The BMW 6 Series Coupe has a few new bells and whistles, after receiving a larger and more powerful engine for 2006. Recent improvements include a new Real Time Traffic Information feature that’s added to the standard navigation system. It warns of imminent back-ups down the road and suggests alternate routes. A four-year subscription to the service that provides this information is included.

As with any luxury touring coupe or convertible, the specific mission of the BMW 6 Series is to cover lots of road in a hurry while making its occupants look and feel great — the front ones, anyway. Unfortunately, the 6 Series offers precious little of the rear-seat space found in its sedan counterpart despite similar midsize dimensions. The 6′s swoopier body lines are the reason for this, but even with the heightened focus on appearances, neither the 650i coupe nor the convertible could be considered the pinnacle of style. Many in fact find their exterior design to be a little off-putting — certainly a deterrent in this “image is everything” segment. Even less fortunate, the 6 Series did inherit BMW’s iDrive — an electronic interface notorious for bringing pointless complexity to the simplest of interior controls.

However, when you’re driving it, or even just sitting in it, the BMW 6 Series coupe and convertible are some of the more interesting luxury two-doors on the market. Further, a competitive pricing strategy on BMW’s part makes them a better value than many other European-brand two-doors. As an imperfect but unexpectedly affordable coupe or convertible, the 6 is hard to ignore.

The standard Dynamic Stability Control system, which automatically adjusts the brakes and throttle when sensors detect a skid, includes a number of cutting-edge braking functions. Brake Standby reacts when the driver suddenly lifts his or her foot off the accelerator, anticipating hard braking, and snugs the brake pads against the rotors. Start-Off Assistant automatically engages the brakes on an incline to prevent the car from rolling back when the driver lifts off the brake pedal to depress the accelerator.

The optional Active Steering system allows for lightning-quick turns in city driving, but it lends an artificial feel to the steering system that purists might not like.

Standard Engine:

4.8L V8, 32 valve, 360 hp @ 6300 rpm

• 6 speed manual (standard) or 6 speed automatic or 6 speed manual transmission
• 17 mpg city / 25 mpg hwy
• Green Rating: 58

Standard Features:

• Door Mounted Front Side Airbags
• 4-Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes
• Wireless Communication Access For Bluetooth(R) Enabled Devices

The 5-Series is BMW’s luxury midsize sedan, a car that has been a favorite among driving enthusiasts since it was first imported to the U.S. in 1975. The 5-Series was redesigned for 2004, and for 2006 receives all-wheel drive for the first time. The 5-Series has always emphasized performance and an enjoyable driving experience, offering a variety of engine choices as well as both manual and automatic transmissions.

The BMW 5 Series puts an emphasis on the driving. This mid-size luxury sedan remains a true sports sedan in any of its variations, including the 530ix wagon and other models equipped with all-wheel drive. Regardless of engine size or equipment level, the BMW 5 Series delivers lively acceleration, precise handling and outstanding brakes. It’s available with a conventional manual transmission, which is increasingly hard to find in this class.

Standard on all are ABS, traction/antiskid control, front side airbags, and front and rear head-protecting tubular side airbags. Rear torso side airbags are optional. BMW Assist emergency and concierge service is standard. All models have BMW’s iDrive, which uses a console knob to control entertainment, navigation, communication, and climate functions. Available features include a sport suspension teamed with run-flat tires, BMW’s Active Roll Stabilization designed to counteract body lean, and BMW’s Active Steering that electronically varies steering ratio and assist. Also available is BMW’s Night Vision, which projects onto a dashboard screen images of objects beyond headlight range. Adaptive cruise control, a navigation system, heated front and rear seats, and steering-linked headlights are also available. The M5 has unique sport suspension tuning and other high-performance features.

For 2007, the 5 Series offers two new options. BMW’s Night Vision safety system uses a thermal-imaging camera to highlight pedestrians and animals on dark roads, while HD Radio is designed to bring CD-quality digital audio to radio broadcasts.

