I test drove back-to-back a 325i and a 330i. I'd like to share some thoughts:

325i: Arctic, Sports Package, manual transmission, black leatherette, silver trim
330i: Ti Silver, Sports+Premium Packages, manual transmission, black leather, light wood.

The drive consisted of a regular street with some lights, a section of a freeway with horizontal and vertical curves, and a special windy road section with tight curves on a vertical slope. The respectful salesman gave me the keys to the cars to drive alone. I drove the 325i first.

On the regular street, I could feel the low end torque advantage of the 330i. It made it easier to accelerate fast (not from still) and change lanes faster. However, starting from a stand still, I could really feel the additional weight of the 330. There was this hesitation to move that was not there in the 325. Even though that could be attributed to the clutch I really thought about the extra weight.

On the freeway, both cars were superb. The 330 engine is of course a little more flexible but the 325 was not far behind. I could totally get used to it and not feel the difference. The heavier weight of the 330 here gave it some advantage I think. I could feel that around 80 mph with a cross wind on some curves. The 325 felt lighter with just a little more need for attention to control. The difference in wheels could have contributed to that small difference too.

On the tight curvy windy road, both cars were great. Very little roll and confident control even with the DSP off (not recommended unless you know your limits). There was a section in repair with bad pavement and lots of metal plates, the suspension on both cars felt totally in control and amazing absorption of the irregularity. But overall I could also feel the run flat tire hardness and even though this is not bad I think the car would feel even better with non-runflat tires.

Other thoughts: The black leatherette in the 325i wasn't bad at all with the silver trim. The leather in the 330 was better of course, smoother and better stitching pattern that makes the interior look more elegant. But I would get leatherette totally happy if I'm on a budget.

That's it! Thank you...