Complaint: The 328i convertible's body is getting a tad ho-hum. What we need here is a renewed dose of the styling genius of Christopher Edward Bangle, the BMW designer, now retired, who in the past 17 years gave us BMW automobiles worth looking at. Ride, acceleration and handling: It beats all entry-level luxury automobiles -- sedans, coupes, convertibles or wagons -- in all three categories. Head-turning quotient: It's a BMW in conservative dress, but a BMW nonetheless. Body style/layout: The BMW 328i convertible is a compact, entry-level luxury, front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door, full four-seat car with an automatic, power-retractable hardtop roof. Engine/transmission: It is equipped with a 3-liter, inline six-cylinder, 24-valve engine that develops 230 horsepower at 6,500 revolutions per minute and 200 foot-pounds of torque at 2,750 revolutions per minute. The engine is linked to a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed 'Steptronic' transmission that can be shifted automatically or manually is available. Capacities: There are seats for four. Luggage capacity is 9 cubic feet. Fuel capacity is 16.1 gallons of required premium unleaded gasoline. Mileage: You get 17 miles per gallon in the city and 27 miles per gallon on the highway -- a cause for celebration for some people. Safety: Standard equipment includes front and rear ventilated disc brakes, four-wheel antilock brakes, electronic stability and traction control, dual front air bags with head protection chambers, side air bags. Price: The base price on the 2009 BMW 328i convertible with six-speed manual transmission is $44,550. Dealer's invoice price on that model is $40,985. Price as tested is $53,875, including $8,500 in options (Dakota leather interior, 18-inch diameter wheels, iPod and MP3 player connectivity, premium exterior paint, electronic parking proximity warning system, and other items) and an $875 destination charge. Dealer's price as tested is $49,550. Prices are sourced from BMW, Edmunds.com and Cars.com, an affiliate of The Washington Post. Purse-strings note: Only a BMW will satisfy people who want a BMW. Compare with Infiniti G37, Lexus IS 250, Mercedes-Benz CLK350 and Volvo C70. 