2000 BMW 330Ci and 330xi

2000 BMW 330Ci and 330xi 2000 BMW 330Ci and 330xi
First Drive Review

Last month, in a test of BMW's new 323Ci convertible, we confessed that a few of us were having a little trouble warming up to the current E46 generation of the beloved 3-series. In the end, we grudgingly conceded that, okay, the new ragtop is indeed a step forward in most respects. But our misgivings about the larger and heavier bodywork and generally muted and matured character of the new 3 gave our endorsement a similar level of conviction to that of John McCain for his good buddy "Dubya."

This month's installment in the continuing rollout of the 3-series model range has sparked such unbridled enthusiasm in us that we may sound more like NRA foot soldiers stumping for Bush. As you read this, a 3.0-liter straight-six-the softtop that got the lukewarm applause was a 2.5-liter-is rolling into showrooms in three models: the 330i four-door and 330Ci two-door sedans, and the 330Ci convertible. This engine will eventually replace the 2.8-liter in all BMWs and power the entry-level X5. In September, the new engine will be mated to an all-wheel-drive system in the 330xi sedan. A recent romp through the Bavarian Forest in a 330Ci and a 330xi was sufficient to recruit us to the E46 bandwagon.

Let's start with the engine, which is not terribly new but considerably improved. The basic architecture and 91.0mm bore spacing of this block-and indeed all current BMW six- and 12-cylinder engine blocks-dates back to the M60 engine (later renamed the M20) that first appeared in 1977 in the original 320i and 323i. This six-cylinder gasoline engine series was upgraded with four-valve heads in 1989 (to become the M50), VANOS variable intake-valve timing in 1992 (the M52), an aluminum block (for Germany) in 1994, and double-VANOS infinitely variable valve timing on both cams in 1998.

This year, the old hammer gets a stroke increase and a range of enhancements that boost output from 193 horse-power and 206 pound-feet of torque to 225 and 214. Emissions are cut to below ULEV standards, and it gets a new moniker: M54.

The aluminum block with cast-iron liners is carried over without any modifications from the 2.8-liter, including its 84.0mm bore diameters. The stroke is lengthened from 84.0mm to 89.6mm, which is said to account for just 30 percent of the power boost. The exhaust and dual-chamber intake manifolds have been smoothed out and tuned to maximize their resonance-supercharging effect, which accounts for 57 percent of the bump in power. The intake cams are reprofiled so that the valves are open for an additional 12 degrees of crankshaft rotation with 0.9mm more lift. This allows more air to get in when the foot's to the floor-board and accounts for another 12 percent of the power increase. It also allows the double-VANOS system to permit more in-cylinder exhaust-gas recirculation during less than full throttle. Lots of inert exhaust gases in the cylinder means the throttle must open wider to admit enough air to burn the fuel, and this reduces throttling losses to improve efficiency. A switch to drive by wire allows the more powerful Siemens MS 43 engine controller to insulate the driver from such throttling peculiarities.

These spiffs (minus the stroke increase) will be applied to the 2.5-liter engine this fall, at which time all the 323 models will be restored to their logical 325 nomenclature, an act that will no doubt fluster buyers with the lower-numbered models.

That's the long story. The short story is that the new 3.0-liter gives back to the E46 3-series the snarl and visceral thrill that we loved in its E36 forebear. A less-restrictive exhaust system allows more of its urgent, mellifluous music to reach the driver's ear during whole-hog acceleration. And indeed the 330Ci accelerates harder: BMW claims it will reach 60 mph in 6.4 seconds with a stick, which is 0.2 second quicker than in a similar 328Ci. Our keisters, perhaps in cahoots with our delighted ears, registered a bigger boost as the 330Ci surged toward heroic autobahn speeds. A bonus: Preliminary tests suggest that 330Ci fuel economy will be as good as or better than the 328Ci's.