There's something comforting about givens. Much like a mother's love, sunshine after a rainstorm and Joan Rivers' making a mockery of herself at the Academy Awards pre-show, when you prognosticate that an event will occur and it actually does, you feel that God's in his heaven and all's right with the world.

So it is with the BMW 330Ci winning our Luxury Convertibles Under $55,000 test. With a victorious stampede in every category except for price, the BMW emerged triumphant; with a full 18.3 points distancing the first place finisher from the second place, it was one of the most decisive battles ever won in a comparison test at Edmunds.com.

What could promote this much spittle-spraying enthusiasm from otherwise staid journalists? When all is said and done, it's the entire package, an artful meld of power, refinement and luxurious touches all wrapped up in gorgeous sheetmetal.

Let's begin with a discussion about the engine. We've been raving about the creamy perfection of the 3.0-liter single-banked six, though, with an output of 225 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque, it was the weakest powerplant in this field of four. Yet this engine managed to propel the 3,616-pound machine from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, the fastest of the four. About the only thing we can fault is the relative lack of torque, which necessitated frequent downshifting in order to zoom out of corners at the desired speed. Its quarter-mile time of 15.2 seconds is on par with or ahead of its competition, all of which were propelled by greater amounts of power.

Greatly aiding our test car's engine is the five-speed manual transmission. Our editors praised the silky, fluid action of the shifter, with clean engagement of gears. Clutch action left a little more to be desired; with a high engagement point and less-than-perfect modulation, it asked for a little more pedal dexterity than is normally required.

The BMW's easily modulated brakes were far superior to its competition's, stopping the vehicle in 110 feet from 60 mph. The four-wheel discs with ABS are supplemented by electronic brake force distribution and dynamic brake control, and the 330Ci was the only car of the four with a stability control system. Speaking of safety, the BMW was at the top of its class, with rollover bars placed within the front seats and that deploy in 0.03 seconds to protect occupants. The Volvo is the only other vehicle to provide this important feature. And in addition to the door-mounted side airbags for front passengers, you can opt to protect your rear seaters with side airbags as well.

Equipped with the Sport package, our Bimmer was able to handle twisty curves with the greatest of ease. By some force of magic, those Bavarian engineers were able to dial in the perfect combination of suppleness to make this rear-wheel driver comfortable while cruising, without giving up any pure handling ability. All this with a set of mundane MacPherson struts up front — simply amazing. The performance Michelin Pilot Sport 225/40ZR18s up front and fatter 255/35ZR18s for the rear provided massive amounts of grip and plenty of warning when their limits were being approached. Cowl shake was nonexistent in this stout structure; according to BMW literature, you can place another fully loaded 3 Series on top of the windshield header and A-pillars without any ill effect on the car. BMW's perfectly symmetrical, communicative steering earned its usual kudos, described with such words as telepathic and extrasensory, although one editor felt that it wasn't quite restored to the levels of before the "let's-lighten-it-up-to-pander-to-the-lowest-common-denominator" debacle of 2001.

Inside, we found typical Teutonic austerity in its interior design: Clean, uncluttered lines continue through the flow of the dash, with only an aluminum strip to break up the monotony of the black interior. Typical of BMWs, all the plastics have a nice matte finish. We were never fans of BMW leather, since its leatherette is suitably pleasing, but the convertible comes standard with leather trim. As with the other vehicles, the climate control is automatic but it lacks dual-zone capability. Our tester came with heated seats as part of a Cold Weather package, whereas the Swedish vehicles offer them as standard equipment. Unfortunately, there is no in-dash CD changer on the options list.

Front seats lacked the cushiness of the Volvo's or the Saab's, but they were better suited to the more sporting nature of the BMW, with aggressive side and lateral bolstering. Aside from the usual controls, the 330Ci also has a pull-out thigh supporter that always wins praise. In addition, the steering wheel tilts and telescopes to assist one in finding the best driving position.

The BMW's rear seats offer the least amount of room compared to the Saab or the Volvo, with 32 inches of legroom, yet it's not a horrible proposition to put someone back there. A decent amount of space separates the knee from the front seatback, if the front riders don't push the seat rearward all the way. Trunk room is the least capacious of the four-seaters, with 7.7 cubic feet. Top operation earned the best marks of the four, requiring just a push of a button and only 25 seconds for it to go up and down, including the windows. A one-touch master button controls all four windows.