After getting new engines in 2006, BMW’s midsize 5 Series now offers new comfort, convenience, and safety features for 2007. Among those new features is Night Vision, a technology that uses thermal imaging (FIR, or far infra-red) to provide a long-distance view of the road ahead, regardless of weather conditions, says BMW. Yet another new feature for 2007 is a revised Sport package that includes 20-way front seats. High-definition radio is also offered, as is real-time traffic information on vehicles equipped with navigation systems.

As such, the 5 Series is loaded with technology, and some of its systems have a dark side. The i-Drive point-and-click control system, for example, takes time and energy to learn, and drivers who aren’t willing to invest the energy, or those who just prefer to keep things simple, might want to look at a competitor. But those who place a premium on driving satisfaction should start their shopping here.

Now in its fourth year on the market, the styling of the current 5 Series models has become familiar, perhaps less jarring than it was when first revealed. And while there are no significant changes for the 2007 model year, the 5 Series is anything but stale. For 2006, BMW introduced new engines across the board, including a high-tech magnesium alloy six cylinder for the 525i and 530i and a larger, more powerful V8 for the 550i.

The BMW 5 Series sedans are available with six- or eight-cylinder engines or an ultra-high performance V10, and manual, automatic, or automatic-shifting sequential manual transmissions and optional all-wheel drive. The 5 Series Sport Wagon is offered only with a six-cylinder and all-wheel drive.

2007 BMW 5 Series Models:
2007 BMW 5 Series 525i Sedan
2007 BMW 5 Series 525xi Sedan
2007 BMW 5 Series 530i Sedan
2007 BMW 5 Series 530xi Sedan
2007 BMW 5 Series 530xi Sports Wagon
2007 BMW 5 Series 550i Sedan

The 3-Series Sports Wagon is BMW’s near-luxury wagon that is redesigned for 2006, joining the redesigned 3-Series Sedan alongside the carryover 3-Series Coupe and Convertible. BMW’s 3-Series model is a descendant of the BMW 1600 from the 1960s, considered by many automotive enthusiasts to be the first compact sedan offering sports car performance. The 3-Series designation first appeared in America in 1977, and the car evolved from a rather boxy shape to its present fluid, aerodynamic design. The 2000 3-Series was introduced in 1999 and the 3-Series Sport Wagon joined the 3-Series lineup in the U.S. for the first time in the spring of 2000. The name is changed to 3-Series Sports Wagon for 2006 and is updated with an all-new look, upgraded engines and a new chassis.

The new BMW 328i Sports Wagon. With a new, more powerful 3.0 liter 6-cylinder engine, new double-pivot front suspension, and 5-link rear suspension, it offers such incredible performance, it’s easy to forget it’s a wagon. Until you have cargo to load. That’s when the hatch with easy access through the rear glass, split-folding rear seats, and large rear cargo area remind you that you’ve got the dynamic drive and fuel efficiency of a BMW sedan, plus the utility of a wagon.

The standard transmission is a six-speed manual. A six-speed “Steptronic” automatic transmission that can be taken through the gears like a manual is optional.

The front and rear suspension setup enables crisp, neutral handling for fun, spirited driving and a compliant ride. Active Steering is optional. The system offers more immediate steering response, but purists may favor the standard steering for its simplicity and unfiltered feedback.

See BMW 3 Series Wagon imagesBMW uses the letter “x” in its model names to denote AWD. The system in the BMW 328xi Wagon originally comes from the BMW X3 and X5 SUVs. The same system is also used on the coupe and sedan versions. Front-to-rear power distribution is theoretically infinitely variable, but under normal driving conditions the system sends more power to the rear wheels than the front to preserve the trademark 3 Series sporty handling. When the wheels slip or the sensors detect an imminent skid, power is shifted to the wheels with the most grip.

Standard Engine:

3.0L I6, 24 valve, 230 hp @ 6500 rpm

• 6 speed manual (standard) or 6 speed automatic transmission
• 21 mpg city / 31 mpg hwy
• Green Rating: 65

Standard Features:

• Seat Mounted Front Side Airbags
• 4-Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes
• Diversity Radio Antenna

The BMW 3 Series Sedan continues to evolve, with powerful six-cylinder engine choices in the lineup, including the automaker’s first turbocharged engine since the 1970s. Significant updates like the turbo followed on the heels of a complete redesign for the 2006 model year.

