First review: BMW 335i

[Just_me]

http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/B/bmw/3-series-convert-coupe/03-large/06-3coup-f-a.jpg

With a long wheelbase, laid-back A-pillars and a stretched, flowing roofline giving the coupe a genuinely graceful profile, it's a car that looks better in the metal than in pictures - primarily because the rear flanks have stronger 'shoulders' than they appear two-dimensionally. The car just looks tougher, stronger and better planted in the metal. Indeed, viewed from the rear three-quarter, the coupe has shades of the old 8-Series about it, particularly with those large wraparound tail lights.

REVIEW (http://www.channel4.com/4car/feature/feature.jsp?id=2574)

[5vz-fe]

30mpg is pretty good fuel economy for a 3.0 turbo car I must say.

Wonder why BMW didn't put a LSD in such a car :roll: Oh well, I don't think that's a test drive with proper instruments anyways, we'll get the numbers from other reviews later on and see if BMW goes conservative on the numbers.

[STiInYourEye]

Good first impression, but I was hoping they would be blown away by the engine. It seems that they liked the power of the turbo, but were expecting more of a rush. I still am not wowed by the stylingin the pics, but it is good to hear that the coupe works better in the metal. I can't wait for the M3, but I am worried that the price is going to be ridiculous.

[thepest]

Nice review. I like the new exterior from day one, and I can only image how good it is going to look in the metal! The 3 litre turbo engine is great I think and that economy is just amazing!

[RC45]

Now they have a small 6 series?

So basically the guy who just paid $80,000 for his 6 series, will have to be satisfied his car looks exactly like every 3 series coupe running around ;)

Poor posers... they can get no lucky breaks...

BTW, yet another BMW designed to chase away the fans of the older classic BMW lines.

3 thumbs down :(

See - which is which? ;)
http://www.bigbmw.com/6series_coupe_03.jpg

http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/B/bmw/3-series-convert-coupe/03-large/06-3coup-f3q-st.jpg

[ae86_16v]

30mpg is pretty good fuel economy for a 3.0 turbo car I must say.

Wonder why BMW didn't put a LSD in such a car :roll: Oh well, I don't think that's a test drive with proper instruments anyways, we'll get the numbers from other reviews later on and see if BMW goes conservative on the numbers.

Saving the LSD for the M Car.

[5vz-fe]

30mpg is pretty good fuel economy for a 3.0 turbo car I must say.

Wonder why BMW didn't put a LSD in such a car :roll: Oh well, I don't think that's a test drive with proper instruments anyways, we'll get the numbers from other reviews later on and see if BMW goes conservative on the numbers.

Saving the LSD for the M Car.

That's a obvious answer, but 335 goes for almost 50k and yet BMW is cheap enough not to put one there is just not justifiable. You have all the torque and no means of putting it down the road.

[thepest]

Now they have a small 6 series?

So basically the guy who just paid $80,000 for his 6 series, will have to be satisfied his car looks exactly like every 3 series coupe running around ;)

Poor posers... they can get no lucky breaks...

BTW, yet another BMW designed to chase away the fans of the older classic BMW lines.

3 thumbs down :(

See - which is which? ;)
http://www.bigbmw.com/6series_coupe_03.jpg

http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/B/bmw/3-series-convert-coupe/03-large/06-3coup-f3q-st.jpg



How you see no difference is something beyond me.

[RC45]

Now they have a small 6 series?

So basically the guy who just paid $80,000 for his 6 series, will have to be satisfied his car looks exactly like every 3 series coupe running around ;)

Poor posers... they can get no lucky breaks...

BTW, yet another BMW designed to chase away the fans of the older classic BMW lines.

3 thumbs down :(

See - which is which? ;)
http://www.bigbmw.com/6series_coupe_03.jpg

http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/B/bmw/3-series-convert-coupe/03-large/06-3coup-f3q-st.jpg



How you see no difference is something beyond me.

