Reviews

BMW’s best-selling model was all-new in 1999. The 323i and 328i sedans are joined by the new 323Ci and 328Ci coupes. All 323 models feature a 2.5-liter 170-horsepower in-line six, while 328 models get a 2.8-liter 193-horsepower in-line six.

In the BMW family, the middle child is the 5-Series, a car considered by many to be the dynamic benchmark in its segment. The BMW Motorsport-massaged M5 joins the lineup for 2000. It’s powered by a 400-horsepower 5.0-liter V-8. The M5 joins the 282-horsepower 4.4-liter V-8-powered 540i and 193-horsepower in-line six 528i. The 540i and 528i are both available with manual or automatic transmissions in touring (wagon) and sedan models.

The largest cars in BMW’s lineup, the 740i, 740iL, and 750iL are relatively unchanged for 2000. The 740iL and 750iL Protection are added to the U.S. lineup. They offer bullet-resistant glass, run-flat tires, and armoring capable of stopping a bullet from a .44 Magnum. 740 models are powered by a 282-horsepower 4.4-liter V-8, while the 750iL is motivated by a 5.4-liter 326-horsepower V-12.

This is a sport-utility vehicle, BMW style. Expect the usual stellar BMW driving dynamics mated with the passenger and towing capacity of a sport-utility vehicle. The X5 will be offered with a 4.4-liter V-8 when it hits showrooms "by the end of the year," according to BMW. Production of six-cylinder-powered X5s will begin shortly thereafter in calendar-year 2000. The V-8 will be mated exclusively to an automatic transmission, while the six will be available with a manual as well as an automatic transmission.

Spartanburg, South Carolina, is the home of the facility that makes BMW’s Z3 lineup. That includes the Z3 2.3 and 2.8 roadsters, powered by a 2.5-liter 170-horsepower in-line six and a 2.8-liter 193-horsepower in-line six, respectively, and the Z3 Coupe 2.8, powered by the same engine as the 2.8 roadster. The M coupe and M roadster versions of the Z3 have a 240-horsepower 3.2-liter in-line six under their hoods. For 2000, the roadsters get restyled taillights and new, more muscular rear fenders.