It is one of the very few cars around on the road today that is able to reverse the widely accepted theory that diesels will never be a match for their petrol driven counterparts.
OK if you look at the statistics you will see that it produces 20bhp less than the equivalent 335i petrol version but also if you look at the statistics you will see that it has an extra 180Nm of Torque to call on and the end result of this is that a comparison off the 0-60 figures will show that the diesel is 0.4 of a second slower than the petrol. However, the last laugh is with the diesel in that you get an extra eight miles to the gallon over the petrol version.
If we take into consideration the BMWs rival model from Mercedes, the CLK, then you would have to say that the German automobile manufacturers really do have the premium ?four-seater coupe? market virtually sewn up. In fact if the rumours are to be believed then with Audi bringing in the new A5 then the market will be well and truly sewn up or would ?stitched up? be a better way of describing it.
If we run down the list of its impressive specifications you will get a better idea of why the 335d is fast becoming universally acclaimed.
If we take it from the top. The engine is an inline 6 cylinder 2993cc, bi-turbo engine that hands a maximum power of 282bhp @ 4400rpm. It also has a maximum torque of 428lb ft @ 1750-2250 rpm. The initial 0-60 figures claim 6.1 seconds as it has in the alleged top speed of 155 miles an hour. This last figure of course is by some philology useless within the United Kingdom as we all know (nudge nudge wink wink) how much we all abide by the 70 miles an hour top speed limit. But isn't it ironic that in the majority, the more power and speed a car actually has, quite often there is less desire to actually use it - or am I just getting boring and old?
Answers on a postcard please.
As I mentioned before the 335d Coupe has been described as the best new generation three series coupe so far and where the diesel has really made an impression is that it appears to be bucking the trend that has hitherto seemed to be the norm in that the popular perception of any performance BMW has been ?Petrol and Manual, Petrol and Manual etc?. By this I mean that the 335d has now made it almost acceptable to have BMW with performance that has firstly a diesel engine and then secondly has a pretty nifty automatic gear box.
The Coupe comes with DSC+, which involves traction control, stability control, ABS, brake drying, Cornering Brake Control, brake fade compensation, Dynamic Brake Control, brake pre-tensioning, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, hill-start assistant, Engine Drag Torque Control, and soft stop. And more besides. But to repeat: none of this messes with the essential simplicity of the drive, or with the relationship between car and driver.