Open your eyes and you will see how to the casual glance and viewer the cars are alike. Similar proportions, shape and profile.

They have no immediate distinguishing characteristics.

In the last few years this "family look" from BMW and Mercedes has got out of hand.

In the past there was no mistaking a 3 series for a 5 series or for a 6 series or for a 7 series or even for an 8 series.

Each model was not just a different size, it was a unique and model specific style and shape.

This insistence of "family look" has made the modern BMW and Mercedes a boring bland stupid looking amorphous blob.

That is al.. the end.. ;) :P

Well, except that the last great looking BMW was the E46 M3... everything after that is bland and dull. Performance is also hardly worth getting excited about.

[ae86_16v]

30mpg is pretty good fuel economy for a 3.0 turbo car I must say.

Wonder why BMW didn't put a LSD in such a car :roll: Oh well, I don't think that's a test drive with proper instruments anyways, we'll get the numbers from other reviews later on and see if BMW goes conservative on the numbers.

Saving the LSD for the M Car.

That's a obvious answer, but 335 goes for almost 50k and yet BMW is cheap enough not to put one there is just not justifiable. You have all the torque and no means of putting it down the road.

I agree, marketing is marketing. Just like what Porsche did to the Cayman to protect the 911.

[CMonakar]

"There's big news under the bonnet, too. It's the first time any manufacturer has offered a twin-turbo straight-six"

I guess he has never heard of the Toyota Supra.

[ae86_16v]

"There's big news under the bonnet, too. It's the first time any manufacturer has offered a twin-turbo straight-six"

I guess he has never heard of the Toyota Supra.

Or Nissan Skyline's RB26DETT.

[coloradosilver]

What a crap review!!

All this article did was restate things we already know through the BMW press release.

Wast of time to read. Thanks for the post though.

[Just_me]

BTW, yet another BMW designed to chase away the fans of the older classic BMW lines.



]

Who cares about those old farts. You loose some and you win some. Personally i take the new design direction with my open arms.

[spanky]

Thanks for putting the post up dude! Cheers :)

[thepest]

Now they have a small 6 series?

So basically the guy who just paid $80,000 for his 6 series, will have to be satisfied his car looks exactly like every 3 series coupe running around ;)

Poor posers... they can get no lucky breaks...

BTW, yet another BMW designed to chase away the fans of the older classic BMW lines.

3 thumbs down :(

See - which is which? ;)
http://www.bigbmw.com/6series_coupe_03.jpg

http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/B/bmw/3-series-convert-coupe/03-large/06-3coup-f3q-st.jpg



How you see no difference is something beyond me.

Open your eyes and you will see how to the casual glance and viewer the cars are alike. Similar proportions, shape and profile.

They have no immediate distinguishing characteristics.

In the last few years this "family look" from BMW and Mercedes has got out of hand.

In the past there was no mistaking a 3 series for a 5 series or for a 6 series or for a 7 series or even for an 8 series.

Each model was not just a different size, it was a unique and model specific style and shape.

This insistence of "family look" has made the modern BMW and Mercedes a boring bland stupid looking amorphous blob.

That is al.. the end.. ;) :P

Well, except that the last great looking BMW was the E46 M3... everything after that is bland and dull. Performance is also hardly worth getting excited about.


Just because you put BMW and Mercedes in one sack, I'm gonna say no more. ;)

[martin100]

I didn´t really like the styling of the new Coupe but on these new pics and with that nice blue color it looks fine IMO. BTW The differences between the 3 series coupe and the 6 series are obvious... Look at the rear for instance. Only the shape is slightly familiar IMO. I know what you mean though. In the past all the BMWs indeed had a very different styling.

[Just_me]

In the past all the BMWs indeed had a very different styling.

its far easier today to know what BMw model you see on the road.
I strongly disagree with some of you.,

[malte]

it's not that there are no differences it's just that there are too many similarities...

[nickthaskater]

it's not that there are no differences it's just that there are too many similarities...
Too many bad similarities.

