There is a new BMW 3 Series in town but many average non enthusiasts Malaysian drivers might not notice it as it looks very similar to the new BMW 5 Series. In motion, it can be mistaken for its bigger sibling as its rear and side profile is very similar. The nose is very different. It has also grown in size where it is bigger than the infamous E39. Sold in 4 engine variants, we test drive the crowd puller, the 335i. This sleek, sexy and very sporty newcomer shares only a 4-cylinder diesel engine with the older 3 Series.
The all new look is carried inside the cabin with influences from the new 5 Series. Rear legroom is much better now and 3 adults will fit nicely in the back.
The driver, as always with all BMWs, gets a driver centric cabin with clear instruments and a user friendly dash.
The BMW signature gear lever sits next to a set of buttons that control the dynamic nature of this car. Normal, Sport and Sport+ allows the driver to put this new 3 Series into his preferred mode of excitement as he or she sees fit. This new 3 comes with leather upholstery, climate control air conditioning, a top notch CD sound system, electrically adjust able driver’s seat, sports seats, front fog lights and a stack of other goodies as standard equipment.
The 335i runs a 2979cc, DOHC six cylinder twin turbo engine. It uses a new 8-speed gearbox to extract a healthy dose of 306bhp. Ignite the engine and a nice animalistic note can be heard. It’s an absolute JOY to drive and goes the way all performance cars should. BMW marketers will tell you that the purchase of one of a 335i is down to two things, emotion and passion that could very well be the case after you drive one. It evokes both emotion and passion as soon as you sit behind the thick steering wheel and fire up the gorgeous sounding engine. Once underway, the whole experience is reinforced in every aspect of the cars ability to be dynamically sensational with strong performance while cosseting you in a luxurious cabin. It is also not short on safety features with an arsenal of life saving features.
This is all very nice but the essence of BMW cars is their dynamics, how they go, corner, ride and stop. The twin turbo offers excellent power and there is nothing lacking in the performance area as this car does what it has been designed for with ease. On the road these figures translate into useful, flexible and stirring performance especially when teamed with the silky 8-speed semi automatic gearbox. Our gripe with the 3 Series is the weighty steering and the rather stiff suspension setup which is felt more on our badly maintained city streets. On the open highway there is no issue. Now comes the purchase decision. With some interesting competition in the market like the VW CC ‘R’ and the Audi A5, a test drive of all 3 vehicles should be done on the same day to give you your buy decision.
BMW 3 Series Sedan 335i Specifications Engine 3.0-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder Petrol Capacity 2979cc Transmission 8-Speed Sport Automatic Transmission Max Output 306bhp @ 6000rpm Max Torque 400NM @ 1250rpm 0-100km/h 5.5 seconds Top Speed 250km/h
Price: RM488,000.00
