We looked up-market this week, at the BMW 128i and 328i convertibles. Both cars are coupes with reasonably large back seats, and I think they are about the same price. The 328i has a convertible hard-top, and even less room in the trunk with it down than the Chrysler 200. The 128i has a soft-top, and the trunk is effectively rather larger.

I drove the 128i, and I have to say I liked it a lot. The interior is lovely, the seats are comfortable, it has lots of power, and it handles like a dream. The ride is smooth, and the feel is exactly what I’m looking for: you press the accelerator, and it goes, smoothly and powerfully, without making a big deal out of it. It’s got an automated manual shifter, like most of the cars I’ve driven, but no paddle shifters on the steering column; if you want to drive it in manual mode, you have to use the shift lever.

Of the cars I’ve driven so far, I liked this one the most. It’s fun, it’s powerful, and I like the overall feel of the car. It has only a few defects:

• The gas mileage is nothing special, 18 city and 27 highway, which is similar to the other cars I’ve driven so far.
• The center console doesn’t poke my knee the way the console in the Chrysler 200 does, but it is a little wide; my knees were pushed a little further to the left then I thought comfortable.
• It’s a lot more expensive than the Chrysler or the Mustang, and comparable to the Nissan 370Z.
• According to the salesman (who was pleasant and helpful) it comes only in black, white, and silver.

That last point is interesting. I was watching the cars on the road on the way home, and it appears that most new cars are black, white, or silver. I saw a few that were a muted metallic green, and occasionally a bright red, but the vast majority were gray-scale. This may be why the Mini Cooper appeals to me: you can get it in bright colors.

Anyway, the current ranking is as follows:

1. BMW 128i
2. Nissan 370 Z
3. Chrysler 200 Convertible
4. Ford Mustang