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      10-06-2007, 11:36 AM   #1
dna550
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Food for Thought: Full Test: 2007 BMW 335i Coupe

Full Test: 2007 BMW 335i Coupe

The case for M-power just got a lot weaker!

The data doesn't make any sense. We're tearing our collective hair out trying to determine why the track-test numbers from our 2007 BMW 335i test car are so far off.

Our freshly minted 3 Series twin-turbo coupe has not only eclipsed BMW's own impressive performance figures — by a ton — it's also smoked those of the 2005 BMW M3 Competition Package, a car we called "The Best M3 Ever Sold in America." And while that admittedly turbo-deprived car had been a six-speed manual, the Arctic Metallic 2007 BMW 335i Coupe cooling in the driveway is but an automatic. Nothing about our Austrian First Drive of the car prepared us for this.

More than half fast
Consider the facts: This 2007 BMW 335i test car blazed from zero to 60 in 4.8 seconds. BMW says the new coupe mit twin-turbo engine and Steptronic six-speed autobox should make that trip in 5.5 seconds. Seven-tenths of a second quicker? That's 13-percent better than BMW's claim. Folks give aftermarket tuners wads of cash for that kind of performance bump, especially when a car starts out in the mid 5s to begin with.

Our 335i similarly scalded the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds at 105.9 mph. For comparison, our 2005 M3 Competition Package used up 5.5 seconds getting to 60 and finished the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds at 105.4 mph — close, but still a rearview-mirror performance. We almost beat the all-powerful 2007 Audi RS4, too. Despite a 120-horsepower advantage and all-wheel-drive launch superiority, it just nicked our 335i's 0-60 and quarter-mile times by a paltry 0.1 second each.

Something's up. Could BMW be soft-pedaling the output and performance numbers to leave marketing headroom for a more outrageous 2008 M3 V8 to come? Did the luck of the draw or some other means provide us with an overachiever? We've gotta check into this.

Dyno hum
There can be no doubt that BMW's new twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-6 engine, complete with direct injection and a high 10.2:1 compression ratio, is impressive. Two smaller snails were assigned to only three cylinders each so they'd spin up faster, reducing lag and increasing torque at low engine speeds. Boy, does it work, as this beastie is rated at 300 hp at 5,800 rpm and 300 pound-feet of torque spreading from 1,400-5,000 rpm. In a rear-drive coupe weighing in at 3,579 as-tested pounds, that sounds about right — for 5.5-second 0-60 bursts, that is.

In order to see what she's really putting out, we've brought our 335i to the chassis dynamometer at MD Automotive in Westminster, California. And since chassis dyno figures are always lower than manufacturer ratings because the former includes drivetrain losses and the latter does not, we've secured the help of an alert reader who has volunteered his month-old 335i for comparison. Steve Harrison's identically equipped 335i automatic is fresh off a trip up the California coast and all broken in. We should be able to tell if our press car's performance is unique or not.

After a short time, two sets of fresh numbers sit before us. Steve's car produces 272 rear-wheel hp at 5,970 rpm. Considering drivetrain losses, he's easily seeing the promised 300 horses at the flywheel, probably more. Our test car produces a similar 273 at 5,970. But wait, there's more: While Steve's motor gently tapers off as rpm exceeds six grand, our mill continues to make more power until it tops out at 279 at 6,295 rpm, at which point Steve's 335i lags 19 ponies behind. Notably, our car maintains its advantage for the remainder of the rev range.

So what's up?
A comparison to BMW data shows that Steve has nothing to be worried about, as his 335i's rear-wheel output curve looks about right when compared to factory flywheel data. Our car is simply stronger in such a way that makes our pavement-melting 4.8-second 0-60 more understandable. But why?

We're glad you asked. MD's dyno can also measure turbo boost during runs. It turns out that at any given rpm in the disputed region between 5,000 and 6,500, our car consistently makes about 0.5 psi more boost. Subtle, but a little goes a long way. Is this mere production variation? We can't dig deep enough to know for sure. If anything, this exercise underscores the potential of aftermarket chip tuning. Ain't electronically controlled turbo engines fun?

