BMW USED CARS

Review and photos by Paul Williams
Well, that takes the wind out of your sails. Especially when driving BMW's 335i version of its new 3 Series Coupé, which has under the hood a 3.0-litre, direct injected, twin-turbo, inline six-cylinder engine that makes a whopping 300 horsepower and matching 300 lb-ft of torque.

The BMW engineers gathered at this event seemed particularly well pleased with these numbers, feeling that with the 335i they have conquered the contradictions between power and tractability, and furthermore, between ride and handling. Typically you can have one or each, but in the 335i, that conventional wisdom has truly gone away.

Type: Two-door, four-passenger, performance coupe
Notable: Sizzling performance, sultry looks, exclusivity
Available: September 2006
Pricing: Starting in the mid-to-high $40,000, to low $50,000 range, depending on model

The only real negative was the navigation system, whose avatar seemed to go mental in our car, barking out contradictory instructions one after the other, Click to enlargein rapid-fire sequence. It was a bizarre experience solved by switching her off (and recalling jokes about HAL in the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey"), using a paper map, asking directions and following signs. This still works quite well. Designed for the enthusiast, the 2007 BMW 335i Coupe is a driver's car that seats four adults comfortably, offers outstanding performance andClick to enlarge features a large 440-litre trunk for luggage on a long trip. It's packed with safety features, occupant conveniences (a motorized arm proffers your shoulder belt), and performance technologies. It must be considered the benchmark for all vehicles in this class.

The BMW 5 Series - best images, latest prices, reviews
The 2007 BMW 5 Series sedan comes in 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi and 550i models. The wagon is available in 530xi trim only. Standard equipment includes automatic climate control, a CD player, one-touch power windows, rain-sensing windshield wipers and heated mirrors. Ten-way power front seats are also standard, with 20-way power seats available as a package option. Leatherette upholstery is standard on all models except the 550i, which gets standard leather. The iDrive vehicle management system is integrated into all 5 Series models...

After hours of sitting in front of a blank computer screen, desperately trying to describe his feelings about the latest BMW 3-Series, our tattered and frayed automotive editor finds himself in an imaginary conversation with his conscience. The problem with the article lies not with the car itself, but with how to describe it without sounding like a junior marketing weenie from BMW headquarters.

"Here we go again, another incoherent rambling about the virtues of this or that European car. I mean really, Grant, after last month's glowing tribute to the Audi A4 and Volvo 850, how do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you say that you have just driven the best European car for under $40,000?"

Technical characteristics of basic models E38:


BMW 7 series E38 740 d L - 1999 – 1998
BMW 7 series E38 730 d - 1998 – 2000
BMW 7 series E38 725 tds - 1996 – 1998
BMW 7 series E38 735 i - 1996 – 1998
BMW 7 series E38 728 i - 1995 – 2001
BMW 7 series E38 730 i - 1994 – 1998
BMW 7 series E38 740 i - 1994 – 2001
BMW 7 series E38 750 i - 1994 – 2001