|
The base price of this xDrive 330i is $42,250. That's almost exact the same price the A4 Quattro and the C300 4Matic are. Most importantly, I believe that's almost exactly the same price the outgoing F30 330 xi was.
This car is pretty much fully loaded. Fully loaded cars have always been a bad deal and this one is no exception. It's no more expensive than an F30 similarly equipped.
Also, while I'm partial to straight sixes, the B48 is a fine motor. It's exceptionally smooth for a 4 banger and it has plenty of power. It definitely is faster than the last N/A straight six BMW put in the 3 series. I feel like even if BMW put in a 500hp I-4 engine into the 330i, people would still be complaining that it's not a straight six and say it's overpriced.
It's fine to prefer the smoothness and sound of the N55 or B58, but it's not fair to say a car is overpriced simply because it has four cylinder instead of six without any regard to how much actual power is making. No matter how it's done, power is power. It's really not that much cheaper to use a 4 cylinder vs a 6 cylinder. Everything in the drive line has to support the power and torque of the motor like the driveshaft, diff, halfshafts, wheels, tires, brakes, etc. You also are making more power per cylinder/liter. You're just paying slightly less for a smaller block and fewer engine components. With the benefit of slightly less weight, better balance, and cheaper maintenance.
|