Ran across this little gem of an articles highlighting some critically acclaimed BMW’s over the years that were not quite as fast or flashy as their M-counterparts, but potentially even more desirable for “other” reasons:
BMW did not bring the monster 6-pot twin-turbo 3.0l diesel to the U.S in the 3-series after phasing out the e90 chassis, opting instead for a 4 cylinder single-turbo in the U.S. F30. That makes my 2011 335D one of the last of the greatest diesel cars to ever hit the streets in this country. Many pundits still argue to this day the merits of the F30 chassis over the previous design. I can attest to their concerns after driving both, and they are completely different cars, with the E90’s hydraulic steering, overall smaller size and tighter suspension easily trumping the new models in every performance handling category. Add in the phenomenal powerplant and it is truly a rare and exciting car, the likes of which will likely never be seen again on a showroom floor in this country.