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It was a lucky week. Had to be. I was driving a 1997 BMW 528i sedan. I wasn’t stopped once by police, even though the car’s right low-beam headlight burned out.

I mean, yo! This was a gimme: Black male in a spanking new BMW with one headlight and an out-of-state “manufacturer’s tag” for a license plate. Stoppp himmm!

Yet, I got no play, nary a police escort. I drove the length of Virginia’s I-66 in the dark of night. Still nothin’. I even took off my tie and put on a gangsta hat. Nothin’.

I dunno. Maybe God was smiling on me. Maybe they were running an affirmative action program in heaven.

Background: BMW, of course, prefers to separate its image from gangstas and gangsters, who have developed a liking for the BMW marque. Indeed, according to some of my less-than-legitimate acquaintances in Detroit and New York, “da Bimmah,” as they call it, long ago replaced Cadillac as the fast life’s car of choice.

Why? ” ‘Cuz Cadillacs ain’t hittin’ on nothin’ in the streets. They jive, man,” came one Detroit reply. Though I disagree with my wayward friend’s automotive assessment — I love Cadillacs — he has a point.

The new 528i enhances BMW’s youthful theme, but still makes some important concessions to maturity. That’s why the company calls the car a “sports sedan” — oxymoronic nomenclature that twins the idea of a hot sports coupe with that of a practical family sedan.

The 528i’s particulars: It replaces the 525i for the 1997 model year. It is 88 pounds lighter than its predecessor, largely because of its increased use of lightweight metals — high-strength steel in the body structure and aluminum in the chassis.

The new car is tighter than its forerunner, as evidenced by its comparative lack of wind noise and squeaks. And it handles more crisply in curves and emergency maneuvers — which is saying a lot, because the 525i was no slouch in the handling department.

The 528i is equipped with an all-new, 2.8-liter, 24-valve in-line six-cylinder engine rated 190 horsepower at 5,300 revolutions per minute. Torque is rated 207 pound-feet at 3,950 rpm.

That’s a scant one horsepower more than what was available in the 525i. But it is the improved torque curve of the new engine, where all of that power comes into play, that makes the difference. Simply put, the new car is faster — from zero to 60 miles per hour in 7.4 seconds, compared with 8.6 seconds for the 525i.

Buyers can choose between a five-speed manual transmission and an electronically controlled, four-speed automatic for the 528i. Standard brakes include vented, power discs front and rear with anti-lock backup. The car rolls on 15-inch, all-season performance radial tires.

Dual front air bags with a differentiated deployment system are standard. That means computerized sensors can determine if the front passenger seat is occupied and if the accident is severe enough to require bag deployment.

But, hey, sensors or no sensors, have the sense to strap small children and infants properly in the rear of the car.

There are a variety of other goodies in the 528i, including power seats, windows and dual power/heated outside mirrors.

The 528i is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car that seats five people.

1997 BMW 528i

Complaint: The danged right headlight burned out on a car that had less than 8,000 miles of use. The bulb blew. Tacky,tacky, tacky.

Praise: Overall, an excellent luxmobile, one that drives as well as it looks. Superb long-distance runner.

Head-turning quotient: A total knockout, even with one eye out.

Ride, acceleration and handling: Aces in all the right places. You get in this car, and all you want to do is run until the gas runs out. Excellent braking.

Mileage: Quite decent, all things considered. About 23 mph (18.5-gallon tank, estimated 415-mile range on usable volume of required premium unleaded), combined city/highway, running with three occupants and light cargo.

Sound system: T en-speaker AM/FM stereo radio and cassette, 200-watt amplification. Installed by BMW. Bodacious rap machine — really deep bass.

Price: Base price on the 1997 BMW 528i sedan is $37,900. Dealer’s invoice price on base model is $33,195. Price as tested is $42,270, including $3,800 in options (metallic paint, designer cast-alloy wheels, leather upholstery, door trim panels with leather inserts, redwood interior trim, remote keyless entry system, side air bags) and a $570 destination charge.

Purse-strings note: Compare with Mercedes-Benz C280, Lexus ES300, Oldsmobile Aurora, Acura 3.5 RL, InfinitiJ30, Mazda Millenia and, yeah, Audi A6 and, yeah, Cadillac Seville STS.