BMW 328xi is built for drivers

There's a poster board that hangs in the basement of my father's house. It's called "Life's Little Instructions."

While it includes some common-sense advice ("Floss your teeth" and "Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank full") there's one life tip that stands out: "Strive for excellence, not perfection."

I started thinking about this little line, and how it applies to life, and then that thought just kept spiralling forward – like Six Degrees of Separation – and before I knew it, I had linked this recommendation to the redesigned 2007 BMW 328xi Coupé.

The thing about BMW is that once you drive one, you realize it's more than a status symbol. "Appliance" is the mot du jour for auto writers, popping up everywhere from reviews on Japanese cars to domestics.

And while BMWs are ubiquitous in every major city (keeping in mind the 3 Series is BMW's bread and butter), appliance and BMW are far from synonymous (unless you have to compare one of the German cars to the King of the Kitchen: the Sub-Zero Pro 48 refrigerator).

Rolled out last fall, the new 3 Series Coupé gets an alpha-numeric name update (it's now referred to as the 328i, 328xi and 335i) and is the first Coupé to get xDrive, BMW's available all-wheel-drive system.

It is also strikingly beautiful. With a completely redesigned exterior, it's wider, longer and taller.

It's one of those cars that, when you leave it in the parking lot, you can't resist glancing back for a second look.

From the feline-esque headlamps to the car's sleek two-door proportions and the modern tail lamps that complete the car's design like the last piece fitting into a puzzle, the Coupé was a head turner.

Though BMWs might be seem like they're a dime a dozen in Toronto, and even Niagara Falls where we escaped for a one-night getaway, the Bimmer still grabbed the attention of fellow drivers and pedestrians, who looked on in awe at the entry-level Coupé.

We loaded the trunk of the car (the newest 3 Series two-door gets segment-leading cargo capacity, 440 litres, up 7 per cent over the previous generation), hopped in, just the two of us, the way a coupe should be experienced, and pointed it in the direction of the Falls.

An all-new twin turbo 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder rests quietly below the elongated hood – until you push the start/stop button and bring it to life. It's then when you hear the new engine (that gets 46 more horses, without sacrificing fuel) and all its 230 horsepower and start to get excited. The climb from 0 to 100 km/h takes 6.6 happy seconds.

There's an available 3.0L engine for the 335i that pumps out 300 horsepower and an equal amount of torque. While some of my colleagues automatically boast about the need for more speed, the smaller, slower 230-hp engine does a good job for everyday life.

Throw the lever of the short-shifting six-speed manual transmission into first, then second and third, and you're thrilled by the acceleration and the song of the revs. If you haven't experienced the 5 Series' more smooth-moving transmission, you'll adore the one in the 3 Series Coupé. However, if you've driven the 5 Series, you'll yearn for that refined feel in the 3 Series.

On the upside, that smaller 3 Series Coupé is tight, stays glued to the curves and delivers a sportier feel than the larger 5 Series sedan. These small BMWs are built for drivers and, once you get behind the wheel, you sense that feeling.

While some cars are designed to get from Point A to Point B, BMWs exist for the love of smooth, twisty asphalt. It's a simple statement but a powerful one: You feel alive when you drive the sporty 328xi Coupé.

Kick in the now-available all-wheel-drive system, and the car gets more confident.

Four-wheel-drive systems are becoming more popular, especially in climates such as Canada, where the West Coast gets a healthy dose of rain and the rest of the country gets a good cloaking of snow. BMW's intelligent AWD improves traction and control on wet, slippery and muddy roads.

For 2007, the standard Dynamic Stability Control system gets upgraded to allow hill starts without roll backs, brake standby to reduce the stopping distance in an emergency, brake drying for improved response in wet conditions and the ability to maintain stopping performance when the brakes are smokin' hot.

Inside, expect the norm from BMW: Minimalism, with optional $585 walnut wood trim, two large instrument gauges and only the limited buttons and dials that you need.

It's not my favourite BMW interior and it is underwhelming when compared to the excitement of the exterior.

Another point of note: although the cream beige leather cloaking the chairs is elegant, it easily gets dirty from daily use or dark denim.

One handy addition for the '07 model is the automatic seatbelt assistant: A little arm electronically retracts and brings the seat belt in close reach. Sometimes it works, other times it misses.

And don't get me going about those darn BMW front-seat cup holders that protrude over the passenger's knees and dribble hot beverages down your leg. Argh.

Climbing into the low-slung front chairs is on par with beginner acrobatics – but that's a sacrifice you put up with in most coupes, not just the Bimmer.

No contortion classes were necessary to trek to the rear seat, it was actually an easy climb to the back. Once there, the seats were nicely padded and leg and head space was decent.

It was also an easy exit, thanks to a handy button that allows the rear-seat passenger to push the front seat ahead on their own.

To put that little life tip into perspective: The 3 Series Coupé strives for excellence, but is not far off the mark from perfection.

aforgeron@rogers.com