By Bob Storck
Features - From humble beginnings only thirty years ago, BMW has come to define the sports sedan - And now the sports coupe, convertible and wagon - With more to come...
(Ocotillo, CA) No matter what size or model, all BMWs have a precise feel that other carmakers try to emulate. BMWs have traditionally been praised for the special way they drive but now that unique "BMW feel"can be had in almost every package but a pickup and a minivan.
This year they are offering the next generation of the convertible, and for the first time the small wagon comes to the US. Next year we get the all-out performance M3 sedans and coupes and see the long delayed return of the all wheel drive system on the 3-series.
While wagon popularity has waned in the US they are still popular in Europe. Sport wagons aren't about hauling the ubiquitous 4-foot-by-8-foot sheet of plywood. They are about offering versatile cargo space in a car with the performance and handling of a sports sedan.
Available elsewhere in the previous two iterations of the 3 Series, the new sport wagon has been designed with the special needs of the U.S.market in mind. Slightly longer and lower, it features almost identical handling to the 323i sedan. With standard 16-inch and optional 17-inch tires, it puts even more rubber on the pavement than the four-door. Ithas a slightly stiffer suspension to deal with varying cargo loads, and that adds to its nimbleness. Larger brakes and a higher final drive ratio for manual transmission-equipped sport wagons are provided to offset the wagon's higher weight.
Two transmissions complement the sport wagon's personality. A crisp-shifting five-speed manual transmission is sure to impress traditional driving enthusiasts. The five-speed, dual-mode STEPTRONIC transmission is the practical choice but as you might expect from BMW,the driver can determine shift points by pushing the lever forward or backward.
Standard leatherette or optional rich Montana leather upholstery is accented with either high-gloss plastic or genuine Myrtle wood trim. Standard 1/3 - 2/3 split, fold-down rear seats offer maximum versatility. The fold-down center armrest gives rear-seat passengers access to a compartment with dual cup holders and additional storage space. A ski sack is optional.
The tailgate and rear window open separately, providing low and wide access to the spacious cargo area. An extended rear diffuser helps keep dirt from accumulating on the rear window and the tailgate handle. A standard roof rack add to the sport wagon's versatility.
Even with all these standard items, the wagons start at $29,200.
The first BMWs to capture the imagination of the public were droptops. Continuing an 80-year BMW tradition, the all-new BMW 323Ci convertible represents a dramatic improvement in every respect over its predecessor.
With a manufacturer's suggested retail base price of $34,990, it is priced $4K lower than a comparably equipped outgoing 323i convertible. Notable details are the optional aluminum hardtop, twin-spoke orstar-spoke alloy wheels and a 10% larger and roomier cockpit. The finish of the lightweight magnesium cover, which conceals the lowered convertible top, perfectly matches the interior. As before, the automatic top latches itself, and is a standard of the industry.
BMW can't leave well enough alone. From every angle the car says BMW,from the more aerodynamic kidney grilles, to the large spoked wheels and wide stance, to the notch in the rear side windows, to the sweeping line along the shoulder of the sides.
The new BMW 3-series has an evolutionary styling departure for the car company that seldom keeps body panels the same, but makes it's overall styling changes slowly. The sedans have really improved the interior,which tended to be rather stodgy in the past. The overall effect makesthe 3-series still exciting yet is now designed by people rather than engineers.
Still, they are able to enlarge the line to accommodate all the options and variations. The six cylinder engine was refined in this version --not so much to increase the horsepower, but to improve midrange torque,and thus passing performance.
The standard 2.8 liter 193 hp DOHC 24-valve six-cylinder engine will produce smooth, sub-8-second 0-60 times. The 318i model has been replaced by the six cylinder 323 which uses a 2.5 liter engine putting out 170 hp.
In BMW tradition, the 328i has to be driven with spirit to achieve its potential, but feels and sounds right. The fully variable valve timing enhances smoothness and torque. The Getrag 5-speed transmission, large vented disk brakes, ABS and new suspension deliver on the BMW promise of sport and performance. Front-seat side-impact airbags became standard in the 3 Series in 1998;in the 1999 3 Series sedans, rear-seat side-impact airbags also become available as an option. Hard top models also incorporate as standardBMW's Head Protection System. The HPS anchors an inflatable tubular restraint inside the interior trim of the windshield pillar and above the front door on each side of the car. In a severe side impact, it pops out of the trim to form a straight tube where the head of an occupant --of large or small stature -- could strike the side of the car. BMW also includes a dual-threshold deployment system for airbags and front safety belts.
The stability enhancing traction control system continues as standard on the new 1999 3 Series sedans. In addition to standard antilock braking system (ABS), the new sedans have Cornering Brake Control (CBC).Applying the brakes can upset a vehicle's stability. A light brake application tends to make the car's nose tuck in; a harder application may nudge the vehicle toward the outside of the curve. CBC counteracts these tendencies by modulating individual wheel brake action; for instance, it can cause brake pressure at the outside front wheel to build up more rapidly, pulling the car into line. Xenon headlights,first introduced on the top-of-the-line BMW 750iL, will be optional on these new 3 Series models, offering a standard of night visibility previously unavailable.
To help avoid an accident or dangerous situation, the 3-series offers their Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system. BMW introduced DSC in the U.S. market in 1995 in the 750iL and 850Ci and now offers it on their wide range of models. The only exceptions are the ultra-high performance M roadster and M coupe. Through monitors that sense unstable driving conditions such as skids,understeer and oversteer, DSC automatically initiates appropriate corrective responses, including reducing engine torque, speeding up the engine, applying individual brakes, speeding up the outside rear wheel or modulating braking. Try doing that on your own!
Just wait until later in the year for the defining essence of the3-series line.
The new 330xi looks like a typical BMW 3 Series sedan, but incorporates two significant features - a new 3.0-liter, 225-horsepower inline six-cylinder engine and full-time all-wheel drive technology. All- wheeldrive technology was last available on the 1991 BMW 325iX sedan.
The new ultra-high performance M3 coupe, due in late fall will elevate the performance capability even further. A new 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual transmission, will deliver an estimated 330-horsepower, up from 240 in the previous M3.
2000 BMW 323 and 328 sedan, coupe, wagon and convertible
Price Range - $26,400-38,000
Engine - 2.5 liter, 170 hp I6or 2.8 liter, 193 hp I6
Front Engine/Rear Drive
MPG city/hwy. - 20/29
Airbags - DP std. ABS - std
Bob Storck welcomes comments or questions at bstorck@sprynet.com
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