For the record, during a desert freeway assault to Vegas at an average speed we don't care to print, the 335i achieved 25.9 mpg, compared to a 29-mpg EPA highway rating. With a lot of city and freeway stop-and-go thrown in, the overall average drops to 20.3 — just above the 20-mpg EPA city rating. With less lead in the shoes, the EPA figures actually seem attainable.

Enough already
Even though the motor is the main thrust of the new 335i, we're sure some of you want to know about the car it sits in, the E92 3 Series coupe. Track and dyno numbers are all well and good, but what's it really like?

In highway cruise mode, such as our L.A.-to-Vegas dash, stability and on-center steering feel are autobahn-grade, as the coupe tracks straight and true while giving copious feedback through a fixed-ratio 16-to-1 steering gearbox. We're not certain how the $1,250 active steering option, absent here, could make it much better.

Contorted canyon roads are no match for it either, as the E92 slices cleanly through corners like a Ginsu knife and sticks like Super Glue, as evidenced by our 68.4-mph slalom run, the best 3 Series number we've recorded recently, M or otherwise. The dual-pivot front strut suspension is certainly at work here, as is the 335i coupe's standard sport suspension, uniquely tuned to suit its more athletic persona.

Yes, the 0.88g skid pad figure lags slightly behind the M3 Competition's 0.92g, but we're chalking that up to the 335i's lack of a limited-slip differential, which the M3 had along with bigger-still 19-inch high-performance tires. And it's hardly worth mentioning that stopping distances from 60 mph are 2 feet longer as well. Who's gonna complain about 114 feet with a rock-solid pedal and excellent feel?

Despite the firmer springs, larger stabilizer bars, half-inch-lower ride height and optional 18-inch Bridgestone Potenza RE050A performance run-flat tires — part of the $1,000 Sport Package — it rides at least as smoothly as our long-term 2006 BMW 330i sedan. Road coarseness is nicely filtered out most of the time, but some sharp edges periodically come through. Still, compared to the soon-to-be-replaced M3, a car this one can run with, the 335i Coupe is a much more livable daily driver.

Inside job
That six-speed Steptronic transmission, a $1,275 option, is quite a nice piece. Not only are shifts firm and positive, but when commanded manually, they happen right now, with the throttle blipping up to match revs during downshifts. Manual control is available by slapping the shift lever to the left and flicking it forward for downshifts and back for upshifts. Steering wheel paddles that do the same are a worthwhile $100 upgrade.

Inside, where all of the above happens, is a welcome place indeed. Our 6-foot-2-inch tester had no trouble settling in behind the wheel, which tilts and telescopes like the one in the 3 Series sedan. More seat travel than he needs is available, and headliner and hairdo stay a respectful distance apart. The aforementioned sport package also includes substantially bolstered sport seats that clamp one in firmly, but don't confine or annoy.

Hurting our wallet, but not our backside, is the $2,450 premium package, which adds adjustable lumbar support and sumptuous black Dakota leather to those seats, along with Bluetooth and other electronic gadgetry. Navigation system aficionados who fork over another $2,100 will get on-screen traffic updates, which are a godsend, and iDrive, which still isn't growing on us. At least it's not compulsory here.

About the only miss in an otherwise impeccably trimmed interior is the apparent flimsiness of the robot arm that delivers the seatbelts to front-seat occupants. A neat idea, but our passenger-side unit came apart. It took a couple of tries to get tab A to snap back into slot B, but once accomplished, everything worked OK.

If you have the means…
For the base price of $41,295, or even our 335i coupe's optioned-up price of $49,195, you'd be hard-pressed to find a sport coupe with this combination of outright speed, handling prowess and sophistication. A similarly optioned 2006 M3 coupe with the Competition Package costs over $57 grand, will be more brutal to drive and is no faster.

