The brand new Audi A4 gets ready to challenge the 3 Series - time to take a detailed look and to compare the two rivals. In June 2001 (No. 22/01), the renowned german car magazine "AutoBild" published its test report of the BMW 330i competing against the new A4 3.0. And guess what: it was a clear triumph for the BMW. The result in detail:

Some quotes from the report:

"The BMW's engine is among the best 6-cylinders currently existing. It is extraordinary responsive on all commands, accelerates extremely smoothly, and provides more than enough power in all situations. BMW has coined the proverbial smoothness of the straight six, and this engine underlines this quality in an impressive way. Audi knows about the principle weakness of V-type engines and has added additional balance shafts. That helps, but it's not enough to reach the perfection of the BMW."

"The BMW demonstrates that safety and sportive and dynamic handling do not exclude one another. It's DSC [BMW's electronic stability program] reacts a little bit later than in the Audi, allows a first sign of drift, and preserves the fun of driving. As one of the few manufacturers not to embrace front-wheel drive, BMW gives you more direct feedback of what is happening between the street and your car's wheels. That also holds for the steering system. Although Audi can call its steering the best among front-wheel drives, it still lacks this direct response found in the BMW. Additionally, the BMW offers the better handling and is clearly the more sportive car."

"The Audi may be the more comfortable family car. However, when it comes to the fun of driving, the 3 Series beats the A4. In this respect, the 330i remains a genuine BMW!"