The base model of the 3 Series is the BMW 328i sedan, powered by a peppy six-cylinder engine. BMW (and Mercedes-Benz) trunklids used to spell out “model” and “engine size” exactly. The old BMW 325i badge, for instance, was shorthand for “3 Series” and “2.5-liter engine” (the “i” still means fuel injection). Today, the translation isn’t always that simple with regard to engine size. For instance, the BMW 328i sedan got a 3.0-liter engine for the 2007 model year, even though the badge still suggests a smaller engine.

For 2007, 3 Series sedans and wagons come with powerful new engines, a couple of new colors and some minor interior tweaks. The 3 Series is expanding for 2007 with the introduction of an all-new, two-door 3 Series coupe and an all-new 3 Series convertible. (The 2007 3 Series Coupe is evaluated in a separate review.)

The 2007 BMW 328i and BMW 335i accelerate more quickly, stop shorter and turn with more lateral grip than any of their predecessors. The current 3 Series sedans are the roomiest ever, with more standard and optional equipment and more sophisticated electronic controls. BMW’s x-Drive all-wheel drive system is available on the 328i.
Any 3 Series model still delivers a special mix of performance, practicality and European luxury in a compact package. This car defines sports sedan, and it’s the benchmark every luxury car maker from Acura to Volvo aims at. The 3 Series embodies consistent product character and values, defining what has made BMW one of the most respected brands among car enthusiasts. Above all, the 3 Series is a driver’s car: accelerating, turning and stopping with remarkable agility and balance, without seriously compromising comfort or common sense.

Yet what characterizes the current 3 Series sedans as much as anything is its high-technology. We presume the car-buying public expects the latest technology in BMW products, and the 3 Series delivers in spades. It’s everywhere in this compact sedan, some of it first in class and some not previously applied in any BMW.

Models Available:
2007 BMW 3 Series Sedan 328i
2007 BMW 3 Series Sedan 328xi
2007 BMW 3 Series Sedan 335i
2007 BMW 3 Series Sedan 335xi

All-new 2007 versions of BMW’s 3 Series coupes, now called the 328i and 335i, join the new-for-2006 sedans and wagons in September. The top 335i model features BMW’s first-ever turbocharged engine, and although rear-wheel drive remains standard, this will be the first generation of BMW coupes in nearly two decades to offer all-wheel drive as an option. The 3 Series convertible models carry over for now and will likely be updated in early to mid-2007, with a folding hardtop rumored to be in the mix.

Longer, lower and completely restyled, the coupe shares critical chassis and suspension hard points with the sedan. To our eyes, the coupe is the more attractive of the two, especially from the rear. BMW’s design team was shooting for elegance in the exterior styling, and it is indeed handsome without resorting to tiresome retro design cues.

It’s a little puffy-looking in the midsection, but that’s hard to avoid considering the 3 Series has grown the way it has. Remember the 8 Series Coupe? Well, the 335i rides on a wheelbase 3 inches longer than that car. Fortunately, the 335i avoids the perpetual weight gain of modern cars, squeaking in at 22 pounds lighter than its sedan stablemate, despite besting the sedan’s chassis stiffness by 25 percent.

The 335i comes powered by a new twin-turbocharged direct fuel injection 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that produces a stout 300 hp. It’s 45 horses stronger than the non-turbo 3.0-liter version in the 330i sedan and generates 70 hp more than the six-cylinder engine in the new 328i coupe.

This turbo powerplant enables the 335i to reach 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and attain a top speed of 150 mph. The standard transmission is now a six-speed manual; a six-speed Steptronic automatic that can be taken through the gears like a manual is optional (if you order the optional Sport Package, the latter gearbox includes steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters).

At the heart of every BMW worth remembering is its engine, and the new coupe is no exception. The pick of the litter is the new twin-turbo 3.0-liter six, good for an Alpine 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The latter figure is more remarkable for the fact that maximum torque is available at a very sea-level-like 1300 rpm, helping banish lag and making for smooth power from takeoff all the way to the 7000-rpm rev limit (and the sport package’s 150-mph governed top speed).