And whether our car's muy rapido 0-60 performance was anomalous or not, the random customer car we dynoed should easily match, and perhaps exceed, BMW's impressive-in-their-own-right performance figures.

Leaving all that aside, there's no doubt that this car is an excellent piece of work. It's not an overstatement to say that the 2007 BMW 335i is a significant milestone in the storied history of BMW's 3 Series. Until that 2008 V8-powered M3 comes out, that is.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

Road Test Scorecard 8.4 / 10 Overall Ratings

9.0 / 10 Dynamics

10.0 / 10 Engine Performance

The new 3.0-liter twin turbo engine is simply amazing. It's rated at 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, but feels like it's doing better than that. Rated at 19 or 20 city, depending on transmission, and 29 highway, it's pretty frugal considering its strength. We liked the purposeful exhaust note, which is devoid of turbo-esque pops and whistles.

8.0 / 10 Transmission Performance

The 6-speed Steptronic automatic shifts are firm and position, yet never jarring. Manual mode shifting, downshift forward, upshift back as it should be, can be carried out via the lever or using steering wheel mounted paddles ($100 option). It doesn't allow the engine to get all the way to redline, however, as it will short-shift if the driver waits too long.

9.0 / 10 Brake Performance

Stops are short (114 ft from 60 mph) and straight, with no fade in our testing. Effectiveness and pedal feel are class leading.

9.0 / 10 Steering Perfomance

During high-speed interstate cruising, straight stability and on-center feel are excellent. Weighting and precision in corners are also first-rate. Our car didn't have the active steering option which adds a variable ratio. Frankly, we don't think we'd spend the money.

9.0 / 10 Handling

Coordinated describes the 335i's handling. Steering response, body roll and cornering forces all build in proportion to one another, giving the impression of supreme balance and capability.

9.0 / 10 Fun-to-Drive Fun?

You bet. Excellent steering and handling, when combined with an abundance of horsepower, is sure to peg the fun-meter. And the Steptronic automatic isn't bad either.

8.0 / 10 Comfort

8.0 / 10 Ride Comfort

Our 335i, equipped with the sport package, came equipped with 18-inch Bridgestone Potenza RE050A run-flat tires. Overall, the ride is smooth and well-damped. Small road texture-related inputs are filtered out, but sharp edges and potholes come through a bit sharply, probably due to the stiff sidewalls demanded by run-flat tires.

9.0 / 10 Wind Noise

Wind noise is low and unobtrusive, even at freeway speed.

7.0 / 10 Road Noise

Good door sealing keeps coarse road noise to a moderate level. The run-flats do ping a bit when they strike potholes and sharp projections.

9.0 / 10 Front Seat Comfort/Space/Access

The longer coupe doors make getting in and out a breeze. There is so much seat travel that our 6-ft 2-in test driver didn't have to automatically slide the seat all the way back. Plenty of headroom too, even with the standard moonroof. The robotized arm that brings the seat belt forward works well, but is flimsy.

7.0 / 10 Rear Seat Comfort/Space/Access

Ingress egress, as with all two-doors, is a gymnastic exercise. Still, the robot arm allows the front belt to hang out of the way, and electronic seat controls are placed within reach of rear seat passengers wishing to exit. Still, there isn't a lot of space back there, and a fixed center console only leaves room for two.

8.0 / 10 Driving Position

In addition to the wide range of seat positions and adjustments, the steering wheel both tilts and telescopes.

8.1 / 10 Function

10.0 / 10 Headlight Illumination

The Xenon adaptive headlights not only put out a lot of lumens, they are self leveling and pivot slightly in turns. As an added bonus, low-speed spot lamps come on in tight corners.

8.0 / 10 Visibility

The long coupe doors and the aft-positioned B-pillar provide improved peripheral vision and make "head checks" easier. Slender C-pillars lessen blind spots to the rear.

