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It was red, a really red BMW 328is, a drop-dead gorgeous coupe that looked ready to bite.

If your ego requires an attention getter, grab on to one of these. This is a car that people check out, and envy, too. It looks fast and sporting, but that’s not the best part. The best part is that it delivers.

The 328is is the real deal, maybe not as frenetic as the tweaked M3 based on the same 3-series coupe, but it is fine enough that after a quick run along a mountain road, you find yourself chanting: “I’m not worthy. . . .”

It’s also a bad boy that requires tons of self-control and frequent glances at the speedometer to make sure you haven’t gone ballistic, even by Montana standards.

Yes, I liked it.

I liked it even though it was way too showy for my modest self and was visually compromised by a New Jersey license plate. Nothing like driving into Prescott in a red BMW with a Jersey plate to register some genuinely negative vibes from the assembled cowboys and bikers.

Durn yuppie.

The 328 is the descendant of the 325, and its nomenclature actually makes sense. The in-line six-cylinder engine has been boosted from 2.5 liters (as in 325) to 2.8 liters (328, natch).

The horsepower gain is minuscule, just a single pony, but the torque is up an impressive 26 pound-feet delivered at a lower engine speed, pumping up the 328 with an obvious gain in muscle power. Acceleration is strong in every gear, hill climbing is effortless, and every push on the gas pedal is met with sparkling response.

Power is transmitted through the rear wheels, as traditional for BMW as its kidney-shapegrill.

And because it is a BMW, its suspension geometry, steering response and overall balance are right on. Handling is tight and poised, and it corners like a ball on a string. The run over Mingus Mountain between Prescott and Jerome was splendid.

But then, you do get what you pay for, and in this case, the toll is also impressive. The 328is we drove totaled up to an exclusive $38,460, some hefty change for what must be considered a small car.

The sedan version, more practical but less sporting, is a bit less.

Actually, the interior styling is kind of bland and plain for a car in this price range. The leather was nice, and front-seat comfort was good, even for a tall driver. But placement of buttons and controls seemed haphazard, and the dashboard material looked and felt chintzy.

Against some comparable machinery tested recently – an Audi A4 and a Volvo 850R – the BMW’s interior seems stark and uninspired. And back-seat space is pretty sparse, especially for the long of leg.

But all things considered, being inside a BMW is not half bad, especially if you’re the one behind the wheel.

The styling of the 328 is a carry-over from the 325, and there are really no complaints here. Except for the age-old question about the aforementioned kidney-shape grill, this time from the innocent perspective of my 8-year-old son: “Hey, h owcum these BMWs have nostrils?”

So much for tradition.

BMW seems to be on the rise, with an excellent range of products, from the highly regarded 318ti hatchback, a $20,000 relative of the 325is, to the wonderful Z3 roadster that people are lined up to buy, and, of course, the German automaker’s up-market range of powerful, beautiful motorcars for the wealthy.

The 5-series and 7-series cars sport a new V-8, and most of those models are being updated as well.

The 328is was one of those cars that I was reluctant to give back after a week, plotting various excuses to keep it for just a few more days. But off it went, too rich for my blood.

I felt jilted. Oh well, back to reality.

1996 BMW 328is

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, two-door coupe, rear-wheel-drive Base price: $32,990 Price as tested: $38,460 Engine: 2.8-liter in-line six-cylinder, 190 horsepower at 5,300 rpm, 207 pound-feet of torque at 3,950 rpm Transmis sion: Five-speed stickshift Curb weight: 3,120 pounds Length: 174.5 inches Wheelbase: 106.3 inches Safety features: Dual air bags, anti-lock brakes