BMW 318i

LOOKS . Attackback
PERFORMANCE . Inspiring
HANDLING . Right On
AMBIANCE . Red Baron
COMFORT . Firm
QUALITY . Modernism
STEREO . Sturm & Drang
FUN TO DRIVE . Yup
GADGET FACTOR . FUNctional
HEADS TURNED . Party Girls
EMOTION . Want One
CACHET . Enthusiast

SPECIFICATIONS

SNUBNOSE

BMW is rocking the market with lots of new product and the 318i is their entry level shot. It packs the abrupt functionality of a snubnosed revolver into a pretty hot chassis and a really hot buy. I dig this car and I dig it a lot. One of the few contemporary rides designed as a hatchback, it parks tight, packs large and poses like a runner in the blocks, ready to scoot. Snap the clutch for a short chirp and you're off and on a roll. Very nice handling, just a touch of skitter from the tail; a well balanced, good taut ride. Steering is a dream, hardly know it's there, as you will your way through the twists and turns past midnight. Good lights, direct and well connected linkage shifts great, the 1.9 four pulls well on top and reasonably from down low, happy in its spinning. Ran to 7 with a soft rev limiter, on this pup. More power than I expected, but not enough to get in serious trouble; a particularly controllable engine. You're driving, not riding here.

This one's red, red set off by Minilite-look mags, pretty cool. What's inside? Not the expected. Whoa momma it's tapestry in there! Red ravvy inserts woven wacky into the seats & doors. Black & Red Baron style. A deutsch fetish ambiance, a red shift boot & knob in leder. A cool lookin' dash, killer sport seats - put em up, put em back, put em down, around tilt em. The back seat; too tight to get in & short on legs. Back windows flipped me out, they still flip out!

Great gas mileage! Fantastic trip/vacation car!

Back slap BMW ! A well-built, super car & super buy.

REXX TAYLOR