9.0 / 10 Instrument Panel Layout

The main gauge cluster is complete and well-illuminated at night. Here, the near-useless economy gauge is replaced with a turbo boost meter. The central display, controlled by the multifunction stalk, provides a lot of useful information and hard-to-ignore warnings.

9.0 / 10 Climate Control System Layout

The 3 Series coupe climate controls are just about perfect. Obvious temperature knobs and nearby displays (which are easy to read) make it very simple to use.

7.0 / 10 Audio System Layout

The audio system is hamstrung here by the presence of the optional navigation system and iDrive. While it's not a bad system while sitting still with time and concentration to spare, adding a new station or making adjustments while underway consumes the driver's time and attention. If no adjustments are needed, excellent steering wheel controls bypass this issue. An MP3 aux jack and power source reside under the center console lid.

8.0 / 10 Secondary Control Layout

A very useful multi-function control stalk allows adjustment of many global vehicle defaults. Cruise control speeds can be kicked up one or five mph, depending on whether you push past the detent or not. These two stalks, however, are a bit close together and are easily confused. The key slot and push-button start are a needless two-step.

7.0 / 10 Interior Storage

Interior storage is about average. The center console and door pockets are moderately sized. Some drivers might wish there was more space.

8.0 / 10 Standard Cargo/Trunk Space

The standard trunk is fairly large and well-finished, and the lift-over height is good. External hinges don't impinge on the space.

8.0 / 10 Maximum Cargo Space (ease & amount)

The 60/40 rear seat split-folds, but doesn't quite lay flat. Trunk-mounted release handles allow them to be released remotely.

7.0 / 10 Cupholders

The driver's cupholder flips out of a slot just above the passenger's left knee, making for a somewhat long reach. At least it doesn't block access to the HVAC or other center-mounted controls. The passenger's cupholder sits above his right knee. If anything slops out of the cups, it's the passenger who'll have laundry to do.

8.7 / 10 Design/Build Quality

9.0 / 10 Exterior Design

The new 3 Series Coupe looks sleek and fast, but doesn't draw undue attention to itself. None of the odd angles and concave surfaces found on other recent BMWs are used here. The optional 18" wheels look bold.

8.0 / 10 Interior Design

Purposeful, clean, and logical describes the 3 Series' interior theme.

9.0 / 10 Interior Materials

The materials used throughout are top notch. We found our Gray Poplar wood trim subdued and well-fitting. Dash and headliner materials have a nice texture.

9.0 / 10 Interior Control Tactile Feel

The switches and levers have a high quality feel and are nicely weighted. The best part about the iDrive system is the quality feel of the mechanism itself.

8.0 / 10 Squeaks & Rattles

No problems were found. The robot arm did come loose and had to be snapped back together.

9.0 / 10 Panel Fitment & Gaps

Assembly quality is very good. We didn't find any obvious flaws.
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      10-06-2007, 11:51 AM   #2
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Dam it - now I'm just salivating harder for the 135i.

Thanks for nothing 'dna550'!! :biggrin:
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      10-06-2007, 03:46 PM   #3
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Yeah, what he said!
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      10-06-2007, 06:12 PM   #4
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+3!!!!!
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      10-06-2007, 09:37 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dna550 View Post
Full Test: 2007 BMW 335i Coupe

The case for M-power just got a lot weaker!

The data doesn't make any sense. We're tearing our collective hair out trying to determine why the track-test numbers from our 2007 BMW 335i test car are so far off.

Our freshly minted 3 Series twin-turbo coupe has not only eclipsed BMW's own impressive performance figures — by a ton — it's also smoked those of the 2005 BMW M3 Competition Package, a car we called "The Best M3 Ever Sold in America." And while that admittedly turbo-deprived car had been a six-speed manual, the Arctic Metallic 2007 BMW 335i Coupe cooling in the driveway is but an automatic. Nothing about our Austrian First Drive of the car prepared us for this.

