Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: £21,525 to £38,060
Usual superb level of build quality. Entertaining handling and excellent six-cylinder engines; 330 Ci is great fun to drive and the 330d is unrivalled in this class.
Restrained styling blunts its sporting edge, as does the steering feel and the body's weight; some slightly cheap-looking interior trim; fiddly (optional) SSG gearbox.
A little less sporty than its predecessor, but even more of a quality object. Still highly desirable, and the default-option choice for keen drivers in this sector - these cars are popular for good reason.
Most coupes trade space and practicality for looks and performance, but the 3-Series manages to combine both - which is why it is one of the most popular. This version, part of the E46-series family, built on the success of the previous range and gained in both quality and refinement. Despite appearances, none of the external body panels are shared with the saloon.
A round of engine revamps in 2000 meant the range began with the four-cylinder 318 Ci, but the smooth straight-sixes are a 320i (with 2.2, not 2.0, litres) a 325 Ci and a muscular 330 Ci, and the star of the range is the real-world M3 - the wonderfully torquey diesel 330Cd coupe.
