I saw this article on Jalopnik about a week ago, and speedy-quick went to bmwusa.com's car configurator to fact-check it. True enough; click the option for 'manual transmission', and add the Sport package, and the price and option list looked right. But this morning, when I repeated the exercise, the "Increased Top Speed Limiter" facet of the Sport package had disappeared. Within the Sport package, there's still the option for "performance tires" vs. the all-seasons, but selecting the performance tires makes no difference. If you're wearing the littlest 3-series badge, you're electronically limited to 130, from the look of things. Sigh. Maybe these constant, subtle, manipulations of package contents are just the way it is. Maybe the marketeers need to shape what's available at each level to be sure the company's maximizing its profits (come to think of it, that IS probably their job). But it makes planning a purchase harder. You never know if the car you built last week will be available this week. They're making car buying like going to Costco to buy a TV... if you see one you like, get it now: it may not be available the next time you come in.
I ordered my 320i with the sport package, six-speed manual, mixed summer performance tires, and was assured that my top speed is now 146 mph. Haven't had the opportunity to check out that top speed on the road. My third three series and the best yet!
