The mainstay of BMW’s range, two door coupe, four door saloon and 2 door convertible variants can be found, as also is a sporting estate (the Touring) along with a truncated Compact variant.

Performance differs from the modest 1.8 to the stunningly fast M3. All cars have rear wheel drive, and all sorts of offer responsive handling -though to find the best it is essential to specify the activity suspension pack, offered being an option on just about any model.

The M3, obviously, includes handling that’s in altogether higher league than lesser models, hence its high ‘drool factor’. A great compromise may be the sharp and shiny 330i Clubsport Coupe.