The OG ZHP: BMW 330i ZHP

[pyreguy]

"mere" coupes -

And no, everyone should keep building their sexy coupes. It's not like they're gonna be able to touch the style of an E46 sedan anyway.

But yeah, I definitely love all of our rides!

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[az3579]

Sedan looks better than the coupe.
...every day

Fixed.

"mere" coupes - I guess Aston Martin should ditch ALL their coupes (aren't they all coupes except 1 model perhaps, and IMO some of the best looking coupes ever) and start building only sedans?
j/k. I know 100% that it's a matter of preference - main thing we are happy with what we have.

Actually, all of the Astons look exactly the same, so in essence, you mean they should ditch their only coupe...

Even the "new" ones look almost exactly like the old ones. Honestly, I'm getting very bored with Aston Martin's styling.

[johnrando]

"mere" coupe? oh man, stabbed in the back! lol

[Mtnman]

Hahaha. This is a perfect example of why i love this place. Everyone chiming in and no one has their feelings hurt. This place is great. Oh, and sedansexxxineeeeeeesss ftw! (and ftbftw = for the baby, for the win!)

[Acyd]

Truth be told i wanted a coupe. I love my sedan tho =)

[MrMaico]

Let me begin by stating that I have nothing but love & respect for all ZHPs & their pilots (except for MrMaico, you photo-contest-winning bastid! ), as well as all our E46 & extended BMW family. So please don't misconstrue this as hate or disrespect. That said . . .

The 330i ZHP sedan is the best, truest ZHP of them all!

. . . in my opinion.

It's not that the coupe & 'vert are not ZHPs or are lesser ZHPs, it's just that the sedan was the original ZHP &, I believe, the reason the Performance Package was created: to fill the gap that was left by the decision to not have a four-door M3.

Before the ZHP, if you wanted a hot E46, you could have an M3 coupe, an M3 'vert, or — somewhat pitifully in comparison — a 330i, perhaps with the Sport Package to help make up some of the not-inconsiderable difference. I know, I know, the M3 in any form is worlds apart from the non-M E46s, in terms of performance, intent, & let's not forget $$$. But the sedan crowd was missing out. Enter option code "Z". "H". "P".

It's a fact that the Performance Package was first offered exclusively on sedans in '03. That says to me that the sedan was the target platform for which the ZHP treatment was conceived & intended. Making it available to the other body styles in the preceding years, while I'm certain made all kinds of business & marketing sense, feels to me somewhat like an afterthought.

Perhaps I'm thinking about it in the wrong way. Asking a coupe or 'vert ZHP owner why he didn't just opt for the M3 is probably ignoring all sorts of circumstances & very important reasons to not go the M route. But I just can't shake the feeling that the 330i ZHPs are the ZHPs, & all the others just wanted what it had.

In any case, I think everyone can agree that the Performance Package is a phenomenal addition to the base 330, no matter in what form you find it!

Thanks, somehow I missed the fact that I had won the photo contest. It was your post that brought it to my attention.

and.....ZHP Coupe FT(photo contest)W

[Pooters]

It's all good, Cricket. We coupe owners are used to you guys always finding different ways to feel better about your 2 extra doors

Haha, right on, Kayger.