The Ford Thunderbird won top marks for exterior design for its flamboyance, but the 330Ci was only a tenth of a point behind, with its clean, sleek lines that define every angle. The optional 18-inch wheels added to its forceful appearance. The only criticism was of the chrome trim around the front air intakes, which some editors thought cheapened the look, but overall, its appeal is undeniable.

For all of this, you need to cough up a good chunk of cash. We've usually found price to be BMW's Achilles' heel, almost always hurting its value equation. Not so in this test. While it couldn't beat the Ford Thunderbird's non-premium-badge dollar advantage, this well-equipped model, which included the bi-xenon headlamp option that provided amazing illumination, came in well under the Volvo and only cost 50 dollars more than the Saab. Of course, its options list is much longer than the other cars', with an available navigation system, park distance control, a tire monitoring system, real wood trim and a hardtop option for more comfortable motoring during cold months. But we like the BMW even in its unadorned state, since luxury is baked right in. As you can see from our Top 10 Features list, most of its features are standard.

In the end, the BMW was the near-perfect blend of sport and luxury. We knew we had a winner before we finished crunching the numbers; adding up the tally only confirmed our suspicions. Succinctly put, this is the best car in its class. The measure of a desirable car, the one that you want instead of need, the one that you drool after, is the one that makes you want to take the long way home. If you opt for the BMW 330Ci, make sure you have a cell phone to tell the boss that you'll be in a little late.

SECOND OPINIONS:

Road Test Editor John DiPietro says:
I almost wish it weren't true. That is, the BMW's being my top pick. I feel like a Lakers fan, constantly talking up the strengths of the number one team. In this case, those strengths are impressive structural integrity, a ripping inline six that sounds happy when you take it to redline again and again, an utterly composed chassis, communicative steering and an ideal amount of resistance to all the controls, be they the brakes or the turn signal stalk. And not only does the 330 possess sports car-level handling and reflexes, it takes no time at all to get comfortable in this car. The multi-adjustable seat, simple gauges and easy-to-judge body mean that you'll be able to fully enjoy this car's entertaining personality in no time at all.

Road Test Editor Erin Riches says:
If there is a serious void in your life that needs filling, this is the convertible for you. I'm not the happiest of people, but after a trip down California's Highway 33 through the Los Padres National Forest, I felt unusually enlivened by the machinery surrounding me and the cool wind tangling my hair. The 330Ci's suspension, steering and brakes forge an incredible "symbiotic" relationship with the driver, and indeed, I felt that I knew just when to brake, steer and give it throttle in order to maintain superb balance around tight turns. On the few occasions that my driving ability gave out, DSC politely intervened and realigned the tail so that I could continue on. Even if strenuous driving isn't your thing, consider that the 330 handles well, rides comfortably and comes with elegant cabin attire. And for the moment, it's even priced competitively — the aged Swedish front-drivers in this test have asking prices in the high 40s. This leaves you only one choice — dump the options if you must, but get the BMW.

Senior Editor Christian Wardlaw says:
Certainly, the BMW seemed the obvious winner of this group of convertibles, even when the Mercedes-Benz CLK320 was still in contention. Skeptics immune to the charms of the fine automobiles that wear a blue-and-white propeller on their hoods might even think we purposely stacked the deck in favor of the Bavarian ragtop to ensure a decisive win. They would be wrong. This comparison test was run simultaneously with another that featured substantially more expensive vehicles such as the redesigned 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 and the legendary Porsche 911. What those skeptics may find difficult to swallow is that, had the 330Ci been pitted against vehicles that cost twice its price, it still would have had a shot at taking the top slot; more so had we obtained the M3 version. Yes, the 330Ci is that good. In my opinion, when balancing luxury, performance, comfort and value, the BMW was the best of the eight vehicles we drove in central California for a week. It is immensely entertaining to drive, it is constructed of high-quality materials, it holds four adults in comfort, and it costs half what a well-equipped SL500 does. With the savings over the Benz, you could easily buy a 5 Series wagon for family-toting duties.

Stereo Evaluation - 2002 BMW 330Ci Convertible