ipse dixit

It seems like it would make more sense to put the night vision in the HUD like Caddilac had it. It would be to difficult to look to the screen when driving at night.
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No kidding. What's supposed to be a safety feature can actually be more dangerous. Looking down and to the right (or left if you're in the UK) while driving at night?!!

joebel

comfort access is the option that allows you to open/lock doors as well as use the push/start WITHOUT using any key type device. All you need to do is have the 'key' in your pocket (within a range)

the keyless push/start is just a key type device that you still need to put in the steering column in order to start the car, as well as use to open and lock doors

i think your dealer is incorrect on this, and this does speak to the possible move up market in price more than what we saw between the 745 and 750..

all E60s will have the option of comfort access, if it is standard in the 550i, then you are talking about another $500-$750 built into the base to make up for this cost, so if you add this to the base, along with the new engine and a few more of the other upgrades we have seen, i can easily see them charging 2-3k base more here in the US, making plenty of room for a possible 540i...

if your dealer is quoting you less than 1K increase in canadian dollars, i would get it in writing, and ask him what happens if he is off by a couple of thousands....
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I'm familiar with the Comfort Access option and the combo of new key plus start/stop button. The options page for new 5 clearly shows that all three engines have 'start/stop button'. However, only the 550 is listed as having 'comfort start' standard. The other two don't offer it as option.

So, knowing what the key+button do and knowing what comfort access is, what is comfort start?

UUronL

Actually, if you read it closely, the "High Beam Assist" is the only one out of the two options that will be available in the 5, 6 and 7. The press release indicated only the 7 will have the Night Vision option in Fall 2005.

UUronL

Is this a common assessment of the new engines? I don't have that much seat time in the e90, but the e90 325i had some decent pep and would at least be comparable to the e46 330 in my eyes.

Haven't looked into in awhile, but a I believe the e90 325 actually has a detuned 3.0L
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If you want more than subjective analysis, reference Car and Driver's numbers...


2006 330i Sport 6spd manual

0-60 5.6 seconds
1/4 mile 14.3 seconds @ 98mph
5-60 6.0 seconds


2004 330i with Performance Package

0-60 5.6 seconds
1/4 mile 14.3 seconds @ 97mph
5-60 6.4 seconds



As you can see, the new car matches the special "Performance Package", which was the pinnacle of performance in the non-M segment for the E46. It even does quite a bit better in the 5-60 mph "street start".


And before we cry foul due to lack of an increase, the last G35 Car and Driver tested produced the following feeble stats:

0-60 6.3 seconds
1/4 mile 14.6 seconds


I think they had a 6MT at one point that turned in a 5.9 second 0-60.


I wish someone would just test the 5 with the new engines so we could stop talking about the 3 series...