Did BMW Fall Short Of The Mark With The 328i?

I remember reading once, in another fairly recent review of a BMW, that the person critiquing the car was bold enough to say: “BMW is the new Mercedes-Benz.” Now, I’m not going to name who specifically, but being a German car enthusiast at heart and a lover of both brands, my denial set in: “WTF, how can anyone say anything so blasphemous?”

Blasphemous, because there has always been a definitive line that separated the Three-Pointed Star from the Roundel. Their differentiations in corporate philosophy are obvious and there is no way in hell anyone could confuse the two. For either of them to be used in the same sentence other than comparing how vastly different they are—despite being direct rivals—is as sacrilegious as saying that “Microsoft is the new Apple.”

HughJass - 8/20/2012 4:09:25 PM

+4 Boost

Shouldn't that be "Apple is the new Microsoft"?

freeagent - 8/20/2012 5:33:21 PM

0 Boost

a troubling sign, but this trend is clear. BMW better fix the "feel" issue for the 3 and 5 or they're in trouble

vdiv - 8/21/2012 2:39:07 PM

+1 Boost

They are in trouble.

enthusiastx11 - 8/25/2012 1:18:59 AM

0 Boost

yes, terrible trouble. lol. selling the highest volume at premium prices to competitors. such problems.

freeagent - 8/20/2012 5:51:50 PM

+2 Boost

My E39 is my favorite car I've ever owned, but I have little motivation for the new one. Too fat and numb. What happened to BMW's feel and "lithe" ethos? Now its just more power dealing with more and more weight.

abqhudson - 8/20/2012 8:29:47 PM

-1 Boost

They missed the boat for the few remaining enthusiasts - rough 4 cylinder, rough start/stop. But, who cares?

vdiv - 8/21/2012 2:40:06 PM

-1 Boost

The few remaining enthusiasts. BMW sold out to them.

irishmike - 8/21/2012 12:38:32 AM

-3 Boost

BMW less of an enthusiast's car everyday.

Phantom4 - 8/21/2012 8:24:38 AM

+5 Boost

LOL, maybe it’s because they were testing the Luxury line of the car which is intended to be..well more luxurious. I have driven the sport version, and it definitely drives better than any other car in the class hands down, and this is coming from a previous S4 owner.

skytop - 8/21/2012 11:33:34 PM

-1 Boost

When I read that the new generation M3 will not offer a manual transmission, I felt that BMW had demonstrated a serious loss of heart and soul in their line of autos.

In some ways, BMW is replicating the same fault that bedeviled Lexus.

bmwMotorsport - 8/22/2012 8:05:37 AM

+2 Boost

Well, what you read was incorrect. There is no need to feel BMW lost a thing, the next M3 will be world class. Like all M cars.

Here is proof the F80 M3 will have a manual.

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602401

85bmw745i - 8/22/2012 8:58:33 PM

+1 Boost

According to car and driver the 328i didn't miss the mark, in fact, it absolutely annihilated the competition. None of the turbocharged 4 cylinders from Mercedes or Audi could even come close to the performance of the 328i and on top of that it got better fuel economy.

cevair - 8/23/2012 3:46:48 AM

+1 Boost

asas