This month, courtesy of Brecht BMW, I test drove a BMW 328i 4-door with automatic transmission and a 2-door 328iS with a 5-speed manual transmission. Are these cars fun to test drive, or what? They come with their own rails. They are designed for fast traveling in Europe and eat curvy back roads for breakfast.

    Some manufacturers like to give their cars names: Cavalier, Civic, Corolla, Park Avenue, Taurus, etc. Germans, with the exception of Volkswagen, like numbers and letters. You'll never see a BMW Bimmer, Blast or Bat Out Of. Instead BMW sticks to a series of numbers and letters which it expects consumers to comprehend, or at least, remember. I tried to understand the logic of the BMW numbers, which, starting with the smaller cars should be lower. Sure enough, they are the 300 series, and the next larger size are the 500 series, and the next, the 700 series.

    The smallest and lowest power BMWs are 318s, designating a 1.8 liter engine in the 300 series, except this year it’s a 1.9-liter engine.(Why not rename it a 319i?) The next level of power with 6-cylinder engines is the 328i designating a 2.8 liter engine. The "i" in both cases designates fuel injection. (All cars are fuel injected now, so maybe they don’t need the "i" any more.) When you see an "S" at the end, it means sporty two-door cars and in the larger cars, "L" means long. That wasn’t hard, was it?

    Make no mistake about it, this is a German car. If you didn’t know otherwise, the firm seats, the firm suspension, the relatively spartan interior, the precision engine sounds and the autobahn cruising speeds would give you ample clues.

    These are drivers' cars. If you don’t enjoy driving, try one and learn what you’re missing. If you already enjoy driving, better pack a lunch, you won’t be back for a while. But don’t bother with the freeway. Although absolutely competent on the autobahn, with oodles of power to pass and climb, this car is totally wasted cruising along at 65 or 70 mph. If your automotive needs involve a lot of that sort of driving, save some money by buying one of many competent freeway cars. Don't put a ball and chain on this thoroughbred.

    To immediately understand where the $38,000 you'll spend on a 328 goes, take the car down some curvy roads. The combination of a wonderfully responsive engine, incredibly compliant, but firm suspension, slick 5-speed manual transmission and powerful brakes, invites you to maintain freeway speeds on twisty country roads. Even the optional 4-speed automatic transmission is smoothly responsive to every need, and, if you prefer, can easily be manually shifted. The 5-speed is from heaven; it completes your total control of this car, which is very difficult to upset.

    I was certain Michael Andretti could not have caught me during my test drive in the 5-speed 328iS; I was that good. I could put that car on a dime while cornering at outrageous speeds, the car exuding a confidence and ability to correct my mistakes without the slightest upset. The big 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS are among the best I’ve tried.

    The 190-horsepower, 6-cylinder, overhead camshaft, 24-valve, in-line motor is an absolute sweetheart. Even with the 5-speed, slowing the car down to 30 to 40 mph does not require a downshift; it is unperturbed, sweet and smooth and at your command, ready to zoom you back into orbit. When pushed aggressively, it demonstrates its breeding by emitting a beautiful "Grummmmm," a sound not unlike a cross between growl and hum. There is no more virile music and nothing smoother than a beautifully built in-line 6-cylinder engine, and BMW probably builds the queen of them all. The 4-speed automatic transmission hooked to this engine makes driving a no-brainer.

    The base price of the 4-door 328i is $32,900, but be ready to part with $37,000 to $38,000 to get one with automatic transmission ($975), sunroof ($950), leather upholstery ($1,450), side air bags ($385) and metallic paint ($475). Sport suspension, power seats, alloy wheels, upgraded stereo and on-board computer will add another $3,300. Not an inexpensive small car, but worth every penny if you learn how to enjoy it to the fullest. EPA fuel consumption rates the 328i with manual transmission at 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. With automatic transmission the fuel consumption is estimated at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. Expect about 22 overall with a manual transmission and 20 with automatic. A driver like me could get it down to 14.

    The rear seats are a little cramped, with limited leg and head room, but who would want to be in this car and not drive it.

    In summary, this is a driver's car, par excellence. It has the uncanny ability to stir the race driver in most everyone, and I’m sure it will improve the speeding ticket revenue of any principality.

    Motoring since 1952, Austin Lynas has owned 54 cars and at one time raced mini-sedans in England. An aerospace engineer, he was instrumental in developing the anti-skid systems used in British military aircraft that preceded today’s ABS systems.