I'm posting these because I hadn't seen a lot of pictures of this exact combination and I (obviously) would have appreciated seeing more before I purchased.
The car is perfect/great/sublime/etc... I love the color and option choices I made. I'd recommend them to anyone but I realize that opinions on this will vary. I'm not looking for a discussion, just that I'm happy with my decisions after getting and driving MY car.
Jet Black
Beige Novillo Extended Leather
Premium Package
Technology Package
Sycamore Anthracite Wood Trim
Moonroof
Fold down rear seats
iPod and USB adapter
HD radio
Enhanced Premium Sound
I also got a Corsair Flash Voyager 32GB memory stick to store all my music.
The clutch is darn near perfect. There is a small "grab" when shifting from 1st to 2nd but I'd hesitate to even call it "notchiness". Overall it's the best shifting car I've had (not an exclusive club).
Steering feel is very tight and I'm partial to the fat steering wheel.
Acceleration is much better than average even during break in. I'm coming from an E36 M3 so 5500 feels pretty much like I'm winding it up to redline. There is a definite change in feel between the different throttle settings.
Ride is smooth (er) in comfort and firms up marginally in sport. It's still pretty firm though even in comfort. I haven't pushed hard through any turns yet so this is an area I've still to explore.
13.5 mpg so far. I'm hoping for somewhere around 15-16 around town after the breakin. Perhaps wishful thinking.
The electronics all work flawlessly so far. I was able to hook up my Bluetooth phone. I can see the contacts in iDrive, make and receive calls handsfree. I was able to plug in a usb memory stick and I have access to all 5,000 or so of my songs. Homelink took a little experimentation to find the right distance to program but I got it working with a little effort. I'm able to find things in the nav and program in my favorite locations and today I was happily directed on a new (and more direct) route to the doctors office for my kids. I did not waste an hour with the sales guy, just read the manual and followed the directions. This stuff is easy to use if you RTFM.
Well, I've got places to go (or not, it doesn't matter anymore, I'm going driving
).
Thanks to everyone here for answering questions and all the good information posted.