While I truly love my E46 (2000-2005 design) I am going to get one of these in a couple of years. You really must look at it in person to get the full effect, pictures don't do it service. But what really sold me was DRIVING one. All of the previous model's handling attributes remain intact, and that is considering the sport model comes with 18" runflats. I also thought active steering was just a technological geegaw til I drove it back to back with an E90 (current car) without it. Makes quite a difference without adding any numbness or disconnection. I'll be checking the box for that option.
Fortunately, it is offered without the goofy i-Drive, which is also how I will order my car. Even though this generation is much better than the first offerings, it still lacks intuitiveness and just complicates simple tasks. Also the momentary stalk for the turn-signal is plain dumb. And not to mention NO oil dipstick. Still, I like it. Incidently, Chris Bangle did not pen the new design. A Japenese born, American educated Senior Designer from BMW's Munich design studio by the name of Joji Nagashima did the conceptional drawing. It made it past Design Board directors Bangle and Adrian van Hooydonk relatively intact. Even Bangle knew not to mess with the bread and butter car too much.