Last year, I replaced my 1999 BMW 323iSE saloon with a 2002 BMW 325i Sport. The 323iSE was a very impressive car, and my first from the marque. It gave me several thousand miles of problem free motoring. It was also surprisingly economical for a 2.5 litre straight 6 cylinder, generally returning an average of 31 miles per gallon. However, the mileage was getting a little high (80,000 miles in 3 years), so I looked again to BMW for its replacement. Originally, I was looking for a 330i, and it was in pursuit of just such a car that I found myself at a local franchise dealer. However, the 2000 330i I had intended to see there had not been prepared, and I was understandably disappointed. It was at this point that the salesman mentioned a low mileage 2002 BMW 325i Sport that he had in stock. Obviously as the car was newer, with a much lower mileage, it was more expensive than their 330i. However, the advantages over the 330i were many - a longer warranty, higher resale value and of course, as it was a 2002 model, it was the later face-lifted car. It also looked gorgeous with its Topaz blue metallic paintwork and high-gloss trim. After a test drive (where the salesman ably demonstrated its performance and extreme handling capabilities), I was sold!

The car also has a combined traction control and stability programme, to keep you out of trouble. The system is a step up from the standard traction control (which merely prevents wheel spin) as it is linked to the ABS system. As a result, it can sense precisely which wheel is losing traction, and apply a braking force to it. It certainly inspires confidence! As the salesman demonstrated, it's exceptionally difficult to push this car beyond its limits.

What about the driving experience? Well, the engine is the same size as the one found in the old 323i (2.5 litre), but in a slightly higher state of tune (193bhp versus 170bhp). It is very well mated to the 5 speed automatic gearbox. The gearing is quite long, and in manual mode (where it will run to the redline if no shift is made), the change from first gear to second occurs at 40mph. Second to third gear occurs at 70mph... The handling is excellent, a result of the firm sports suspension and low ride hight, coupled with the marvellous stability programme. However, on the rough UK roads, it can be a bit uncomfortable at times, and (in comparison with the 323i which sat on 16 inch rims) there is quite a bit of tyre noise on motorways. However, as with most sports cars, there is always some trade off between fine handling and comfort... The car is very quick and pulls like a train. The theoretical top speed is 149mph, though a trip to the Autobahns of Germany would be needed to prove this! The engine sounds absolutely gorgeous too - who needs a CD player??