Closer to Munich, the autobahn is fairly busy, yet the traffic flows well due to the excellent road manners of German drivers (read 'stay to the right unless passing'). Although there is a strong cross wind, the BMW 330Ci is extremely stable at speed. It's one thing to test such a capable vehicle on home soil, but driving a well-sorted premium machine at autobahn speeds is truly something that any red-blooded auto enthusiast must experience (BTW: BMW offers a European delivery service to new owners within certain jurisdictions).
The coupe is more than capable of maintaining speeds of well over 200km/h, and stretching its legs to 220 or 230 only requires the desire to do so. With a clear stretch of pavement before us, and no highway trucks, buses or micro-commuter cars anywhere in sight, the 330Ci pegged its top speed - a rev-limited 155 mph (250 km/h).
The new engine, mated to an already capable chassis, is a real jewel. The numbers speak for themselves. With 231 horsepower on tap (225 for North America) and 221 lb ft of torque available from as low as 1500 rpm, it has more than enough power to get the job done. Yet, the numbers aren't the whole story.
BMW has a long heritage of building sport sedans and coupes. Part of that legacy has been their adherence to the perfectly balanced inline six-cylinder engine. Other manufacturers have developed superb V6's, and use masterful engineering, in the way of balance shafts, to even out the inherent rough spots. The straight six, on the other hand, needs no balancing. Its general genetic make-up is one of near perfect balance.