SHORE

INTRODUCED in Aprit of 2000, the new BMW 323Ci Cabriolet shares the new 3-
Series bodystyie first introduced in 1998, and offers a fuily-automatic convertible
top, four passenger capacity, a 170-horsepower 2.5-litre inline six-cylinder engine,
a standard five-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed Steptronic
automatic transmission. Base price is $51,500. Test drive the 323Ci Cabriolet at

Parkshore BMW, 1500 Marine Dr., North Vancouver.

BMW 3-Series sedans
were redesigned in the
fall of 1998 and 3-
Series Coupes in the
spring of 1999, but the
new 323Ci Cabriolet
was a relative late-
comer, making it to our
shores in April of
2000.

The new 3-Series convertible mode] shares the coupe’s
front-end styling up to the windshield pillars, and has the same
basic suspension and interior design as the 3-Series coupes and
sedans. It retains the current 170-horsepower, 2.5-litre inline
six-cylinder engine, but for 2001, three new inline six-cylinder
engines will be offered, a 2.2-litre, 2.5-litre, and 3.0-titre.

Like previous 3-Series convertibles, the new 323Ci is pricey
($51,500) when compared with 3-Series sedans and coupes,
but it remains one of the best-looking, best-handling four-p:
senger convertibles on the market — and is the only car in its
class with aa inline six-cylinder engine, a configuration pre
ferred by traditional BMW buyers for its smoothness and low-
end torque.

Sporty styling
From the front bumper to the A-pillar, the new 323Ci is

NEWS phota Peut McGrath

identical to the 3-Senes Coupe. From the A-pillar back, the
323Ci has a more horizontal waistline and a flauer trunk lid
than the coupe — and a third brake light is integrated in the
trunk lid. Standard 16-inch tires and alloy wheels, flared fend-
ers, and lower rocker panels give the 323Ci a sporty, race-bred
look,

Compared to the last generation 3-Series convertible, the
new model has a shorter front overhang, a wider stance, a
longer wheelbase, different-shaped headlight covers, a revised
hood design, revised kidney-shaped grilles, and new taillights.
Still, it’s easy to tell that this is the next-generation 3-Series
Cabriolet.

Integrated front seat belts

The 323Ci is the first 3-Series model with seat belts inte-
grated inte the front seats. Integrated seat belts are more com-
fortable than standard shoulder belts because they move with
the seats and wrap easily over the shoulder — and they don’t
interfere with rear passengers climbing in and out of the back
seat.

To enter the rear seat, the 323Ci has an “easy entry” power
button which moves the front seats forward at wice the nor-
mal speed. With the seatbacks returned to their normal posi-
tion, the seats ceturn te: the original position.

My test car had a black interior with horizontal aluminum
trim which extended across the dash and onto the door arm-
rests, and on the centre console. The sporty aluminum trim
adds a necessary contrast to the rather monotone dashboard.

rn)

NEWS AUTOMOTIVE GUIDE

“Compared to the iast generation 3-Series convertible, the new model bas a short-
er front overhang, a wider stance, a longer wheelbase, different-shaped headlight.
covers, a revised hood design, revised kidney-shaped grilles, and new taillights.
But it’s easy to tell that this is the next-generation 3-Sevies Cabriolet.?... 05 2

‘The well-bolstered feather and fabric-covered, heated seats in
my test car offered great support and comfort while the tvo
rear bucket seats with a centre armrest werd also more com-
fortable than typical convertible or coupe back seats.

Front and back seats have adequate headroom and legroom
when the top is up, and all four seats have three-point seatbelts
and adjustable head restraints.

The 323Ci’s simple round instruments are backlit in an
aggressive red colour at night. The instruments consist of a
tachometer, speedometer, an analogue instant fuel economy
readout, and a digital outside teniperature readout. It’s inter-
esting to watch the instant fuel economy gauge — when accel-
erating, the car uses huge amounts of fuel, but when cruising,
it uses virtually nothing.

The AM/FM/cassette/CD player in my test car offered
excellent sound, seek and scan functions, but didn't have a
tune function. My experience is that even the best radio's seek
and sean devices won't pickup radio stations with moderately-
weak signals. The only way to find that obscure jazz station
you really like is to manually tune the dial.

The 323Ci features automatic climate control: the driver
sets the temperature and lets the system do the rest. Like other
BMWs, the power window buttons are focated in the centre
console area, not on the armrests.

Cupholder technology on German cars has come a long
way, but it’s still not quite up to par. At the rear of the centre

See 3-Series page 44

a end