[JimD]

My 128i convertible is white with taupe ette and light walnut. There is a picture of a light blue vert in the brochure with taupe and walnut that convinced me it goes together well. Seems like poplar would go better with light greyish interiors but I have a bias against poplar based upon my woodworking experience. The wood in a car is so thin and the finish is what you really contact and it is plastic but walnut is a much nicer, wood with more interesting grain, much higher hardness and much higher strength. Poplar is only used in fine furniture for parts like the inside of drawers that you do not see unless you open them. Walnut is one of our best furniture wood reserved for the best pieces. My bias is to get walnut. The same line of reasoning, my woodworking hobby and fondness for wood, caused me to spend the extra dollars to have wood rather than black plastic trim (which looks pretty good to me, better than I thought it would from the brochure).

Jim