2006 BMW 325i
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//-->By Stuart Fowle
Photography: Stuart Fowle
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--end image-->You wont roar from stoplight to stoplight, getting waves and nods from F-150 drivers smoking Marlboros, and you wont be doing smoky burnouts waiting in line at a NASCAR race, but the 2006 325i will make those wishes disappear with every click of the seamless six-speed stick and with every graceful move as the car dances through the curves of a backcountry ballroom. The 325is in-line six-cylinder engine seems a bit lackluster on paper when compared to some of the competition; even the ultra-conservative Toyota Camry V-6 has more power than 215 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. But a car is more than an engine and four wheels, and the refinement and handling balance offered in the 2006 3-series are simply unparalleled.
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--end image-->While the current generation 7- and 5-series sedans offer amazing performance and bodies designed through the use of funhouse mirrors, the 2006 325i proves that Bangle-ism has a bright side. Finally we have a BMW we wouldnt prefer to be hidden under a shroud of darkness. The lines are flared and aggressive, but well short of the ostentatiousness of the Z4. Much of the difference is found in light housings, where the wild stretches of the 5-series have been lassoed in to appear more evolutionary than revolutionary.
The cabin strikes a similar balance of avant-garde style tempered with familiar ergonomics. Simple, straightforward controls are wrapped in flowing shapes and high-quality materials. You only get iDrive, the spinning joystick control for the complex infotainment system, if you order the satellite navigation: without it, everything is where youd expect it to be.Ultra-supportive front sport seats with adjustable side bolsters are a must-have option, and come with the $1,600 sport package that also includes stylish split-five spoke 17-inch wheels, a lowered sport suspension, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Run-flat tires are now standard equipment on every 325i.
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--end image-->From a safety standpoint, electronic traction and stability control and front, front side, and full-length head curtain air bags are all standard. But luckily, the nanny-tronics seldom intervene, as the chassis remains amazingly neutral. The bodyshell is claimed to be 25 percent stiffer, and provides a great platform for the front strut and rear multilink suspensions. The BMW cuts through tight twisties as if it were magnetized to the blacktop. Even through off-camber turns and through the pothole-infested roadways of southeast Michigan, the suspension never lacks composure.
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--end image-->Slightly confusingly, both the new 325i and the 330i have the same 3.0-liter inline-sixes. The 325i has retuned software and a different exhaust and intake system, lowering power and torque from 255 hp and 220 lb-ft to 215 and 185: the 325i would need only ten more horses to fill the previous 330is stable. In both forms, the engine has a great note. While we favor the more powerful of the two, a $7,000 difference is hard to argue against. Buying a base 325i and spending one to two thousand dollars in the aftermarket could result in a $32,000 330i, although warranties might vanish in the process. The change to the larger engine strengthens the connection between the two 3-series levels. The 325i sounds and feels more like the stronger 330, and low-end torque is greatly improved over previous generations. Near-perfect six-speed automatic and manual transmissions transfer power to the rear wheels.
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--end image-->BMW is now offering Bluetooth connectivity in 3-series models as part of the $2,900 premium package. When used in collaboration with a compatible mobile phone, the system allows owners to use their phone through steering wheel-mounted buttons. The stereo head unit logs all incoming, outgoing, and missed calls, and sound from the phone enters the cabin through the front left speaker, allowing completely hands-free cell phone operation. Our only gripe was that we could not access our phone book through the head unit, despite the owners manuals insistence that such a feature exists.
With a base price of just over $30K, the 325i makes for a great deal. While the modest 215 hp six-cylinder wont beat an equally priced Infiniti G35 in raw performance, it is a much more elegant car to drive, with more subtle, polished responses. This one is bigger than the outgoing car, too, and continues to deliver the best driving experience in its class, especially when the road starts curving.
Source:http://automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0508_bmw_325i/
//-->By Stuart Fowle
Photography: Stuart Fowle
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The cabin strikes a similar balance of avant-garde style tempered with familiar ergonomics. Simple, straightforward controls are wrapped in flowing shapes and high-quality materials. You only get iDrive, the spinning joystick control for the complex infotainment system, if you order the satellite navigation: without it, everything is where youd expect it to be.Ultra-supportive front sport seats with adjustable side bolsters are a must-have option, and come with the $1,600 sport package that also includes stylish split-five spoke 17-inch wheels, a lowered sport suspension, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Run-flat tires are now standard equipment on every 325i.
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With a base price of just over $30K, the 325i makes for a great deal. While the modest 215 hp six-cylinder wont beat an equally priced Infiniti G35 in raw performance, it is a much more elegant car to drive, with more subtle, polished responses. This one is bigger than the outgoing car, too, and continues to deliver the best driving experience in its class, especially when the road starts curving.
Source:http://automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0508_bmw_325i/
