Friday, June 22, 2012

REVIEW 2001 BMW 330Ci CONVERTIBLE

It was nice having a top-down sports tourer at our beck and call. But after a blissful 663 days and more than 50,000 miles, it's time to send the much-appreciated 330Ci convertible back to BMW's New Jersey headquarters.

Many staffers have said that a dark-color body/light-color tonneau cover and interior is not their preferred color combination for a convertible, but this dark blue and light gray package is the exception — and it is especially striking.

The soft top functioned commendably during the test, though it did have a minor foible along the way ( see chart ). It must be well-insulated, as we didn't experience excessive noise from driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the freeway, nor did it seem to get especially cold while traipsing through chillier climes. "This BMW still seems brand-new. Everything feels tight and solid, and the top is very well done — easy to raise and lower, and pretty wind tight," says our Editor-in-Chief.

The 330Ci convertible really is a wonderful blend of style, sport and comfort.

At the forefront in this mix is the 225-horsepower inline-6. Says Executive Editor Doug Kott, "I'm duly impressed with the engine's responsiveness and immediate snap that can be conjured up virtually anywhere in the rev band. Variable valve timing is our friend."

A precise gearbox complements the engine well, though it is a tad notchy.

There's plenty to like in terms of driving. Several features inside the cabin of this BMW, however, could use a rethinking in design. And some things need to be tossed into the waste bin altogether.

Automatic climate control was not so "automatic" at times. We are assuming that by automatic climate control this means that if the temperature is set at, say, 65 degrees Fahrenheit, then the system should flow either hot or cool air as needed and in sufficient volume to maintain this setting. This rarely was the case. "Maybe we should send one of GM's or Toyota's air-conditioning executives over to Munich with a slide presentation to help pass along the technology," said one editor.

"A couple of times when I drove the BMW it had trouble blowing cool air, even when the outside temperature was considerably lower than that of the interior," said another. 








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