by Dan Lyons

Losing a lead is easy to do. Any sports fan will tell you that. How many times have you seen a football team get ahead, get conservative, and get beat?

In the world of wheels, BMW’s 3-Series has been the benchmark European sport sedan for years. When it came time to update the company’s top seller, it faced the same dilemma. What do you change and how much do you change it? Working from the front of the pack is tricky, whatever the field.

One thing that’s bound to change in a new car is the styling, and for BMW models in the past few years, that’s been..interesting. Some of the company’s recent designs have been edgy and polarizing. The 3 is half of that, and happily, it’s the first half. The new sport sedan has defined angles and enough character lines to turn some heads, without turning anyone off.

A walk around the 2006 3-Series shows that the new shape is a new size. It’s bigger - 3” wider, 2.2” longer – and the added space outside shows up inside the passenger cabin and the trunk. The latter is about 12% larger than previously, at 12 cubic feet. It’s well shaped, easy to access, and the optional folding rear seatbacks and ski sack offer some options for cargo carrying.

Back in the cabin, the second row seats added a skosh more leg room (.8”) and both aisles pick up about an inch of shoulder space. The back seats are big enough for a pair of adults. Up front, driver and passenger enjoy excellent, form fitting bucket seats. Fit and finish is excellent, and the switchgear is all within easy reach and mostly (hello, sound system!) intuitive. Those who opt for the navigation system should prepare to spend some time studying the manual to be able to solve the mysteries of its iDrive controller.

The new 3-Series lineup is basic at the beginning, with more to follow. Right now, there’s one body style (four door sedan) available in two variations. The 325i ($30,300) gets a 215 hp/185 lb. ft. of torque straight six. The 330i ($36,300), has a slightly tweaked version of the same, 3.0 litre six, making 255 hp, 220 lb. ft. of torque. Transmission choices range from the standard, six speed standard, to a six speed Steptronic automatic. A Sequential Manual gearbox is slated to join the option sheet in September.

I’ve had a chance to log miles in both models, on terrain ranging from a mid-summer monsoon on 787, to track time at Pennsylvania’s BeaveRun road course. By the stop watch, the 325 makes it from 0-60 in 6.7 seconds (manual), 7.2 (automatic). The 330 is a couple of ticks faster: 6.1 (manual), 6.3 (automatic). Top speed is electronically limited at 130, unless you add the Sport Package ($1,600), in which case, the ante is raised to an arresting 155 mph. Smooth is an overused adjective, but it’s hard to think of a better one for the 3.0 litre six. Power rolls out evenly as you apply throttle and both stick and automatic transmission handle it easily. Only under extreme transitions on the race course (hard brakes to hard throttle) was I able to find any lag in the automatic.

2006 brings chassis changes, too. The double pivot front and five link rear suspension is new, and it’s electronically aided by BMW’s latest generation Dynamic Stability Control. The run flat tires have a bit of impact harshness to them – you’ll feel the potholes - but they’re grippy wet or dry. The trademark, near 50/50 front/rear weight balance and the new platform hardware combine for a stellar handling automobile. The base suspension is so good that there’s little need to upgrade to the sport setup. The 3-Series has a taut feel through the turns with fine road feel through the steering wheel. Newly available this year is Active Steering – a $1,200 option. Considering how good the standard variable assist steering unit is, I’d keep the clams in my pocket and spend them on something else off of BMW’s arm’s length option sheet.

The sedans are, as noted, the first wave in the new 3-Series family. In the months and years ahead, they’ll be joined by a wagon, coupe, convertible and an Autobahn burning M3. BMW has built on their benchmark with a very sharp replacement for 2006. Smooth and assured, they’re a must-drive, for anyone shopping a European sports sedan.

Numbers and Dollars
2006 BMW 3-Series
MSRP: $30,300 (325i), $36,300 (330i)

Drivetrain 325i 330i
Engine: 3.0 litre 6 3.0 litre V-6
Horsepower: 215 @ 6,250 rpm 255 hp @ 6,600 rpm
Torque: 185 lb. ft. @ 2,750 rpm 220 lb. ft. @ 2,750 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic

Weights and Measures
Wheelbase: 108.7"
Length: 178.2”
Width: 71.5”
Height: 55.9”
Weight: 3,285-3,450 lb.

Interior
Head Room: 37.4” f/37.1” r Leg Room: 41.5” f/34.6” r
Cargo volume: 12 cubic feet

Chassis
Suspension: Independent front and rear
Brakes: Four wheel disc, ABS
Tire size: 205/55R-16 all season

Mileage
EPA estimated mpg’s, city/highway: 20/30 (325i manual), 20/28 (330i automatic)

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