More than half fast
Consider the facts: This 2007 BMW 335i test car blazed from zero to 60 in 4.8 seconds. BMW says the new coupe mit twin-turbo engine and Steptronic six-speed autobox should make that trip in 5.5 seconds. Seven-tenths of a second quicker? That's 13-percent better than BMW's claim. Folks give aftermarket tuners wads of cash for that kind of performance bump, especially when a car starts out in the mid 5s to begin with.


Good find, but that aint nothing we didn't already know about the 335 and the N54. I just think many here do not understand how quick the 335i is! The inexpensive 135i might put that in a few more people hands.





-Garrett
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      10-07-2007, 02:10 AM   #6
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Is this a repost or am i just getting my forums mixed up?
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      08-18-2010, 11:44 AM   #7
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With respect to Edmunds/InsideLine, please accept a little constructive criticism about "accuracy" and "hyperbole".


This is what they wrote about the 2005 BMW M3 Competition Package:

1. "The 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder is as smooth as molasses, and has the bottom-end torque of a V8, the midrange of a V12 and the upper-rpm rush of a superbike. Its official power ratings are 333 hp at 7,900 rpm and 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm."

Comment on 1: Bottom-end torque of a V8? Nein. Neither the E46 M3 S54 inline 6 engine nor E92 M3 S65 V8 engine are known for torque, they are all about high end power at the 8K redline. You can look at the numbers (relatively low torque at high RPM), drive them (I drove both several times), and drive a torquey V8 (ex. 5 liter Mustang), and it's obvious. Frankly, both M3s are a little "gutless" on the bottom end.


2. "Despite all that comfort and drivability, it performs like a supercar. At the track we ran it through the quarter-mile at 105 mph and from zero to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds."

Comment on 2: 5.5 sec for 0-60 is really slow for an E46 M3. For example, C&D got 4.5 sec in their test. And 5.5 is not supercar territory.

Car and Driver: 2001 M3 Long Term Test


So they need more accuracy in their assessment and less hyperbole in their review.

Otherwise, enjoyed the review... thanks for posting DNA550!

Last edited by plasar; 08-18-2010 at 11:50 AM..
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      08-18-2010, 11:54 AM   #8
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      08-18-2010, 12:23 PM   #9
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It is too lenghy to read. Can some one summarize what he said???
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7/08 135 Coupe, Crimson Red, 6 SP, Sport, Taupe Lette/Aluminum. Performance Mods: JB4 on Map 5, BMS DP Fix V3, Injen polished intake, AR Catless DP, Maddad resonated mid-pipes, aFe exhaust polished tips, ST Suspension Coil Over and Hotchkis front sway bar. Others: BMS OCC, BT Scanner, Mud Flap. Next Mods: AA Front Strut Brace.
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      08-18-2010, 04:17 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by My135 View Post
It is too lenghy to read. Can some one summarize what he said???
2007 335i = good
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      08-18-2010, 04:30 PM   #11
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We all know that:-):-):-)
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7/08 135 Coupe, Crimson Red, 6 SP, Sport, Taupe Lette/Aluminum. Performance Mods: JB4 on Map 5, BMS DP Fix V3, Injen polished intake, AR Catless DP, Maddad resonated mid-pipes, aFe exhaust polished tips, ST Suspension Coil Over and Hotchkis front sway bar. Others: BMS OCC, BT Scanner, Mud Flap. Next Mods: AA Front Strut Brace.
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      08-18-2010, 04:31 PM   #12
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Except the HPFP:-(:-(:-(
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7/08 135 Coupe, Crimson Red, 6 SP, Sport, Taupe Lette/Aluminum. Performance Mods: JB4 on Map 5, BMS DP Fix V3, Injen polished intake, AR Catless DP, Maddad resonated mid-pipes, aFe exhaust polished tips, ST Suspension Coil Over and Hotchkis front sway bar. Others: BMS OCC, BT Scanner, Mud Flap. Next Mods: AA Front Strut Brace.
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      08-18-2010, 05:34 PM   #13
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