THE $$$ AND THE NUMBERS OF BMW CANADA'S 3 SERIES COMPARISON DRIVE

Upgrading inline-six cylinder engines. Beating AMG and Audi's RS in car magazine shootouts. Establishing the perfect 50/50 weight balance in every coupe and sedan. These are all activities loved by BMW employees. However, BMW loves nothing more than selling cars and making money. To do so, BMW must spend some money.

In Vancouver (British Columbia Driving Centre, April 17-19), Montreal (Attractions Hippiques, May 8-10), and Toronto (Downsview Park, May 29-31 & June 5-7) BMW will be hosting an eight car comparison. Five of the cars will be BMWs. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus IS, and Audi A4 will also make an appearance at BMW's behest. BMW will allow you to put the 323i, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive, and 335d through the slalom, brake & avoid, on-ramp, lane change, acceleration lane, and emergency brake & full stop sections over the span of two hours. If you wish to participate, the sign-up sheet will ask you to fork over some information related to your age and current vehicle. Regardless, if you get in and if you drive these eight cars, here are the $$$ and Numbers you'll be interested to know.

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32,350 - cost of Lexus' most inexpensive IS, the IS250, a 204-bhp rear-wheel driven sedan

34,900 - cost of one BMW 323i sedan, generating 200 horsepower from a 2.5L inline-six cylinder engine, a configuration not available in the USA

35,800 - cost of the Mercedes-Benz C230, featuring a 2.5L V6 with 201 horsepower

38,200 - cost of one Audi A4 2.0T, a 211-bhp four-cylinder turbocharged sedan

39,900 - cost of the BMW 328i, a 3.0L inline-six engined 3-Series with 230 horsepower

41,200 - cost of the 228-bhp Mercedes-Benz C300

42,500 - cost of the all-wheel drive BMW 328i xDrive

43,850 - cost of the Lexus IS350 and its 306 horsepower 3.5L V6, the most powerful six-cylinder engine available from any of the four cars involved in BMW's Vancouver/Toronto/Montreal comparo

48,200 - cost of the Mercedes-Benz C350, a 268-bhp 3.5L V6-propelled sedan

3,200 - average cost of upgrading your Mercedes C-Class sedan with 4Matic all-wheel drive, with the least expensive addition making the C350 a C350 4Matic for $2,200

49,700 - cost of the diesel-powered BMW 335d, a 265 horsepower 3-Series which generates 425 lb-ft of torque

50,900 - cost of the Audi A4 3.2, which produces 265 horsepower from a V6 engine

51,500 - cost of the 300 horsepower all-wheel drive BMW 335i xDrive which can be had without xDrive for $2,600 less