BMW

In the BMW 5-series family, the 535i seems to be the sweet spot, especially compared with the V-8–powered 550i, which is unnecessarily heavy and not much quicker—not at speeds that are allowed in the U.S., anyway. But the lineup includes the 528i, and we wondered if the 5er could remain compelling, despite a power deficit.

Like the 535i, the 528i has a 3.0-liter inline-six beneath its long hood, but unlike the 535i, there’s no turbo to be found in its engine bay. For 2011, BMW went to work on the naturally aspirated engine, boosting the last-gen 528i’s output by 10 hp and 30 lb-ft, to 240 and 230. Even with the increase, going the naturally aspirated route costs you 60 hp compared with the 535i, but the cars are otherwise essentially identical, with the 535 adding 18-inch wheels (the 528i gets 17s) and adaptive xenon headlamps. Sacrificing the power keeps $5050 (or $15,150, in the case of the 550i) in your pocket.