E90 BMW 335i Coupe M Sport review

By Farzana Chaumoo

BMW's 3 Series coupe range is one of the most stylish designs that has emerged from BMW’s Munich design studios. The 335i Coupe, with its standard M Sport kit, ups the ante with BMW’s turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

 

Styling
It's 2011 update came with a wider and more distinctive kidney grille that had extra chrome, Bi-Xenon headlights and a LED light cluster with yellow light rings for the daytime running lights function, the latest L-shaped taillights, lower side sills, an extra character line across the boot. 

Both the Coupe and Convertible offer stylish packages that include the M Sport package as standard. With this comes a 19-inch double-spoke ‘313M’ alloy wheel that's not available for any other variant.

Naturally, an M Sport derivative has an aerodynamic package which, on the 335i, can be seen through the low front spoiler with extra cooling ducts feeding air to the front brakes.

The Drive
The 335i Coupe M Sport is said to have "brilliant chassis balance, razor-sharp turn-in, superb steering feedback, magnificent throttle response and startling mid-range acceleration." You're likely to also drive with the windows open and take in that turbo six when it's working hard. 

Around the city, the 335i is described to have "classy precision" while the "instant throttle response proved handy when negotiating the peak-hour freeway ‘Grand Prix’." Coupe bodies also usually restrict rear three-quarter visibility when reverse parking, however, that was no problem for the 335i. 

Performance
The 335i is powered by a twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 225kW of power at 5800 rpm and peak torque of 400Nm from as low as 1200 rpm. It sprints from 0-100km/h in just 5.4 seconds.

Car enthusiasts will love the audio track of the turbo six at speed and once you get past 4,000 rpm, the car rockets off.

Space and Comfort
In the cabin, high-quality materials and stylish finishes can be found all around. Surprisingly, it also has a spacious rear seat which small families can live with. 

Safety
The BMW 3 Series E90 scored a 5-star for Adult Occupant safety, a 4-star for Child Occupant safety, and 1-star for Pedestrian safety in Euro NCAP crash tests.

Four different kinds of airbags can be found in the 3 Series that include: Front-impact airbags, Side impact airbags, Overhead airbags and knee airbags.

Fuel Consumption
In the 2011 update, BMW improved its fuel efficiency to 8.4l/100kms on the seven-speed auto model. The engine also had the latest tech, at the time, that included a VALVETRONIC full-variable valve management and a light-alloy cylinder head. 

Price
As this model can no longer be purchased new, we found 335i Coupes on site starting from R129,995 for a 2006 model.

Verdict

Through the 335i, BMW displays that a clever design can deliver a high-performance coupe that a whole family can enjoy. Keeping in mind that it comes at a price, but it rewards in its driving dynamics and interior luxury