Driving Impressions

BMW's 3 Series has always been about the driving. It has many of the attributes of a sports car with the practicality of a sedan. It offers rear-wheel drive and manual transmissions in a class increasingly dominated by front-drive and automatics. Driving has never been much better than the 3 Series, or at least not with seating for five, decent mileage and a high level of all-season comfort. The all-new 2006 BMW 3 Series sedans are true to their predecessors, with a couple of caveats. The typical BMW buyer will likely appreciate the technology built into the new 3, and particularly the electronic stability control wizardry. Purists may pine that some of the 3 Series' original purity has been lost. The heart of any BMW is its engine, and the one in the new 3 Series is first rate. It remains true to BMW's commitment to inline six-cylinder engines, as other manufacturers have switched almost exclusively to V6s. The straight six presents more packaging challenges, but its unique performance characteristics and smoothness make it a favorite among enthusiast drivers. The 3.0-liter six in both the 325i and 330i sedans has the latest in control and materials technology, including the first mass-production magnesium alloy engine block, to reduce weight. It produces 215 horsepower in the 325i and 255 horsepower in the 330i thanks to different tuning, but in both cases it is substantially more powerful than the engines it replaces. It's the first six cylinder without a conventional throttle. Engine speed, and therefore acceleration, is varied by how far the intake valves open. These engines are lighter, more powerful for their size, and more fuel efficient than those in the coupes and convertibles. In both the 325i and 330i sedans, the engine is fantastic. No one will feel short-changed on performance if they make the more economical choice. Yet particularly in the 330i, the new engine is a pleasure to operate, and it's stronger than any 3 Series engine before, short of the M3. What's best is its linear quality, or the steady supply of acceleration-producing torque at any speed. There's more torque down low than before, but the new engine pulls like a sprinter all the way to its 6800-rpm redline and never misses a step. Moreover, the joy of a straight-six isn't hidden under the high tech. It sounds great, with an emphasis on clean mechanical noise from the engine bay rather than the tone of the muffler. The new 3 Series sedans come with a choice of six-speed automatic transmission, six-speed manual or BMW's six-speed electro-hydraulic Sequential Manual Gearbox. The manual transmission works great. The shifter seems to have slightly shorter throws between the gears than before, and its operation is appropriate to a world-class sports sedan. The extra gear adds more flexibility to the power band and lowers engine revs at cruising speeds. The automatic we liked a bit less, but it's hardly disappointing. With six speeds, the same advantages apply here as with the manual. The automatic can be a bit slow to react with an appropriate gear change in Normal mode, but leaving it Sport mode pretty much solves the problem without a significant payback in more abrupt shifting. Then there is Steptronic manual mode, which allows manual gear selection by toggling the shift lever to the left. No problem with shift response when you do it yourself. BMW's SMG (for sequential manual gearbox) won't be available in the 330i sedan until at least September, but we've used it in other BMWs and know how it works. This is not an automatic transmission per se, and if you put an emphasis on smooth shifts, it should not be your choice. While the Steptronic is an automatic with a manual feature, the SMG is a manual with an automatic feature. It has a clutch but no clutch pedal, and in automatic mode it works as if the machinery is working the clutch for you, which it is. In short, the SMG can be great

Final Word

Bottom line, the new 3 Series sedans are great performers, impressive cars and techno tours de force. If price is remotely an issue, don't have a second thought about choosing the 325i. It has as much power as most drivers will ever need, and it delivers the same inherent goodness as the 330i, without much less really useful stuff. Indeed, we wouldn't recommend some of the options like Active Steering or Active Cruise Control, except to die-hard fanatics for the absolute latest technology. Remember that through most of calendar 2006, the 3 Series coupes and convertibles will continue as they were for 2005. For the time being, if you want the newest 3 Series technology, you'll have to choose a four-door sedan. New Car Test Drive correspondent J.P. Vettraino filed this report from Spain.