So another week passes and I find myself eulogising about a BMW, in this case
the 6-series. People are starting to moan about my constant deluge of praise and, to be totally honest I'm getting a little bored of it too. The problem is that BMW don't make bad cars; in fact the German company excels at making cars with class leading dynamics in every niche it dips into. From
Mini to
7-series, every one is a corker and whilst this may be becoming a little tedious you have to admit it's a joyous tedium. Given the chance we'd all jump at owning an
M3 or M5 and if we can put away our jealousy and conceptions of their image you have to admit they are deeply desirable cars.
BMW's last few efforts have been stunning. I really wanted to dislike the
1-series for its huge price ticket, but taken in context as an
A3 rival I was forced to wave the white flag on value and instead wax lyrical about its exceptional dynamics. Our recent drive in the
new 3-series was another epiphany and adjustment of the datum as to how compact executives should drive and perform. Just as Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Honda begin to get to grips with the
out going 3-series benchmark BMW hasn't just moved the goalposts; it's moved the pitch and the stadium and put them in a secret place, and just in case someone gets close the goal posts are invisible.
You get my drift? Nothing gets close to the new 3-series dynamically; the fact that BMW has improved refinement and the interior by a significant amount must have many engineers the world over throwing pens down in disgust and despair. BMW just keep pumping out cars that are great to drive and continue to be
the choice of the aspirational youth and young professional, as well as thousands of mature drivers across the globe.
Even the one last bastion of complaint, Chris Bangle's styling, has become something of a dud shell as people are actually warming to the daring and different look. The new 3-series is the last of this phase of 'flame surfaced' designs, where it will go next is uncertain but you can bet it will be interesting. Here's hoping that it will be hideously ugly as well; that way I may be able to satisfy the blood thirsty hoards by being derogatory about one of BMW's efforts.
Dave Jenkins - 28 May 2005
