[SamS]

Ha!

I'm back again to tell my fellow M3 owners about more fun in a 328i. This time, a 2012 F30 328i Luxury Line. BMW came to downtown Dallas today as part of their Drive for Team USA event.

After signing a release form, and showing my driver's license, I was given the keys to a 328i Luxury Line in Imperial Blue Metallic to do with as I pleased. Of course this has the N20 and 8AT, and I have been very curious about this car as a daily driver. I first saw the new 3 series just two days after it's October 2011 introduction in Munich, when I went to pick up my E92 M3, and have been intrigued since then.

Once I settled in the car, I put it into Sports mode, and left TC on as well as Start/Stop. Although my M3 has Start/Stop, I rarely if ever turn it on. I wanted to experience the car as an average 328i buyer/owner likely would. The seats felt adequate, and the overall visibility in the cabin was excellent. I had to start out driving in downtown Dallas, so initially there were a lot of turns and start/stops. The car shutting off was not bothersome, but the re-start was very distracting. I eventually turned it off.

The N20 was very impressive! I liked the sound, and it had plenty of giddy-up for passing and sprints. The 8AT was pretty good, shifting smoothly. However, it did seem to get stuck in a gear, once. For some reason the RPMs stayed closed to 4K even though I let off the gas. Maybe just a weird anomaly. I actually didn't mind the steering. It was slightly numb, but still comfortable. I was not expecting it to feel like my M3.

My model was loaded up, so I got to play with the new HUD. It was really impressive, and I hope it makes its way to all models soon. The fake-pop-up Nav screen was also good. I think I like it more than the "Nav-cave" that my car has. The new style makes the dash look quite a bit more spacious. Even in direct sunlight, there was no negative impact to the display. The entire feel and size of the interior felt just "right" to me. Not too big, and not at all cramped.

Overall, I'd say the F30 met my expectations, and exceeded some. The steering was the only (slight) let down, but since I'm coming from an M3, it's to be expected. My friend drove an F30 335i Sport Line, I rode passenger. He already has an '11 335i, and felt the drive and power was comparable. The improvements of the HUD, and rear/front cameras impressed both of us.

Anyways, bash away. I'm glad I made the effort to drive the 328i, as I'd love to have one as a daily drive at some point down the line. The 25mpg+ is pretty awesome! And, most importantly, it felt like a BMW to drive. Plenty sporty, didn't feel heavy, and had a pleasing RWD balance.