The E90 generation BMW 3-series was built from 2005 through 2011 in a variety of body styles. Today’s example is a E90 sedan, but there is also the E91 touring wagon, E92 coupe, and E93 convertible. Powering today’s sedan is an N53B25 straight-6 that uses a magnesium alloy block and dual-overhead cams to push 228 […]
If you think we feature too many BMWs on the pages of Daily Turismo, rest assure it isn’t because we are closet BWM fanboys…no, it is because we are fully open about our BMW fanboyishness. It is simple, while other major luxury OEMs decided that the American market in the early 2000s only wanted slushbox equipped luxury sedans (Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Acura, Cadillac, etc), the guys over at BMW decided that perhaps some people wanted manual gearboxes, and wagons. Of course they will still only be offered in lame shades of white/black/grey, but at least getting a wagon with a stick is an option in BMW. Ultimately, BMW didn’t sell many of these (1 of 429 according to the seller) so you can’t buy a NEW BMW with a manual in a wagon body today (meh, don’t blame me, I don’t buy any new cars…oh…wait…maybe you can blame me…) but you can find used ones for sale, occasionally. Find this 2007 BMW 328iT Wagon offered for $13,500 in Napa County, CA via craigslist.
I fully acknowledge my love of the BMW 3-series for everyday driven late model cars. And typically, I recommend people search for a used and abused M3 in their price range to get the best bang for the buck because BMW puts so much more love into their ///M models…but…BUT…sometimes the most basic barebones BMW 3-series is the best because who needs all those gadgets and turbos and flappy-paddle-gear-changers and things anyway. All you really need to have fun an a 3-series is a magnesium-alloy engine block and a 6-speed manual gearbox. Find this 2007 BMW 328i offered for $9800 in La Verne, CA via craigslist.
The sixth generation BMW 3-series (F30 sedan, F31 wagon, F36 Gran Turismo sportback hideous monster) was released for the 2011 model year with an inexplicably named 4-series F32 two-door coupe. Compared to the outgoing E90/91/92 3-series the new F30/31/32/33/34/35/36 was faster, more comfortable, longer, and wider…but you’ve got to wonder if the additional electronic gizmos […]
Yeah…I know. You could get an E46 M3 with fewer digits flipped on the odo, and you could get a high mileage STI or Legacy GT Wagon for the same pile of dough…but this car calls to the people who remember when BMW built the best luxury/sport wagons with manual gearboxes on the planet. Those […]
The E36 generation BMW was sold for the 1992 through 1999 model years as BMW’s compact luxury sedan offering in North America. It was heavier than the E30 it replaced, but the E36’s new multi-link rear end was far superior to the semi-trailing arm setup of the E30 — and power was up in the […]