[Just_me]

it's not that there are no differences it's just that there are too many similarities...

so this is just for BMW, not mercedes or porsche?

[nickthaskater]

it's not that there are no differences it's just that there are too many similarities...

so this is just for BMW, not mercedes or porsche?
Hence why I added the 'bad' :lol:

[inso]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/FirstDrive_Summary.asp?RT_ID=220878

very nice review too. waiting for the EVO version of the test drive, evo just is the mag at the moment.

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/68405/this_months_evo.html not yet 335ci, but maybe next month.

[RC45]

In the past all the BMWs indeed had a very different styling.

its far easier today to know what BMw model you see on the road.
I strongly disagree with some of you.,

OK this is an absurd statement.

Have you ever actually seen a real BMW - old or new?

The differences years gone by werer HUGE.

Different sized grills, kidneys, turn signals, fog lamp positioning, dual vs single head lights, sharp noses, A-pillar angles, B-pillar angles, quarter lights, brake light position etc etc etc.

To say that the 3/5/6/7 of today are less alike than year gone by is amazing.

And this from a supposed BMW fan?

*shakes head in disbelief*

Generations of BMW's - notice how until recently, cars of a similar generation did not look that alike.. :)

http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/image/228200518426.jpg
BMW
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/234/390yr.th.jpg (http://img397.imageshack.us/my.php?image=390yr.jpg) http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/6334/404qm.th.jpg (http://img397.imageshack.us/my.php?image=404qm.jpg) http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/9827/m5s8fu.th.jpg (http://img397.imageshack.us/my.php?image=m5s8fu.jpg) http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/6155/serie636tp.th.jpg (http://img397.imageshack.us/my.php?image=serie636tp.jpg) http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/9674/2040914004mini12l0hm.th.jpg (http://img397.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2040914004mini12l0hm.jpg) http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/8746/2040914004mini19l3ad.th.jpg (http://img397.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2040914004mini19l3ad.jpg) http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1487/bmwfamily019ae9gd.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bmwfamily019ae9gd.jpg) http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6614/bmwfamily025cc8bv.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bmwfamily025cc8bv.jpg) http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3352/bmwfamily034vb1aq.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bmwfamily034vb1aq.jpg) http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4374/bmwserie8si7oi.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bmwserie8si7oi.jpg) http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5746/1955bmw5071600x12000a7gh.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1955bmw5071600x12000a7gh.jpg) http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/9018/1986bmwm635csi1600x1200016gf8x.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1986bmwm635csi1600x1200016gf8x.jpg)

[dutchmasterflex]

Wow... I knew this was gonna have 300+hp but 300lb/ft at 1300rpm!? No wonder it gets 30mpg.. If only it was lighter it would probably get 35mpg and 0-60 in 5s.

Not suprising BMW doesnt even have an option for an LSD.. Who would bother with an M if you could get this for 30 grand less?

But then again, how hard would it be to slap on an M differential to a 335i?

[Just_me]

RC45 its you that need new glasses. If you cant see the differences when you see a new bimmer on the road compared to other new bimmers, then you are blnd. Sorry mate but I cant help you with your eyes.

BTW fantastic photos you are showing me. Shows that new bimmers look so much better today than before.

[RC45]

RC45 its you that need new glasses. If you cant see the differences when you see a new bimmer on the road compared to other new bimmers, then you are blnd. Sorry mate but I cant help you with your eyes.

BTW fantastic photos you are showing me. Shows that new bimmers look so much better today than before.

Really?

So according to you the the 1983 3 series, 5 series and 7 series looked more like each other than the 3, 5 and 7 series of today?

In this case you are wrong.

So according to you the 1990 3 series, 5 series and 7 series looked more like each other than the 3,5 and 7 series of today?

In this case you are wrong.

The new 3 series, 5 series and 7 series lok so close from the front and front 3/4 that when one approaches from behind youcan not determine which car it is until it is next to you.

