BMW 330e: Electric power + powerful performance

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- BMW rightly gets high praise for its electric creations, but for some reason -- at least by my reckoning -- the foreign automaker does not get anything near the respect it deserves for its performance vehicles.

Go figure.  It always seems like Porsche or Mercedes-Benz or even Aston Martin soak up the lion's share of performance car kudos.  Maybe when you've been around for a long time, folks take you for granted.

But in a recent week in the BMW 330e sedan, I savored the opportunity to enjoy BMW's electric and performance engineering.

On the performance side, a 2-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine serves up an enthusiastic 181 horsepower.  Combined with the electric traction motor, the total power output jumps to 288 horsepower, with a max torque rating of 310 foot-pounds.

This creates a pleasant sensation on the move.

The 330e jumped off the line so enthusiastically that it took me a couple of days to master not overdoing it. I was repeatedly tempting a ticket from watchful patrol officers who don't like the idea of seeing a sedan take on the role of a quarter-mile burner.

With the revs up, the tester was likewise muscular.  With just-firm-enough steering adding a feeling of security, I was driving through turns like a sports car racer on a horsepower high. The 330e was particularly strong on uphill runs, and I was impressed by how little I had to ask from my right foot to drive the car upward at an aggressive pace.  Even a near-full song, the ride was smooth and remarkably quiet.

The math for the gas-electric package goes like this: 28 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving and 75 mpg in purely electric mode.

If you need plentiful luxury in your 330e, it's available.  My tester came with five option packages. That included a $2,600 Executive Package with heated front seats/steering wheel, lumbar support and a head-up display.

With all the extras, the tester's price ballooned from the basic $44,550 to $59,645 on the bottom line.  That's a pretty robust number for a small sedan.

And yet, for BMW fans in search of luxury, comfort, sound electric technology and peppy performance, I'm guessing it's a price they will happily pay.

Ford's Explorer rolls on amid increasing competition

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- Stepping into a Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicle is a step into history.

Over 30 years, the Explorer -- despite various ups and downs in the early SUV era -- has been a monster seller for Ford.  And for many automakers, the Explorer was the template they started with to build their initial SUV offerings.

My Explorer ride for a week was the four-wheel-drive, King Ranch edition.  That translates to various western/old-school pickup touches, including distinctive King Ranch stitching inside the cockpit. You feel like a confident westerner just starting it up, and yes, it's reflected in the price -- $59,430 for my ride.

Positives?  Plenty.  Ford freshened the look of its various Explorers for the 2021 model year.  My Explorer looked sleek on 20-inch, 10-spoke aluminum wheels and wearing a twin-panel moonroof.

Interior space was good, but the third row seats might want to be reserved for kids or smaller adults.  The ride was comfortable and quiet.

Performance was exceptional, with a 3-liter EcoBoost V-6 rated at 400 horsepower handling the propulsion chores. The tester jumped enthusiastically from standing starts and was downright frisky in dusting off dicey freeway traffic.

Strong safety ratings were topped off with a max five-star overall score in federal government crash tests.

A long list of standard features was a plus, including some you might not expect in an Explorer ... ambient lighting for example.

So, what's not to like?  Well, some critics have treated the Explorer to brutally negative reviews.  Their biggest gripe appears to be that the Explorer is stuck in time, lacking the flash and dash of the competition.

I'm not sure I buy that argument so much as I admit that the competition has come roaring out of the gate with exceptional vehicles competing in the Explorer's segment.  Loaded competitors include the highly respected Kia Telluride and the head-turning Hyundai Palisade.

Should Ford be indicted for not responding quickly enough to these heavies?  Perhaps in some minds.  With the Explorer hanging around as long as it has, my guess is that Ford will continue to dress up the venerable vehicle to regain market share.

That would not be the first time Ford has gone down that path ... check out the history of the Mustang, for example.  As for now, the Explorer continues to roll on, with what I'd call competent, memorable history on its side.

Compact BMW SUV is big on luxury, performance

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- My friend asked: Family budget aside, would you spend $64,290 on a compact sport-utility vehicle?

