Last year BMW introduced a new 3.0-L straight six that churns out 225 tire-spinning horsepower, as well as permanent all-wheel drive to help keep all four wheels planted firmly on the ground. While each of these 2001 upgrades were significant, BMW hasn't exactly been idling away their time since. Updates to the 2002 3-Series include exterior styling tweaks to the front and rear fascias and the addition of a 5-door Touring model to the Canadian market, a perfect match for the AWD system.
While the X5 comes to mind when equating BMW and four-wheel drive, it may come as a surprise that BMW has been building 4x4s since 1937. Throughout the years that followed a variety of AWD BMW's surfaced, the most popular being the 325ix from the late 80's. It developed a zealous following due to its nimble handling and superior traction.
Similarly, rear-wheel drive performance and all-wheel traction characterize the new Xi, only this time the drivetrain is much more advanced. The new system favors 62% of power to the rear wheels, leaving 38% to drive those in front. The purpose behind this asymmetric distribution is to reduce torque steer while maintaining BMW's traditionally neutral driving behavior. The result? It feels like a rear-wheel drive car until it begins to loose traction. Only then a faint pull from the car's front literally puts things straight.
Its superb stability became apparent on a set of narrow switchback roads, first in the radar free German high country and more recently traversing the Continental Divide from Alberta to Montana. In each instance the 330Xi performed flawlessly. BMW has dialed in a sufficient dose of understeer to keep things safe, although its rear-wheel power bias feels like it's hanging its tail out in heart pounding oversteer. While entertaining, even the most amateur enthusiast would be hard pressed to toss it sideways. The Xi is the epitome of stability, begging to be pushed harder and harder from one hairpin curve to the next.