19 Oct 06
The launch engines were the 218bhp 2.5 and 306bhp 3.0-litre straight sixes, badged 325i and 335i. But now the range has grown, to include the 330 and 320 diesels, 330 and 320 petrols - and this utter marvel. The £35,475 335d is BMW's first twin-turbo straight six. It has a small turbo that spins up quickly at low engine speeds and a larger one that works at higher revs. Between them, they produce an uninterrupted torrent of torque, with no lag and no troughs.
It produces serious grunt from well under 2,000rpm - in fact, the peak torque of 479lb-ft comes at just 1,750rpm - and peaks at 286bhp. It does the 0-62mph charge in 6.1sec, is limited to 155mph, drinks diesel at a rate of 37.7mpg and emits 200g/km of carbon dioxide and BMW claims its running costs are class-leadingly low.
It comes as standard with a six-speed automatic transmission, which has upgraded hydraulics and electronics for quicker reaction times and quicker gearshift times. You can shift manually using the knobbly blobs on the steering wheel (they're not 'paddles' by anyone's definition) or you can let it make the changes itself, in D or the even swifter DS mode.
In a single generation, the old BMW buyer's mantra of 'petrol and manual, petrol and manual, petrol and manual' has been turned on its head. This is the best new-generation 3-Series Coupe so far - and it's a diesel with an auto box. The petrols are very good, better in many ways than any earlier ones. But the diesels have leapfrogged them and the 335d has leapfrogged all the other diesels.
And although there's nothing at all wrong with BMW's current six-speed manual gearbox, this auto is excellent. It's unbelievably smooth and quick - to the extent that you sometimes don't believe it can possibly have made that change already. It could also make you a bit lazy, as the accompanying electronics will cover up for all manner of misjudgment on your part.
