[TimZ]

Wow the car looks amazing and that little 4 is sounds nice and seems responsive!!! Good job BMW

[Glim]

I like:
Overhead view of the car when backing up, Cup holders, Sliding center armrest, Instrument cluster, nice white on black OLED and temp (finally!), Seat detail

Do Not like:
Squared off hood, Car turning itself off at a stop sign, iPad knockoff center dash

Center display 'removable' center screen: Make it part of the dash OR make it hide away OR make it removable. Chosing 'none of the above' makes it an epic fail; How many broken windows 'hey, they left their iPad sitting on their dash' smash and (try to) grab will it take for BMW to correct this monstrosity?

[Falafel Combo]

Why do people STILL think it's ok to shoot a one-hand video review while driving, but texting is dangerous. He's going to end up killing someone, and that someone might be his own self.

The "driving review" made me cringe.

[ts61gogo]

wonderful car. Probably the best 3 series ever

[Glim]

Originally Posted by shicobico

Why do people STILL think it's ok to shoot a one-hand video review while driving, but texting is dangerous. He's going to end up killing someone, and that someone might be his own self.

The "driving review" made me cringe.

Agreed, shaky and poorly edited - I think it must be some guys 'retirement dream job'. He Should put some retirement money towards a film crew and an editor.

[ATL_E90]

Ricey (but nice) interior, turbo 4 banger... is this a BMW anymore or will I need JDM parts? Did they throw a squash air freshener in too? One thing I like about my e90 is that the interior, spartan as it may be, still has European character.

Also, that was like a $45k 328i, won't see too many 328s optioned out like that.

Wonder if the N20 will have the same carbon build up issues as the N54/N55 as well.

[iwannabimmer]

Originally Posted by ATL_E90

Ricey (but nice) interior, turbo 4 banger... is this a BMW anymore or will I need JDM parts? Did they throw a squash air freshener in too? One thing I like about my e90 is that the interior, spartan as it may be, still has European character.

Also, that was like a $45k 328i, won't see too many 328s optioned out like that.

Wonder if the N20 will have the same carbon build up issues as the N54/N55 as well.

There is nothing Japanese about F30's interior.

On another note, I'm pretty sure that the 328's in my area will all be optioned with Premium Pack, Cold Weather Pack and probably Tech Pack. Add any of the Lines (sport, modern or luxury) and we are talking in the $45k range.

[justinnum1]

Premium price for a premium car. besides, the severely underpowered a4 2.0 is 43K with options. C350 is closer to 50K..and i would think the 328 owns both those cars in a comparo easily.

[iwannabimmer]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

Premium price for a premium car. besides, the severely underpowered a4 2.0 is 43K with options. C350 is closer to 50K..and i would think the 328 owns both those cars in a comparo easily.

No doubt. However, I wont be going for all those packages when it's time for me to buy a new car. As you know already, all I want in the 328i is SL, ZPS, Sport ZF8speed, heated seats & steering wheel and metallic paint. Pretty similar to yours, except the leather seats and perhaps different color, which will make my car cheaper than yours (less than $41k). The good thing in my case is that I have plenty of time before I go for it, so I'm hoping until then for some option reshuffling allowing me to also add Xenons without the ZPP.

BTW, what happened with your dealer and the fold down seats required for the leather seats?


EDIT: I'm also waiting to see the price and package content for an M Sport. I might consider it instead of the Sport Line.

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by iwannabimmer

No doubt. However, I wont be going for all those packages when it's time for me to buy a new car. As you know already, all I want in the 328i is SL, ZPS, Sport ZF8speed, heated seats & steering wheel and metallic paint. Pretty similar to yours, except the leather seats and perhaps different color, which will make my car cheaper than yours (less than $41k). The good thing in my case is that I have plenty of time before I go for it, so I'm hoping until then for some option reshuffling allowing me to also add Xenons without the ZPP.

BTW, what happened with your dealer and the fold down seats required for the leather seats?