My answer, standing next to the 2022 BMW X3 M40i (mine for a week) was: This one has convinced me that, yeah, I believe I just might.

OK, it's a crowded market of small crossover SUVs, and luxury is a relative term.  Happily, BMW is serious about luxury, which made the tested X3 M40i a most attractive player.

Comfortable, finely crafted seats were heated front and rear. A thoughtfully laid out dashboard looked classy and had everything within easy reach. Even seat width could be configured to one's liking.

Beyond luxury, the small touches added to the feeling of BMW-style excellence.  LED lighting all around.  Clever ambient lighting. An adaptive suspension. Throw in park distance control as well.

Bottom line: The vehicle feels special just climbing into it.

On the fly, special gives way to a sharply increased heartbeat.  That's due to the 3-liter, turbocharged, six-cylinder engine rated at 382 horsepower.

This power plant propels the X3 from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds. Performance is so enthusiastic that I stopped driving the tester like an SUV and commenced handling it like a sports car.

And believe me, nothing feels better than dusting off a pesky Camaro in an SUV on a curvy stretch of open road.

This being a BMW, it has the expected suite of top-flight driving-enhancement systems and safety technology.  I sometimes gripe about technology that wants to drive the car for me, but the BMW tech is not annoyingly intrusive.  A definite plus.

The X3 M40i does get a max five-star overall rating from the federal government in crash testing. Fuel economy is 21 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

Sure, there are plentiful compact -- and even midsize -- crossover SUVs out there that can be had for a fraction of the cost of the X3 M40i.  But if you have the means to step up in class and performance, this particular BMW is worth consideration.

This Mustang is a horse of a different color

This review first appeared in the November 2021 edition of the Cruisin' News published out of Folsom, California – mg 

Sacramento, California ­– The Ford Mustang reimagined as a compact crossover sport-utility vehicle.  And an all-electric one at that.

"Blasphemy!," cry those who worship the label identified with the iconic sports coupe for more than 50 years. Frankly, many think that I should be among them, having learned to drive on a 1965 Mustang all those years ago ... and having driven almost every version of the Mustang since then.

But hold your horses.

We live in changing times, and the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD delivered to my driveway deserved its day in court.

After a week of testing, here's my verdict: It's a remarkable vehicle.  Amazing, I say.

For starters, it's the smoothest-driving electric vehicle I've ever handled -- by far.  My tester didn't accelerate as much as glide up the road, smooth as butter.  Like riding on a cloud.  Combined with the silence of the electric powertrain, it's a memorable experience.

The powertrain on the tester -- which included an extended-range battery -- delivered the equivalent of 346 horsepower.  That translated to robust performance both off the line and when Mustang was moving along.  Did this level of performance feel good, even without an accompanying roar from under the hood and from the exhaust pipes?  Yes, it felt wonderful.

With the extended-range battery, the all-wheel drive tester could go an estimated 270 miles on a full charge.  I did not test that to the limit, but given the performance of the vehicle, I had no reason to doubt it.  As is my habit with all EVs I test, my eyes stayed glued to the mileage-remaining number, but I was completely at ease otherwise.

For the record, the fuel mileage equivalent is 90 miles per gallon in combined city-highway driveway.

Beyond performance, the spacious SUV interior will be a welcome perk for Ford fans who love the Mustang but also want utility and cargo-carrying options.  Interior seating space promoted comfort.

My tester was loaded with state-of-the-art safety, comfort and convenience features.  Standard fare included rain-sensing wipers, a wireless charging pad and eye-pleasing ambient lighting.

I would have preferred a floor shifter to the rotary gear shift dial, but you can't have everything.

Let me tell you: It looks good.  There's enough Mustang DNA in the body to tell you what it is at first glance ... if you didn't immediately get a clue with the galloping horse logos front and rear.  A rear spoiler added to the sporty look.

My ride drew as much attention as any test vehicle I've driven of late.  Passing motorists would back up and ask, "Wow, is that really a Mustang?"

Yes, it is.  And my tester could be had for the fairly hefty sticker price of $56,200.

Kudos to Ford for transforming a venerable model into a modern transporter with style, sporty looks and soul.