The 335i, 328i, 330i, and 325i all have 3.0-liter inline-sixes. The 328i is a coupe with a 230-horsepower six that falls between the 255-horse 330i and 215-horse 325i, which are both four-door sedans. Deep breath. The 335i, then, is a twin-turbocharged direct-injection 3.0 that makes 75 percent of the expected power of next year's M3 V-8.
There's linearity to BMW horsepower numbers, from the M5/M6's 500-horse V-10 to a 400-horse, 4.0-liter V-8 in the 2008 M3 to 300 horses for this handsome new coupe. This is something different for BMW: Its first-but not last-gas direct-injection engine, with piezo injectors feeding the combustion chambers for a more equal distribution of fuel. The twin turbos act in parallel, each boosting three cylinders. They're inside an all-aluminum block with cast-iron liners that cut cylinder bore by 1.0 mm versus the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter. The world's first twin-turbo inline-six, according to the Bavarian automaker, is its future in providing efficient high performance.
Like all good sport coupes and all good BMWs, the 335i is greater than the sum of its parts: full of unquantifiable qualities, an embarrassment for the car critic who's trying to be critical. It's like butter, that twin-turbo six, and the turbo lag you might expect melts into smooth acceleration. But there's still a power surge to tell you turbos are in place hard and early. Its exhaust gives off a satisfying rasp that'll quickly become identified with this specific engine to sharp-eared juvenile enthusiasts. Three-hundred pound-feet of torque kicks in from 1400 to 5000 rpm, making it a quick-launching Euro coupe that'll feel at home in the American V-8 environment.
The 335i's suspension offers more compliance than one might expect, although springs and shocks are stiffer than any 3 Series sedan's. North American 335i buyers get as standard the Euro-spec Sport Package suspension, with a delete option. For the U.S., "Sport Package" means 18-inch wheels with 225/40R18F front/225/35R18R rear tires, upgraded from the standard 225/45R17 H-rated all-seasons. Both sizes are no-spare run-flats, and their stiff sidewalls allowed German engineers to remain on the supple side of the ride and handling equation. It works as well-or better than-it's always worked for the 3 Series. While our drive was limited to mostly tabletop roads in the Austrian Alps, there was enough rough blacktop to learn that Americans who are used to substandard pavement will be comfortable in this car.
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