Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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photography courtesy of BMW usa Driving Me Cr azy How do you optimize a Boston day? witH a BMW M235i convertiBle. by robert cocuzzo Some days I just need to drive. You know those days when someone, say, in the office, maybe a boss or something, is yanking you around left, right, and center? Beyond strong drink and the warmth of a woman, I find the only cure is a full tank of gas, a playlist packed with jams, and a road leading nowhere. Only when my vehicle starts devouring the dotted lines on the highway like an epic game of Pac- Man is my blood pressure reduced to a simmer. For this therapeutic treatment, the right kind of car makes all the difference. Sputter down 93 in a jalopy with a jacked- up alignment and you may just end up pointing it over the side of the Zakim Bridge. Yes, the proper car is crucial. My prescription? The new 2015 BMW M235i convertible. It's better than two aspirin and a stiff martini chaser. Rolling back its convertible top wipes away the trials of the day, but it's what's under the hood that's the real atti- tude adjuster. BMW has kitted out the M235i with a 320 - horsepower, 3.0 -liter in-line six-cylinder TwinPower Turbo eng ine. Unlike it s M- Class compadres, t his conver t ible doesn't clear its throat before it talks. Cars these days have forgotten how to make their presence known, but not this one. No, hitting the gas sounds vaguely reminiscent of a fork being stuffed into a garbage disposal—but in a good way. With my demons sufficiently exorcised by the engine, I can enjoy the amenities this vehicle offers. I have to admit that after test-driving my fair share of these luxury cars, the technolog y on the dash has lost its luster. Fancy knobs to cont rol the radio, voice-activated seat warmers, satellite t his and that—it's all fine and good, but what moves my needle are the intangibles. How do I feel in this car? Is it intimidating? Confusing? Wimpy? Precious? Clumsy? This BMW is quietly confident inside and out. It knows how to roar, but it's not about to go pounding its chest. Of all the James Bonds, I'd give this one to Daniel Craig. But not my boss. Herb Chambers BMW of Boston, 1168 Commonwealth Ave., 617-731-1700; herbchambersbmwofboston.com BC clockwise from left: The BMW M235i convertible; the onboard navigation system features an 8.8-inch display and self-updating maps; even with the top down, the car maintains its fluid lines. 126 bostoncommon-magazine.com Carnoisseur