Test drive BMW 3 E90 2005 - 2008 sedan

Tyrolean roulades

The journalist must take the maximum of positive impressions. For the sake of this, at the presentation of the BMW-335i coupe, they even offered to choose music on a CD for a test drive.
But in vain, I was looking for simple Tyrol melodies with cheerful chips by falsetx and uncomplicated words. They are called yodl. They say that this type of singing was born in the shepherds, echoing from the tops of the neighboring mountains. In my opinion, nothing can be equally consonant with the route of the test drive in incredibly picturesque Tyrol Alps. And I found the desired disk in the first souvenir shop
Miracles are still happening
The declared characteristics of a 3-liter engine with two turbochargers are impressed by the prepared reader. Despite the index 335, the engine operates only 3 liters. 306 horses with such a volume, and even with a boost, in itself are not news. Twisting the moment 400 N.M too. But the range in which the engine develops it is 13005000 rpm in fact that the car confidently accelerates from almost idle revolutions to any (!) Gear. Even at 1000 rpm at the disposal of the driver 320 NM, it is comparable to a good result of a peak moment for an atmospheric 3.5-liter motor. Too good to be true? Says behind the wheel of a machine with mechanics and try to accelerate on the third with minimally stable revolutions. Then the internal accelerometer, located, contrary to medical science, is not at all in the inner ear, will dispel the illusions
It is impossible to confuse the programs in the BMW-335i: selectivity at the height, the efforts are minimal, the fixation is clear. I insert the third and touch, almost without pressing the right pedal easily and without the slightest discontent of the motor. I press the gas deeper than BMW overcomes a hundred in a matter of seconds. No, I was not mistaken, this is the third gear on it the car easily touches and accelerates above 160 km/h! However, in Austria on autobahns, speed is much tougher. The mountain serpentines are full of cars, and the straight lines are so short that even with three hundred horses it is not so easy to overtake. But once again I was convinced by Turboyami. Instead, it is slightly slowed in the first second, and even then only on V and VI programs in the region of 1000 rpm. The sensation does not leave that the engine volume is at least twice as much as the declared. The constant readiness of the car is still impressive much more much more than a breathtaking pickup at some speeds there.
The choice is made
For the BMW compartment, several concepts of the top engine were considered. An increase in the volume of the six to 3.5 liters would forced to reduce the range of permissible revolutions too long the piston stroke and large inertial forces. The eight is heavy and gluttonous, it would make you sacrifice the perfect weightlift and BMW is so proud of it. There was an option with a turbocharged, in which the power unit was only 19 kg, allowing you to maintain a balance between mass, power and controllability. The direct injection of the second generation and miniature turbines helped to overcome the eternal flaws of the motors with a boost: a delay in the pedal response and a large fuel consumption.
Europeans expect a large selection of engines. Three -liter gasoline and diesel with turbocharges, two -liter fours will appear later. By the way, the upper diesel with adjustable turbines with a capacity of 286 hp. Gives the BMW-335D almost the same dynamics as in 335i.
OLD FRIEND
Kilometers of mountain roads fly quickly. To write out the virabs of serpentinov is so pleasant that the dinner halt occurs too quickly. After photography by the mountain lake, the color of which is marvelously in harmony with the tint of the car, I change the car. Now the pedals are one less, and on the steering wheel levers of sequential gear shift. In the transmission, the well-known hydromechanical unit ZF6HP-21 with a new hydrotransformer and electronic control. It doesn’t sound as interesting as it works. There was no need to try so fast and adequate in the automatic reaction. The manual mode is also good, but the logic both levers are responsible for the same thing is not entirely clear. Why not make one for switching down, the other up? And here I had to master the aviation from myself down, up, moreover, in a doubled version. Mountain roads are forced to slow down with the engine and change the gear before turning, but when at the helm from the stop to the stop 1.8 turns, there is still no confusion with levers. And active steering helps without interception to pass the most intricate mother -in -law languages.
A machine with a machine gun practically does not lose the analogue with mechanics in acceleration (0.2 s to 100 km/h), but adds a set of speed unattainable with a handle. Moreover, slippage in the hydrrotransformer is minimal, and the feeling of a rigid connection of the motor and wheels does not leave. By the way, cars for the American market will be equipped with GM boxes of a similar design. They, according to BMW experts, are not inferior to German.
Among the features of the new coupe, headlights with the original solution of daylight in the form of a crown, and have become standard for BMW tires that allow you to drive 200 km with zero pressure, and adaptive cruise control, are worthy of attention. Now you can order a compartment and with a X-Drive all-wheel drive. Apparently, at the urgent requests of local highlanders.
You can start a discussion, how much the middle stand is needed in the compartment in terms of passive safety. In the BMW, by the way, there is a stand. And also to argue whether the LEDs are needed in the background lamps, and not only in the brakes, but not to admit that the car could not be successful.
Normal flight
There are three more hours at my disposal: do not wave to Germany? There on the autobahn you can try to accelerate for 200 km/h. Only forty minutes along a winding landtrasse and a narrow path turns into an autobahn. It is laid along the hilly terrain and abound with turns, albeit smooth, but impressive at speeds for 200. The engine is like a giant bumblebee, drowning in the noise of the air flow, and the automatic gearbox finally switches to the sixth when the speedometer arrow touches the mark of 260. A moment before the limiter is triggered, the indicator of instant fuel consumption fixes 38 l/100 km: which means that the full tank of the 98th is enough for only 40 minutes! However, the autobahn ended in eleven. Although even five minutes at such speed seem endless, the road is terribly narrow. In open areas, I feel the side wind on the steering wheel, but the car remains completely predictable. Such speeds are in its working range. U -turn at the nearest fork. I lowered the speedometer arrow by only 30 km/h, and the fuel consumption fell in half! And barely a sign of 90 appeared even more than doubled. Yes, BMW-335i knows how to be not only fast, but also economical: 910 l/100 km, subject to Austrian restrictions, are quite real. By the way, even spectacular accelerations uphill on serpentines could not increase the consumption of more than 13 l/100 km.
Provisively fast, obedient, at the same time gambling and completely non -boring car. With an elegant appearance, but very practical. Of course, not cheap, but not at a sky -high price. Perhaps the only one behind the wheel of which I wanted to sing iodil. Sorry I can’t.

WHAT DO WE HAVE?
In Russia, two options for engines and configuration will have been available so far. The base 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine, with it BMW-325i will cost from 45,900 euros. BMW-335i will cost at least 54,900 euros. This is only with a sports suspension. The basic equipment of Business includes all the expected elements: from a leather salon and separate climate control to bixenon headlights. In Business+ add a glass hatch, inserts made of polished walnut root, dynamic cruise control, more advanced multimediasist and developed salon backlight. For this you will have to add 4000 euros.

In the ideology of the BMW, a special place is reserved for the BMW body. Sometimes designers go to bold experiments. Example model Z4 Cou-PE. Sometimes they dwell on impeccable severity, characteristic of the 6th series. By the way, BMW recognizes as a compartment only the last three generations of the series 3, their predecessors are only two -door sedans. According to Bavarian designers, the compartment should be squat, with a long hood and a short trunk. The sedan with the same wheelbase is higher and they will go in the middle part. This time, optical illusions were clearly a success: the compartment looks much larger and more solid than it is. It is hard to believe that the three-width is noticeably smaller than Ford Focus!

BMW-335i compartment is a rare example of an almost perfect harmony of the motor, chassis and design.

Anatoly Fomin
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"