EDIT: I'm also waiting to see the price and package content for an M Sport. I might consider it instead of the Sport Line.

I am going to call the GM this week. He said he would "take care of it" but its a principal thing for me lol

[Tacoma]

Originally Posted by misterbeemer

The reviewer sounds like a fanboy - N54 greatest engine on the planet and the E90 had great gas mileage - not!

Originally Posted by Propagator

Again, I'm just struck by how stupid this reviewer guy is. He starts out with this shameless and transparent sales pitch about how car magazines don't really tell you the truth, but his stupid website does. The reason? Because unlike other reviewers, he spent his own money on a BMW. Really? So that's how you get an UNBIASED review, by picking someone who already chose to spend his hard earned money on a product closely related to the one he'll be reviewing? And then of course he proceeds to shamelessly lick BMW's butthole with every stupid sentence he utters. Borderline retarded behavior, really.

I'm not familiar with this website autospies, but it's actually disturbing that BMW would fly idiots like him to Spain for the fancy schmancy unveiling event. I know these things are never about unbiased journalism and always about maximum positive publicity, but this is just too shameless and classless.

+1. The guy talks about credibility of his review over others and then proceeds to talk unbashedly about how utterly amazing everything is about this car like a BMW infomercial. 100% positive, 0% negatives. A top BMW salesman could not have done a better job. I was waiting for him to say this car drives better than a Ferrari, but then he didn't actually drive the car until the video was almost over!

[Paul-Bracq-BMW]

Originally Posted by Tacoma

+1. The guy talks about credibility of his review over others and then proceeds to talk unbashedly about how utterly amazing everything is about this car like a BMW infomercial. 100% positive, 0% negatives. A top BMW salesman could not have done a better job. I was waiting for him to say this car drives better than a Ferrari, but then he didn't actually drive the car until the video was almost over!

IMO he tries to create publicity for his web site, but the video speaks for itself about the quality of the car. At least we have some video footage of the car in action...

[richb811]

I like the review, that car BOOKS IT!

Imagine what it will do with a tune!!!! Zoom

[NTTY]

Originally Posted by Drivaar

Damn, impressive downshifting... I'm curious to see the tech specs of the new transmission versus the old 6-speed ZF (which for many years seems to have been the best non-DCT auto transmission out there...)

Hi,

ZF 6HP Second generation specs (like the 6HP21 installed on 135i/335i) are:
- upshifting = 300ms
- Downshifting (tractive mode) = 80ms
- Downshifting (coasting mode) = 200ms
- Kickdown = 80 ms

Source ZF: http://appsprod01.zf.com/zf.productD...n_EN_2006s.pdf

And a little comparison:



From this document: http://www.apra-europe.org/dateien/d...chatronics.pdf

Note: with latest software upgrade, BMW improved a lot the upshifting of the 6HP, by letting the engine rev a bit more when upshifting. Also, the engine electronics gives a lot of gaz when downshifting in coasting mode to simulate a tractive mode, which makes all downshiftings really quick. No source for this information, just my personal experience with my car.

ZF 8HP specs:
- upshifting = 200ms
- Downshifting (tractive mode) = N/A
- Downshifting (coasting mode) = N/A
- Kickdown = N/A

Source: ZF WebSite

From my initial tests of the new ZF8HP in the new F20, I can't really make a difference in upshifting or downshifting speeds compared to my 6HP.

The new 8HP is very interesting because the first 6 speeds are really shortened, which improves a lot accelerations.

Anyway, whatever is the gearbox (Getrag DKG or ZF auto), BMW always finds a way to improve a lot the driving experience (the DKG in the M3, and even with the N55 engine is just a beast, while all other double clutch gearboxes are boring).

Cheers.

[MonsterM]

Starting to like it more and more. On the other hand from what I can see in the video the 8 speed auto still shifts noticeably slower than the DSG in my VW. Still a great improvement over the current 6 speed auto.