2006 BMW 330i – Long-Term Road Test – Auto Reviews – Car and Driver
, Posted in: chevy volts, Author: Andrew (July 9, 2011)
We regularly receive hate mail that rudely suggests we are on BMW’s payroll. Indeed, we have selected the 3-series as one of our
for 16 consecutive years. During that time, we’ve also thrown 3-series Bimmers into 24 comparisons and awarded first places to 15 of them. And we’ve conducted long-term tests of 3-series four-doors
and their M3 versions in the previous E36 and E46 generations. So it will surprise no regular reader that when the current E90 generation appeared in the summer of 2005, we requested an example for our long-term fleet.
Our Monaco Blue Metallic 330i four-door arrived at our Hogback Road office on December 20. It stickered at $42,415, including $1600 for the
Car and Driver– mandatory Sport package (18-inch wheels, sport suspension, sport seats, and leather sport steering wheel), $1450 for beige leather upholstery, $1000 for the Cold Weather package (seat heaters, headlight washers, and the ski-bag/folding-rear-seat combination), $595 for pay radio (Sirius), and $475 for the metallic paint.
After putting a quick 2135 miles on the 330, we took it to the test track where we measured a 0-to-60 time of 5.6 seconds and a quarter-mile of 14.4 seconds at 98 mph. That’s real performance progress, as those figures are quicker even than an E36 M3′s. Our 330i’s chassis was equally impressive, not giving up in corners until 0.89 g was reached and stopping from 70 mph in the outstandingly short distance of 154 feet. Thanks to the higher-performance tires in the Sport package, the 330i’s speed governor was raised from 130 to 148 mph, which our example easily achieved. We’d say this 330i’s performance lived up to its sports-sedan rep in every way.
Our impressions from the driver’s seat were even more positive. Despite the 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine’s 6600-rpm power peak, it produced strong thrust across the rev range, reducing the need to row its smooth and precise gearbox. The steering feel was excellent, and the car responded to inputs eagerly, accurately, and naturally. And the chassis was always eager to be leaned on, delivering its tenacious grip with steady balance and great stability.
Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/07q3/2006_bmw_330i-long-term_road_test