So what is it about BMWs that always leaves us drooling all over our notebooks? Does that silly little badge on the hood blind us to their faults, or is there really something to these Bavarian beauties that earns them their near universal praise?

In the introduction, we made it clear that judging the merits of these cars involves more than just comparing their track times and feature lists, although the BMW stacks up favorably in both. The winner of this test would be the car that not only looked good on paper, but the car that elicits such a response from its drivers that even a trip to the grocery store is an anticipated event.

The 330Ci Coupe is that car.

Its almost 20-point margin of victory just about says it all. In the personal picks category, the one that asks which car would we buy given the choice of any of the four, the BMW won hands down. Then consider this: There's a completely subjective category of our evaluation listed as "fun to drive." No reasoning necessary. Just a seat-of-the-pants observation that asks, "Does this car make you feel good when you're driving it?"

The BMW? Perfect "10s" across the board.

What does it take to earn scores like that?

Start with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that's so smooth and quiet you begin to wonder if it's even attached to the car. With 225 horsepower and 214 ft-lbs. of torque, it ranked dead last in the numbers game, yet it still managed to give the muscle-bound Mercedes a run for its money at the track. It emits the pleasing sound of German precision without being overly boisterous. Load it up with four passengers, and the engine still pulls quickly to redline with little apparent effort.

The heavenly powerplant was mated to an equally blissful five-speed manual gearbox. Every gear is easy to find, and every engagement positive and smooth. If the driveline has a fault, it's surely the limp clutch. You wonder if Toyota gave them a deal on some Solara units the way this thing engages with a whimper.

Like the Mercedes, the BMW's suspension thinks mountains first, mall second. All coupes come standard with a stiffer sport setup, our test car benefiting from the addition of the optional double-spoke sport wheels and 225/45R17 performance tires. The chassis is so perfectly balanced that even a miscalculated stab of the brake or turn of the wheel at the wrong time won't make the car uncontrollable. Of course, should you manage to surpass the car's awesome capabilities, the standard Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) will be on hand to nudge you ever so gently back into the realm of safety.

When it came to brakes, no other car in the test could match the BMW in terms of pedal feel and fade-free performance. They may not have turned in the shortest distances at the track, but out on the road their progressive action and powerful feel give you the confidence to enter a corner just a little bit faster than you would in the Mercedes.

Steering is another area where the BMW reigned supreme. Although this feature is frequently rattled in the press for its new softer and gentler weighting, once we got used to the new level of power assist, feel was perfection as usual. Sure, if you get out of last year's model and dive right into a 2001 you might be disappointed, but any amount of haranguing aimed at the new steering box is tantamount to senseless nitpicking by jaded journalists.

Even if you're not the type that seeks out the long way from point A to point B, the BMW still provides a serene driving experience that can be appreciated as much on Wilshire Boulevard as it is on your favorite back road hideout. The same suspension that provides unfailing grip through the turns manages to remain compliant and livable on imperfect city streets. If cruising comfort is your top priority, ditch the sport wheels and tires or even go for the more softly sprung sedan instead; you'll never miss the extra handling ability.

In typical German fashion, the BMW's interior reeks of high-tech design, with aluminum inserts and beautifully blended colors highlighting the already handsome interior. If you have seen one BMW interior, you can safely say that you've seen them all. Fortunately, their commonality results from BMW's confidence that their overall design is the most aesthetic and functional use of the space available. We agree, sort of.

There's no doubt that BMW's gauge cluster is the best in the business. It hasn't changed in 20 years and no one is complaining. Big speedo, big tach, fuel, temperature -- what more do you need? Sure the temperature gauge could use numbers and an oil pressure gauge might help too, but with all those computers under the hood keeping watch, who needs details?

The tilt/telescoping steering wheel is another beautifully designed piece that feels great in your hands and provides satellite controls for both the cruise control system and the radio. Figuring out the multitude of buttons takes some time, but once you master their functions, you'll wonder how you ever got along without them.

The center stack correctly places the radio up high to allow for the constant attention it typically receives, and although we're not the biggest fans of the climate control system, we're slowly beginning to get the hang of BMW's vague controls. It's not really fully automatic, it doesn't have dual temperature zones, and an "off" button is conspicuously absent -- keep working on it boys, you'll get it right soon enough.

The seats were the best of the test, with their 10-way adjustment making a comfortable position easy to find. Stiff side bolstering kept us in place during spirited maneuvers, but we all yearned for a separate lumbar control. The biggest shortcoming when it came to the seats was the poor-quality leather that cost an extra $1,450 on the order sheet. Our recommendation? Save yourself the cash, because the standard leatherette upholstery is just as comfortable and equally as attractive.

Rear seat accommodations were noticeably cramped with knees touching seatbacks and toes regulated to the space under the seats. Its backrest angle was nicely raked, making the rear seat feel more spacious that it really was, but side bolstering was largely absent. The power rear window vents allowed for plenty of fresh air, but placing the switches for them up front subjects rear passengers to the whims of the driver.

Storage space was limited throughout, with no center console storage and small door compartments. With only 9.5 cubic feet of trunk space, you better pack light, but it was the only car to feature folding rear seats for access to the trunk rather than just a small pass-through hole.

So there you have it, a clear-cut winner. A car so strong that it left three very capable competitors wondering what hit them. If you're looking for a coupe that can deliver supreme performance, a beautifully crafted and designed interior, and a driving experience with few equals on the planet, look no further than BMW's 330Ci Coupe.

Second Opinions

Editor-in-Chief Chris Wardlaw says: No surprise, but this is the one I'd buy, equipped pretty much the way our test car was but without the ridiculously expensive leather ($1,450). We actually had to look at this car's spec sheet to see if it was the real stuff or the basic leatherette that comes standard. "Fluid" describes the BMW driving experience, with the exception of the recalcitrant clutch. Steering, brakes, suspension, gearbox, power delivery -- all fluid in the way they go about their business. The car becomes an extension of the driver as it zooms from apex to apex, and in town it performs competently as a comfortable cruiser, able to squirt through traffic and soak up most roadway irregularities while providing a silent, isolated cabin atmosphere. There's just one hitch. Comparably equipped the Bimmer runs about $10,000 more than the Acura. Hey, there's always the 325Ci to use as your foundation, a fine automobile in its own right.

Associate Editor Erin Mahoney says: I hate to be so predictable, but I just can't help but gush over this piece of machinery. Blame BMW for their damned consistency. The 330 was by far the most fun to drive, newly lightened steering notwithstanding. Unlike the Acura, the BMW feels compact and nimble, tight and solid without being heavy. Performance in the canyons was sublime, although the brakes began to squeal after awhile.

Associate Editor Liz Kim says: I hate to quote commercial jingles, but the ad folks really coined the perfect phrase -- it really is the ultimate driving machine. The combination of a chassis with near-perfect balance, hefty but precise controls, and utterly blissful engine, whose smooth power delivery invokes the effect of a bourbon ball ingested on a half-full stomach -- it goes down smooth but packs a heckuva wallop -- really makes this vehicle stand out over and above all others. The progenitor of the luxury sport coupe niche is still the reigning king.