CAR GAZING
3-Series growing into adulthood
Iconic BMW bigger, softer, still spunky
By Derek Price
With its polished and gleaming reputation as king of sports sedans, the BMW 3-Series is one of the world's truly iconic vehicles.
Interestingly, though, the 3-Series nameplate that has always embodied sporting purity is starting to stray from the mission that made it famous. Rather than the compact, lightweight, tossable 3-Series of yesteryear, today's 3 has grown bigger, heavier and far more comfortable.
In fact, it's moved so far upmarket – becoming more like a luxury car and coming with the price tag to match – that BMW introduced the simpler, cheaper 1-Series that takes its place on the top step of the purity podium.
So, is the 3-Series still the king of sports sedans?
It's definitely king of something. While it has a softer, more luxurious feel than before, it retains the wonderful, hard-edged, sporty performance that car companies around the world try to emulate. It's just superb, with the kind of steering, braking and cornering ability that is so precise, so perfect that you'd swear the car was an extension of your own body.
The engine alone is a great reason to buy any BMW, particularly the 3. The base model comes with a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that makes 230 horsepower that's notable not just for the amount of power it produces, but the silky, delicious way it does so. This is an engine that sounds and feels fantastic.
If you want more power and have more money, you can step up to the turbocharged 335i that makes a pavement-ripping 300 horses. Few vehicles, especially four-door cars, can match its performance.
At the same time, today's 3 is a true luxury car. Even the basic 328i Coupe I tested – one of the most affordable models you can buy – came with standard high-end features like rain-sensing windshield wipers and dynamic cruise control.
Of course, "affordable" is a relative thing when you're talking about BMWs. The cheapest 3-Series starts at $33,600 while the most expensive 335i Coupe with all-wheel drive starts at $44,100 – and that's before you add any options.
For that price, you get premium comfort to go along with the premium performance. It's actually a surprisingly roomy car, even in the back seat, with an upscale elegance that's carefully crafted to fit with its sporty demeanor.
The lights, for example, make the cabin look like a work of art at night. A subtle glow cascades down the door panels and along the sides of the seats as if it were highlighting the curves of a Rodin sculpture. All the buttons have perfect tactile feedback, giving a snickety-snick whenever they're pressed.
Best of all, when you're driving this car, you can tell someone paid close attention to every single part. You don't look around the cabin and get the impression that someone said, "Oh, I guess this will have to do." No, every part – from the wheels to the leather on the seats – seems to be refined to the point that its function is just right.
It's a car you notice for how mechanical it feels.
And it's a car that's easy to love.
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.)
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