TED_FR

The point is that the future M3 will have a 400 HP V8. It leaves then a huge gap between the 330i (258 HP) and the M3. I think that ths 335i is there to fill the gap.
Regarding the 335d you are right, it should show up at the same time as the 335i

Biker : Do you kow the pricing of the IS300 in Sitzerland, I tried to get it from the web site but get an error message. The GS swiss prices have been published, and it looks like the GS300 'business' is about the price of the IS300 which is quite interesting regarding the pricing of the IS250.

biker

I don't follow local Swiss Lexus news - I would only be interested in US pricing - I'm moving there soon.
Maybe BMW is feeling left out of the 300HP entry level sedan league so they have to respond with something.

LexFather

I have read that BMW is aware of the huge difference in power between M models and top series models, thus they have to go to forced induction and will offer those cars soon to close the gap. Management has stated they will not lose the HP war

Imagine the M3 will have gone from a I-4 to a V-8

TED_FR

You couldn't be more right. this year 2005 there is no motor show in Paris, then I guess that BMW will take this opportunity to announce some heavy powered BMW 3 series at Frankfurt auto show sometimes this fall.

jrock65

There was an interview with a top BMW exec (I can't find the link) where he said that he won't let anyone "out-BMW BMW" anymore, and admitted that BMW had fallen behind and that some competitors were outperforming BMWs (mainly he was referring to Infiniti in terms of power and acceleration).

I can't remember for sure, but he did mention an engine size increase for the 6 cylinder. I think the 255hp 3.0L is a stop gap measure and that a 3.5L is in the works. Not sure if it'll be an in-line or V6.

The 360hp 750i and upcoming 550i is clear testament that BMW is intent on taking a firm lead in terms of V8's.

TED_FR

Looking at some pics is something, seeing the real car is quite different. But meeting that car in the street may be another experience. I've seen the new 3 series at the Geneva motor show and thought that it was not that bad.
But today on the 'Champs Elysées' i've seen the first 3 serie in the real life and I 've been very disapointed.
It does not pop out from the crowd. No turning heads, nobody noticed or cared.

Tough job for BMW keeping the throne!

Gojirra99

Being a G35c owner, I don't even agree with that. Having more hp on paper does not equate better performance. The 2003-04 G35c have 280hp vs. 255 hp for the new 330, but the best 0-60 time from the mags. are 5.5 sec. & 5.6 sec. respectively by R & T , it's virtually a tie.

Besides Infiniti still hasn't able to acheive that balance between ride comfort & handling of the 3 series, the G35 has to sacrifice more ride comfort to acheive the handling prowess it has now than the BMW.

BMW also has that unique steering feel that makes it's drivers feel it's an extension of their wrists that the Infiniti doesn't quite have yet.

I decided to buy the G35c knowing all that, but picked the Infiniti over the 330ci because I think it looks sexier, is not as common as Honda Accords on the road as the 3, have comparable handling & performance, is a better value, & have better expected reliability.

LexFather

I doubt a BMW executive can spell Infiniti let alone is thinking about them. He was referring to the Audi S/RS cars and Benz AMG cars, they have yet to acknowledge that company even exists. BMW will have to go to F/I products and larger engines (the new 5.0 V-8) to make the gap between M cars and top of the line cars smaller.

biker

Agree about the Infiniti bit but I think they do know Lexus. BMW will have to worry about others besides other German makes, especially as Lexus expands worldwide.
Two months after the intro I have yet to see a new E90 on the road - kinda weird since I drove it a week after the intro.

LexFather

I haven't seen one yet but I am sure they are going to sell like the usual hotcakes. The 3 has never had such good competiton from EVERYONE so that says a lot about the 3.

spwolf

I saw new 3 recently and it looks nice. Profile is awesome, back is terrible and at the end it looks good, better than the pics although still not great.

As to its killing the competition... German AutoBild - the biggest german car magazine, got into A4 3.2FSI, BMW 330i, and C350, all with 6 speed manuals. Performance wise - it was all pretty similar - 0-62mph in 6.6 secs for BMW, 6.5 sec for Audi and Merc, with Merc being by far best with the brakes and BMW being only ok. p.s. what did I say again about long 2nd gear for 0-60?

BMW finished 3rd, mostly because of its weak engine - you cant do it without torque folks! Audi finished 1st because it was much cheaper than Benz and Benz was 2nd only because of the price.

Hyped out? It certainly seems so.

AJL0365

saw an new 3 series driving through my neighborhood today, same color that i guess it was pictured in, it is a nice looking car, the rear end doesnt do that much for me, but i'll still buy one if i wasnt hooked on saving for an IS250

RohithT

I test drove a 330i about a week and a half ago (auto, no sports pack, no nav). Even without the sports pack, the handling is top of the class; the only thing that is comparable would be the new A4 with the sports pack. The ride is also very nice. I'm looking forward to driving it with the sports pack. And eventhough it's down 30 hp or so from the G35, the accelleration is no less addictive or authorative. They really stepped up in the ride/handling/accelleration department with the car. Oh, and the EPA mileage is 29 on the highway with the auto. Usually, there's a significant mileage penalty for stepping up to the bigger engine (check the difference between the A4 2.0T and the 3.2; yikes); there's only a 1 mpg difference between the 325i and the 330i. How cool is that?


However, it appears they spent all their money on the chassis and engine, because the interior suffers and is a step down from the E46. The main culprit is the dash. It's this really hard plastic, and without the nav/iDrive, it has this really severe crease where it transitions from horizontal to vertical that just doesn't look right, and feels even worse. The A4's interior just blows the E90's away. Hell, the A3's interior is better. The seats are typical BMW goodness, and the leather feels good, though. Plus, there's an aux in for the stereo in the storage comparant below the arm rest, which is nice. I like that much better than Audi's SD card slots (I'm an iPod person and a good deal of my music is stuff I bought from the iTunes store, so the SD slots won't work for me without buring the songs to a CD and the reripping them; and apparently the iPod interface that's coming out for the A3 and A4 requires you disconnect the CD changer and satellite radio, which is pretty lame. The changer I can do without, but not the satellite radio.

All in all, the new 3 is a great car, though, and, depending on your budget (a loaded G35 is thousands cheaper than a comparable 325i) and needs in a car (no awd or wagaon and there's not going to be a wagon version of the 330), it is definitely one of the top two total package cars in its class at the moment.

Incendiary

Wow, that's with the new 255 hp engine? Crazy.

Gojirra99

The translated autobild 3 series/A4/C class comparison HERE