BMW: Fine Performance, a Range of Prices

The top-selling European car in America last year was notVolkswagen, Volvo or Saab.

Nor was it Audi, Alfa-Romeo, Jaguar, Porsche or Mercedes-Benz.

The sales winner was BMW. That's right - the prime yuppie carof the 1980s.

I'll bet few of this column's readers would have guessed thatBMW was No. 1 - if it weren't for the photographs and headline onthis page.

BMW's 1993 U.S. sales totaled 78,010 cars, compared withrunner-up Volvo, which sold 72,955 autos.

Volkswagen? It finished fourth, behind Mercedes, with sales of43,902 cars. Last was Alfa-Romeo, which found only 1,325 buyers.

"BMW, whose 1994 January-to-March sales are significantly aheadof last year, feels it has pretty much put its 1980s yuppie imagebehind it. It did well in 1993 mainly because it offers good valuefor the money in the value-conscious 1990s," says BMW nationalspokesman Robert Mitchell.

"But I agree that many consumers wouldn't have guessed BMW wasthe top-selling European car in the States because lots of peoplethink our cars cost more than (top-line) Japanese autos, such asLexus," Mitchell adds.

BMWs are aggressively priced lower than Lexus and other premierJapanese models. In fact, BMW recently knocked $3,525 off the listprice of its 525i sedan and lowered the price of its 525i Touringstation wagon by $3,300, without downgrading their equipment levelsmuch.

But that doesn't mean BMWs are inexpensive; their highperformance and excellent quality don't come cheap.

Base BMW prices range from $24,675 for its 318i four-cylindersedan to $85,500 for its limited-production 850Ci V-12 coupe, whichis essentially for jet setters.

However, for $68,100, you can get BMW's new 840Ci, which is an850Ci with a V-8 instead of a V-12. The 840Ci has the sameperformance and equipment level as the 850Ci - except for thelatter's fuel-thirsty 12-cylinder engine.

BMW's most popular model is the $30,850 325i six-cylinder sedan.

Besides value, major reasons for BMW's success include itsrevitalization of some models by replacing six-cylinder engines withlow-maintenance, high-performance V-8s and giving some modelsadvanced five-speed automatic transmissions that no U.S. or Japaneseautomaker provides.

BMW also offers comprehensive, long-term maintenance programs,which are a smart deal because BMW parts and labor get very costly ifsomething goes wrong.

"BMW advertising emphasizes the `fun driving experience' withits cars," Mitchell says. "Fully half our 325i models are orderedwith a five-speed manual transmission, instead of the availableautomatic."

Indeed, current BMW television commercials feature theautomaker's legendary, race-winning 1930s 328 roadster and rakish1950s 507 sports car, which Elvis Presley drove while stationed withthe U.S. Army in Germany.

BMW, whose cars are affectionately called "Bimmers," alsoemphasizes its cars' safety features "because auto safety is veryhot, and many car shoppers won't know about our safety items unlesswe advertise them," Mitchell says.

How good are BMWs, which are rear-wheel-drive autos? To findout, I recently tested four Bimmers. They were the $30,850 325isedan, the larger $34,900 525i sedan, the $37,300 525i Touringstation wagon and the spiffy $68,100 840Ci sports coupe.

The 525i previously cost $38,425 and the 525i Touring stickeredat $40,600. The 282-horsepower 840Ci has only 14 less horsepower than the 850Ciflagship coupe, and - as noted above - is a whopping $17,400 cheaperthan the 850Ci.

All the BMWs I tested had superb assembly quality, inside andout, and exceptionally nice paint. Here's what else I found witheach model:

325i: This sleek, compact, 189-horsepower six-cylinder model hasan excellent driving position, decent - but far from exceptional -room for four adults, roomy trunk, precise steering, excellenthandling, supple suspension, good brakes and strong acceleration.Moreover, fuel economy is pretty good, at an EPA-estimated 19 m.p.g.in the city and 28 on the highway with the manual and 20 and 28 withthe automatic.

No wonder the well-equipped 325i is BMW's top seller.

The interior is purposeful, but not as plush as in a Lexus.Drawbacks include a slightly notchy shifter with the manualtransmission, and a clutch with a long throw. The 325i is more funwith the manual, but performs well with the automatic transmission.That's good news for those who drive a lot in congested traffic.

Safety items include standard dual air bags and anti-lockbrakes. An optional ($995) all-season traction-control system isnewly available for those who are nervous about piloting a rear-drivecar on slippery pavement.

525i: This mid-size car also has dual air bags and anti-lockbrakes - besides the 325i's smooth, 189-horsepower six. But it'sslower than the 325i because it is larger and nearly 400 poundsheavier. Still, my test 525i, which had a nice-shifting, four-speedautomatic transmission, provided good performance - even during 65-75m.p.h. passing maneuvers.

The fairly economical 525i is roomier than the 325i, and hasmore trunk space. However, if a driver pushes his seat all the wayback, a tall passenger behind him won't have comfortable legroom.

The 525i is quiet, attractive and well-mannered, with a niceride. And its steering, braking and handling makes even averagedrivers look good. Get the car with the manual for the bestperformance, fun and economy. It's rather boring with the automatic,although it still is a superior driving machine.

525i Touring: It performs almost exactly like the 525i sedan,from which it's derived, although its cargo area is much larger. Theautomatic is standard on this station wagon, but it's 199 poundsheavier than the 525i automatic-transmission sedan. So it takes 9.7seconds to do 0-60 m.p.h., compared with 9.1 seconds for the sedan(and 7.8 seconds for the manual-transmission 325i).

Still, the 525i Touring is fast enough, and is an outstandinglong-distance touring car, with a quiet interior, excellent seats andsuperb highway directional stability. Trips to the mall also arepainless with this easy-to-park vehicle. But it delivers only 16-18m.p.g. in the city, compared with 25-27 on highways.

As with all BMWs, the 525i Touring has easily readinstrumentation and nicely located controls. The dual-openingtailgate is handy, and split fold-down rear seats appreciably enlargethe cargo area. Both the 525i sedan and wagon version are offeredwith the $995 all season traction-control system.

840Ci: This is a 155-m.p.h. elegantly rakish pistol, motivatedby the new four-liter aluminum V-8 found in BMW's mid-size 540 andlarge 740 sedans. The four-camshaft, 32-valve, 282-horsepower engineis hooked to a five-speed automatic and whisks the 840Ci to 60 m.p.h.in just 7.1 seconds - despite its hefty 4,123-pound weight.

The 840Ci is exceptionally comfortable and safe, withoutstanding road ability and standard dual air bags, anti-lock brakesand traction control. But rear-seat room is suited only for kids orpets. Highway fuel economy is in the low 20s, and you'll be lucky toget 15 m.p.g. in the city.

Take heart if you can't afford a new BMW 840Ci - or any new BMW.For years, the automaker has had a used-BMW program that offersdealer-reconditioned, used models with warranties. However, it'sstill best for average wage earners to opt for lower-maintenance,used BMW models, such as the 325i.