Aside from this car's odd choice of leather colour (why choose black which, on even a slightly warm day, can absorb enough heat to barbecue exposed flesh?), it's very hard not to be thoroughly impressed by this latest incarnation of the 330Ci.

Starting at the front, there's the wider kidney grille, re-profiled bumper and triangular lamp clusters. I thought all this looked just fine before, but progress is progress. Under the revised bonnet, which now features what BMW calls a 'raised power dome', resides one of the sweetest sounding, silky-smooth six-cylinder motors to be found under any bonnet, anywhere. There've been no changes here and, with 231bhp and a 155mph potential, none are needed - though the motor is now hooked to a new and suitably slick six-speed manual.

Just a little further along the drivetrain there's Dynamic Stability Control, which now comes as standard. Other than that there are no changes in the cabin, but it's certainly worth mentioning the oh-so-refined operation of the powered hood. No pop studs or recalcitrant clips to skin knuckles; just push the button and it's done for you, beautifully, in both directions.

Moving further rearward, 3-Series buffs will notice a restyled rear apron, a wider boot grab handle and, interestingly, new LED rear lighting with as-yet unhomologated two-stage brake lights - which glow extra brightly under emergency braking. Presumably BMW dealers will inform owners when this has been homologated and indeed activate it as and when.

This is a car which on a warm day simply begs to be belted down to the Côte d'Azur, but sadly other commitments prevent me from filing this report from Cap-Ferrat. Instead I can tell you that it drives and handles lithely and accurately, and that the dreaded scuttle shake is virtually non-existent - even on south London's Third World pavementure. To support this, BMW claims that this convertible is now as stiff as the 1999 3-Series coupe hard-top. Like I said, it's hard not to be impressed.

Tom Stewart

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