great feel and it responds like a manual with similar or better performance. Downshifting is really cool as it blips the engine, double-clutching to change down. Switching between manual and automatic modes is quick and easy once you get the hang of it. If there's a better sport coupe than the M3 with the SMG, we don't know what it is.
