Humble apologies, as I am yet one more Inside Line editor praising this spectacular BMW 330i from top to bottom. Recently, Chief Road Test Editor Chris Walton distilled it perfectly. When BMW designs cars, they pay such careful attention to everything from the driver seat. And it feels it...
Lest you think this is a puff piece.... there is that, that, that, RED. What a friend once described as "midlife-crisis red." Look-at-me red. My-life-has-meaning red. PLEASE pull me over for driving this fiery-comet-red car!! Reminds me of people who put aftermarket rims on a Rolls-Royce Phantom, just in case you weren't quite sure they were rich and powerful. This beautiful, perfect, spectacular BMW that gilds the lilly with a retina-scorcing bright red paint job so you know this is a spectacular, wonderful, quick, solid car. So during my very quick evening drive home on a wonderfully empty stretch of highway, I couldn't completely relax. Every set of square headlights in the rearview became a cop in a violent mood. But that still couldn't detract from my pleasure very much. What a wonderful machine. Just get it in silver. Anything but red.
Doug Lloyd, Copy editor
blueguydotcom says:
03:25 PM, 12/ 8/06
You guys want mine? It's white but otherwise it's the same as yours...
autoboy16 says:
05:23 PM, 12/ 8/06
So how about a new long term 335i with bmw's twin turbos?
Here are some suggustions/requests for a new long term vehicle:
Bmw 335i
Mercedes Bluetec (E, or Gl) I prefer the SUV of the year
Nissan Altima (hybrid?)
Vw Eos
Saturn Aura Greenline (sadly another gm)
Bmw X5
Acura MDX w/ sport package
-Cj
tsgeisel says:
05:46 PM, 12/ 8/06
When (if) Karl decides to pull the GT from long-term review land (and back to being just his car), I'm hoping they replace it with a Rolls.
As for replacing the BMW, it should probably be replaced by something else at approximately that class and cost. Audi isn't making news for anything they're doing, but it wouldn't be a bad idea.
carlisimo says:
06:23 PM, 12/ 8/06
Get a car from a maker known for poor reliability. Might be more interesting. (I'm thinking VW/Audi, maybe Mercedes Benz... by now they should've improved...)
roar02ram says:
06:56 PM, 12/ 8/06
Red makes a statement, though! I think one of your colleagues pointed out some time ago that the automotie landscape today is loaded with shades of gray. It's boring!
And yes, I own a red car. Copper Red, to be precise.
actualsize says:
11:39 PM, 12/ 9/06
Of all of the cars I have owned, the following, in order, have been red.
1969 Ranchero - blue when I got it, I painted it red.
1983 Ford T-bird Turbo
1986 Acura Integra
1989 Honda CRX
1993 Toyota T-100 4x4
1991 Acura Integra
2001 Hyundai Elantra GT(company lease, but I speced the red)
1991 Mazda Miata (I still have this one)
2003 Honda Odyssey (burgundy red, or whatever they call it)
And somewhere in there, I had an orange Dodge Van, which should be good for partial credit.
In all, more than 50% of my cars have been red.
funkymunky says:
11:46 AM, 12/11/06
All right. I confess. When I eventually get my 70s Ferrari Dino it will HAVE to be in red. But this BMW? It's just a little much. I think sport sedans look better in a dark blue or silver. And old BMW 5 Series used to have a fantastic wine color that I still covet. Just a personal opinion. Nothing against red cars per se.
playdrv4me says:
11:52 AM, 12/31/06
No need for an apology. I've been driving BMW's for years and I can tell you anyone who has owned or driven a 3 series already knew what was posted there. The 3 Series really has FEW close competitors, and truthfully, even most of BMW's own product line cant hold a candle to the 3. The Mercedes Benz C Class? Pssh... cowering in the corner.
As far as the red is concerned, it really makes that car pop. I had a 2001 330i in a shade of red that apparently was only produced from 99-01, a color that almost looked ORANGE in the right light. It was definitely one of the best aspects of the car and kept it looking fresh 4 years later, not to mention the fact that the whole car became a conversation piece. You can take a plain vanilla silver or white car, I'll stick with red.