Is a BMW all about the drive or about the premium features? To me, it should be up to the one buying the car. Back in the day, you could buy a raw 2-litre manual-equipped E34 5 Series, or 2.5-litre with a 4-speed automatic. Both drive well, but they’re for two kinds of customers. Today all you get is what’s offered. And often that includes an off-balanced, overly complicated plug-in hybrid car.
Ah well, it’s more of a localised problem, partly due to how few Malaysians know how to drive manuals in the first place.
In Europe, it’s not uncommon to see current gen 3-Series models in barebones-spec.
16” unflashy rims, halogen reflector headlights, and fabric seats.
But if most important of all – a manual gearbox. What else do you need out of the Ultimate Driving Machine?
