I'm still holding out for a new US 320d with some version of BMW's 2 liter 4 cylinder turbo diesel. We rented an E90 318i in Europe a couple of years ago and loved it. Heck, since my wife's car was totaled a week ago by some kid who rear-ended me while I was stopped in traffic, I'd buy a 320d right now. But, of course, it is still not offered here. Oh well, we'll just have to search for another E46. Scott Miller GGC
All indications are (check the news section - there was a press release) the 320d is coming very soon. Probably they will bring a N57 3-liter engine also, but possibly not in the 3-series.
So now that the 328d is out I wonder if the OP bought one. I'm in the market for a new diesel (I have a 335d in the stable) and wrapping my brain around the 328d is hard. Sure it gets great MPG's but so would the 200+ hp N47. Am I expected to shell out $50k for a reasonably optioned 181 hp sedan? Was CAFE more important than the 330d?
Yes. At least, so it would seem. Given the hoot-to-drive factor of the E90 335d, I'd tend to guess you could spend 50k maintaining that car for a really long time and probably have more fun driving it for the length of most of that expenditure. Since torque & hp are addicting, after rolling around with the 335d, I'd probably guess you'd find a 4-cyl. turbo-diesel frustrating; of course, it's all relative - if, say, you went for one of the new ones, and thought it felt slow, mundane, and somewhat pedestrian after awhile, all it would take to pep it up, relatively, is spend a bunch of time in something a whole lot slower and less powerful - so, like, every other week, switch into, say, a Geo Metro (3 cylinders baaaaby! Woot!), or a Trabant... or a Yugo... maybe a weensy-engined Honda from the early 90's, and the next week you hop back into the bimmer, you'll be like "Holeeeee ©®@þ, this here thang reaaaallly flies!" (as you scream to 60 mph in about 7 seconds). It won't be as quick as what you're in now... and considering the heft of the cars, an around 7-seconds-to-60 time is plenty respectable.... but, presumably, your consolation will be the fabulous gas-mileage. Go test drive one, that's the only way you can get a comparison to make a decision....