Just concede that in this case, even though you view yourself as a well read BMW fan you are mistaken.

:)

I would not have bothered to make my first comment had I not been right. I don't waste my time with heresay and conjecture ;)

[inso]

"Not suprising BMW doesnt even have an option for an LSD.. Who would bother with an M if you could get this for 30 grand less? "


now the diff is an option for 330i and 530i models too, of course for the new 335ci also..

[Just_me]

RC45 its you that need new glasses. If you cant see the differences when you see a new bimmer on the road compared to other new bimmers, then you are blnd. Sorry mate but I cant help you with your eyes.

BTW fantastic photos you are showing me. Shows that new bimmers look so much better today than before.

Really?

So according to you the the 1983 3 series, 5 series and 7 series looked more like each other than the 3, 5 and 7 series of today?

In this case you are wrong.

So according to you the 1990 3 series, 5 series and 7 series looked more like each other than the 3,5 and 7 series of today?

In this case you are wrong.

The new 3 series, 5 series and 7 series lok so close from the front and front 3/4 that when one approaches from behind youcan not determine which car it is until it is next to you.

Just concede that in this case, even though you view yourself as a well read BMW fan you are mistaken.

:)

I would not have bothered to make my first comment had I not been right. I don't waste my time with heresay and conjecture ;)


All Im saying is that you can see differences in Bangle cars. Just like I can with old bimmers
I can do the same with Corvette C4,C5 and C6

Me a bmw fan? that what others keep telling me. Regarding old bimmers, they dont intrest me at all. Z8,E46 and E39 are the only old bimmers I like. The rest look like garbage.

[RC45]

All Im saying is that you can see differences in Bangle cars. Just like I can with old bimmers.
Oh - thats all? You should have said you are in love with bangle and his odd design - that would explain why you defend his ugly cars so much.. :P ;)

[Just_me]

Oh - thats all? You should have said you are in love with bangle and his odd design - that would explain why you defend his ugly cars so much.. :P ;)

Its odd and beautiful and you know it. You are just afraid of expressing your true feelings. I think its a GM disease :lol:

[RC45]

No GM disease - just the truth - the Germans only make one great brand of car.. and it's not BMW...

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3310/preview8ia.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=preview8ia.jpg)

[Just_me]

No GM disease - just the truth - the Germans only make one great brand of car.. and it’s not BMW...

Truth?, you are one of those who dont accept that others dont think like you. If you could you would force everyone to think like you. Thank god you arent a president. Oh man what would jabba be without a character like you. You are odd but a funny dude. :lol:

Btw. german has two great brands, Porsche and BMW. ;)

[Ghostbat]

Btw. german has two great brands, Porsche and BMW. ;)

You are right about there being two great brands. But forget that bavarian crap that all look alike and replace it with something more classy like Stuttgarts finest :wink:

[Just_me]

Btw. german has two great brands, Porsche and BMW. ;)

You are right about there being two great brands. But forget that bavarian crap that all look alike and replace it with something more classy like Stuttgarts finest :wink:

are you talking about MB? new CL,S and CLs look weird, audi looks better than those crazy Benzes ;)

[Ghostbat]

Btw. german has two great brands, Porsche and BMW. ;)

You are right about there being two great brands. But forget that bavarian crap that all look alike and replace it with something more classy like Stuttgarts finest :wink:

are you talking about MB? new CL,S and CLs look weird, audi looks better than those crazy Benzes ;)

Of course I'm talking about MB. They don't look half as weid as a 7-series or the Z4 coupe. Well anywho I just wanted to point out that you forget MB. The King on the Autobahn.. BTW you know I like both MB and BMW alot so no new "haters" debate :wink:

And as Clarkson said about the CLS when he tested it on TG "It looks epic". Nuff said :D

[RC45]

No GM disease - just the truth - the Germans only make one great brand of car.. and it’s not BMW...

Truth?, you are one of those who dont accept that others dont think like you.

Well - the people that count do - take brembo for example :)