Car and Driver made a comparison of some of the most popular premium automobiles and puts to test the entry-level models in the premium compact car class: 2010 BMW 328i facelift, Audi A5 2.0T Quattro, Infiniti G37 and Lexus IS350C.
2010 BMW 328i
<< In our 2007 comparo, the Bimmer prevailed over an Audi by a similar points margin and for the same reasons. We cited a “parley of traditional BMW virtues: classic good looks, superior dynamics, autobahn ride quality, and an exceptional sense of partnership with its driver.” >>
<< So was it written, so is it now. Though there are some differences. For example, at 3820 pounds, that ’07 BMW weighed 105 pounds less than this one and was equipped with a manual transmission, which made it substantially quicker: 6.6 seconds to 60 compared with 7.3 seconds for the current car, the slowpoke of this roundup. >>
<< What does weight add to braking perform ance? Distance. In 2007, our test car stopped from 70 mph in just 155 feet. In this comparison, the best the BMW could manage was 170 feet, although we should add that this number was best in test, recorded at a different venue. However, the tires—Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFTs, 225/40-18 front, 255/35-18 rear—are the same, and the latest car laid down a better skidpad number, 0.89 g versus 0.86, which topped the charts in this case. >>
<< If the Bimmer felt a little sluggish on the Nissan proving ground (altitude: about 1400 feet)—remember, however, that we correct our test results for atmospheric conditions—it was positively suckin’ wind on the high and winding highways west of Prescott. Yet that environment was precisely where the BMW established itself as top sun dog. >>
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