Tests and Features

Comparative Tests2015 BMW M3/M4 - Heads For Style, Tails For Space4.5/5
To think that BMW developed the first M3 in 1985 as a race car. In 1987, its first year of competition, this vehicle propelled Italy’s Roberto Ravaglia to pole position in the World Touring Car Championship. And that’s not all. The M3 also finished first in Europe, Britain, Australia and …
Test Drives2013 BMW 320i xDrive: An Intriguing Luxury Compromise3.5/5
The allure of the BMW brand is one that has steadily packed dealerships over the course of the past several decades, as luxury-seeking Canadian drivers have latched onto the German automaker that was once known more for its performance-oriented offers than its plush feature set. Those sporty days might be …
Test Drives2014 BMW 328d xDrive: Dude, Where's My Ignition?2.5/5
It's Christmas Eve. You slide into the driver's seat of your brand new car after having loaded gifts into the trunk, intent on getting a head start on your 200 kilometre journey to be with your family and friends. You push the start button and…nothing. Wait a minute, that can't …
Test Drives2013 BMW 335i xDrive: BMW's All-Around MVP4.5/5
For two decades the standard-bearer of the BMW brand has been the 3 Series, a versatile model available in coupe, sedan, convertible, and even wagon body styles. The German marque has also thrown nearly every conceivable drivetrain at this entry-level luxury car, with only rotary power absent from the list …
Test Drives2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3: Battery-Powered Luxury, With A Twist4.0/5
Luxury hybrid cars are nothing new, but the unique approach that several high end brands have taken when adopting battery technology separates them from their non-premium counterparts. It seems that for every Lexus RX 450h that leverages hybrid design to improve fuel efficiency, there's a vehicular counter-point that instead adds …
First DrivesBMW 3 Series Gran Turismo - A Question of Cross-Breeding
Palermo, Italy- In North America, the GT or Gran Turismo designation very often implies a performance-oriented sports car driving experience, but the true European definition is that of a comfortable touring car, one that can carry passengers and their luggage over long distances, and that is exactly what the 3 …
Test Drives2013 BMW 335i: Life’s little pleasures4.0/5
The BMW 3 Series is the Munich-based manufacturer’s bread and butter. It’s offered in a wide range of configurations (sedan, wagon, coupe and cabriolet) and even the most basic of the various 3’s is desirable. Yes, the equipment level isn’t the greatest and the engine isn’t very powerful, but the …
First DrivesThe 2011 BMW 335is: The return of the "s" designation
Estoril, Portugal - In the language of BMW, the new 335is coupe and cabriolet mean the return of the "s" designation, which is part of a "Life Cycle Impulse" – basically an update – for the 3 Series. Geared for performance, these two models will be sold exclusively in North …
Test DrivesJekyll and Hyde Go German: The 2010 BMW M3 Coupe4.5/5
Historically, I’ve never been a fan of German vehicles. Call it a bias, call it favoritism, call it whatever you will, but the fact remains: I grew up in a household that held names like Jaguar, MG, and Land Rover sacred. And that meant I couldn’t like German cars. Because …
Test Drives2009 BMW M3: A beast, but a sober one
People often ask me what my favourite car is or what car I’d like to own. Since I like so many different vehicles, this question is pretty hard to answer. I often say that while I love the way roadsters look and drive, sport sedans are a lot more suited …
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