MotorTrend magazine also spends some time behind the wheel
of the 2012 BMW 328i. A mixed review, but mostly positive and reinforces
once again that the F30 is a worth successor of the outgoing E90 sedan.
“Once the traffic clears and the road turns twisty, the F30 feels as
nimble and agile as the E90. It attacks corners as ardently as ever —
perhaps more so, given its broader stance and 10-percent more rigid
structure. The 19-inch Bridgestone Potenza S001s (225/40 front, 355/35
rear) cling to the smooth, dry tarmac like election-year politicos to
dogma, and the (still-optional) adaptive damping system provides
noticeably tighter roll control in the Sport versus Comfort settings.
Fans of BMW’s once legendary steering feel will mourn the passing of
the fuel-thirstier hydraulic assist. Our test car had the optional
variable-ratio electric-assist rack, which provides a 14.5:1 ratio
on-center, quickening to 11.2:1 as the wheel passes about 100 degrees
in either direction. The effort and heft feel natural enough, but on
these smooth, dry roads it transmits no wiggles or twitches to suggest
subtle variation in the grip level of the road surface, and the ratio
transition feels unnatural in the tightest corners.
Day two is spent lapping the Circuit de Catalunya, where a daylong
deluge reveals that the electric steering does indeed inform the
driver when approaching the limits of adhesion — it’s just hard to
approach them on dry public roads. Hard summer tires on smooth wet
pavement drop those limits to quite pedestrian speeds, allowing the
driver to easily hold an understeering line right at the limit, or dial
in just enough throttle to point the car toward the exit. There’s even
a fun iDrive display with gauges showing instantaneous and peak power
and torque, which curiously top out at 218 hp and 221 lb-ft during our
flogging.”
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