2000 BMW 3-Series: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

BMW's best-selling line offers 2-door coupes and convertibles and 4-door sedans and wagons. All these compact-sized cars use inline 6-cylinder engines. Sedans and coupes come as 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 323 models and in 190-hp 2.8-liter 328 form. The convertible and the 4-door wagon are 323s. Due this fall is a 330Ci convertible powered by a new 225-hp 3.0-liter inline-6 that will also replace the 2.8 in 2001 sedans and coupes. BMW also adds all-wheel-drive 3.0-liter sedans and wagons this fall.
All offer manual transmission or extra-cost 5-speed automatic with separate manual-shift gate. Standard are traction control and systems designed to enhance stability under hard braking in turns and to prevent skids during rapid direction changes. Front side airbags are standard, and all but the convertible have BMW's front Head Protection System tubular airbags. Rear side airbags are sedan and wagon options.
The convertible and coupe seat four, other models five. A manual folding soft top is standard on the convertible, with a power folding soft top and an aluminum hard top optional; all have a heated glass rear window. Roll bars behind the convertible's rear seats are designed to deploy automatically if the car is about to flip over. The 323i wagon features a one-piece tailgate with separate-opening glass rear window. Returning in late calendar 2000 is the revamped M3 coupe, now with a 3.2-liter six of about 330 hp.

COMPETITION

This hotly contested segment has a clear benchmark, it is the Acura TL (and its 2-door cousin Acura CL). The TL succeeds in blending comfort, style, luxury, and sport into an efficient package at an affordable price.
But the Acura's not for everyone. We also recommend the sporty and Euro-flavored Audi A6, the comfortable Buick Park Avenue, the affordable and fast Infiniti I30, and the luxury-orientated Lexus ES 300.