Quick Test
What Is It?
For 2011, BMW’s sublime 335i coupe receives badly needed iDrive enhancements and a minor-league exterior refresh with new lights front and rear, plus a modified trunklid, grille, and front bumper. More significant, the car is now powered by the new N55 inline six-cylinder engine that has been deployed across the BMW lineup.
How Does It Drive?
Just like the old N54 engine, the N55 is as smooth as single malt, makes a sweet sound, and is plenty powerful. Also like the N54, it seems to make more than the advertised horsepower. Back in 2007, a twin-turbo coupe managed 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds. This one did the deed in five flat. Through the quarter-mile, the earlier car managed 13.6 seconds at 105 mph versus 13.7 at 106 for this 2011 model. The 2011 pulls away beyond 100 mph, hitting that speed in 12.0 seconds (the 2007 needed 12.1), with a 1.8-second advantage to the hugely important-for-your-commute 140-mph mark (26.2 seconds versus 28.0).
As the chassis remains unchanged, dynamic performance is identical to that of the previous car. Both stopped from 70 mph to 0 in 160 feet, and they recorded skidpad performances within 0.01 g of each other: 0.88 for the new, 0.87 for the old. The real difference came in mileage. The 2007 car had EPA city and highway mileage ratings of 17 and 26 mpg, respectively. The 2011 version improves to 19 and 28. Our observed figure improved even further, from 18 mpg overall in the 2007 model to 21 in the 2011.
How Does It Stack Up?
The 3-series coupe drives beautifully, with faithful steering, stout brakes, and fluid control feel. The six-speed manual has short, positive throws, and the chassis balance is terrific, with lots of power oversteer available in the lower gears. The new engine sounds slightly fuller than the old one, and the power delivery is even more linear: One can stick the car in sixth gear at ridiculously low revs, and it will pull from 30 mph on up without hesitation. The Audi A5 and the Infiniti G37 offer similar performance and style, but neither car has the fluidity and refinement of the BMW over twisting pavement.
What’s the Cost?
The rub, of course, is the price. BMW charges $43,525 for a base 335i coupe, although our tester was packed with just about every available option. Add in nav, the Sport package with 19-inch wheels and tires, the Premium package, and parking sensors—among other items—and the sticker swells to $53,525. That price will plant a person into a lot of cars, from a sexy Audi S5 to a boisterous Chevy Corvette, but there’s nothing that matches the blend of refinement and performance provided by a 335i—two turbos or one.
