The M3 is irrelevant we shouldn't let it cloud the issue. It was massively more expensive, massively more powerful and wasn't available as anything other than a Coupe or a Cab anyway.
It's existence doesn't really change what the 330i Sport was - which was the top end performance sports saloon model in the 3 Series range. In exactly the same way as the Accord Euro R was the top end performance sports saloon model in the Accord range, no?
Over a standard 4 pot diesel old man edition both Accord and 330i have enhanced suspension setups, better and more powerful engines (217bhp in the Accord, 231bhp in the 330i) and much better performance. I do not understand how the 330i Sport can be called 'Sedate' when the Accord offers pretty much identical (if not slightly slower but it doesn't really matter so we wont dwell on that) performance. If the 330i is sedate, and by some metrics it is, then the Accord is sedate as well.
There a bunch of these type of cars from 2003ish - the Mondeo ST220, the 330i Sport, the Accord Euro R, I'm sure there are more. They are all the same concept - take the regular 4 door Saloon, make it look better, add handling and other enhancements, end up with a flagship saloon that does 0-60 in 6.something and hits 150mph.
The 3 Series isn't an 'old man sedate wafter' because if it was I'd drive one myself as that's far more my type of car, I like effortless performance and refinement, something the 3 Series was so bad at I sold it within months. The engine in the 330i is decent, it revs well (Though not to the extent a Honda does, but it's simply two different engines achieving the same aim through different power delivery methods) and it's enjoyable to wring out. It's not really that much more refined than a Honda Accord, but then it isn't intended to be because if you want a refined car BMW would rather have sold you a 5 or 7 Series for more money anyway.
In summary then my view is they are two different manufacturers take on the same sort of car. Just as the Mondeo is a third manufacturers take on this sort of car and the Vectra VXR was Vauxhalls take on this sort of car.
I'm stupid enough to not realise that the fact one revs to a billion rpm and one doesn't means they will be, shock, different to drive, but that doesn't stop them being the same type of car.
It's existence doesn't really change what the 330i Sport was - which was the top end performance sports saloon model in the 3 Series range. In exactly the same way as the Accord Euro R was the top end performance sports saloon model in the Accord range, no?
Over a standard 4 pot diesel old man edition both Accord and 330i have enhanced suspension setups, better and more powerful engines (217bhp in the Accord, 231bhp in the 330i) and much better performance. I do not understand how the 330i Sport can be called 'Sedate' when the Accord offers pretty much identical (if not slightly slower but it doesn't really matter so we wont dwell on that) performance. If the 330i is sedate, and by some metrics it is, then the Accord is sedate as well.
There a bunch of these type of cars from 2003ish - the Mondeo ST220, the 330i Sport, the Accord Euro R, I'm sure there are more. They are all the same concept - take the regular 4 door Saloon, make it look better, add handling and other enhancements, end up with a flagship saloon that does 0-60 in 6.something and hits 150mph.
The 3 Series isn't an 'old man sedate wafter' because if it was I'd drive one myself as that's far more my type of car, I like effortless performance and refinement, something the 3 Series was so bad at I sold it within months. The engine in the 330i is decent, it revs well (Though not to the extent a Honda does, but it's simply two different engines achieving the same aim through different power delivery methods) and it's enjoyable to wring out. It's not really that much more refined than a Honda Accord, but then it isn't intended to be because if you want a refined car BMW would rather have sold you a 5 or 7 Series for more money anyway.
In summary then my view is they are two different manufacturers take on the same sort of car. Just as the Mondeo is a third manufacturers take on this sort of car and the Vectra VXR was Vauxhalls take on this sort of car.
I'm stupid enough to not realise that the fact one revs to a billion rpm and one doesn't means they will be, shock, different to drive, but that doesn't stop them being the same type of car.
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