Test drive: Happiness is a BMW 335i

Every now and then, a test drive comes our way that excites us, and this week’s 2007 BMW 335i Coupe is one of them.

Built in Regensburg, Germany, our silver metallic four-passenger sportster came from Bavarian Motor Works (that’s what BMW stands for) with the preferred six-speed manual transmission hooked to a true high-performance engine.

The result is a car that runs and looks better than anything we’ve driven yet this year, in every manner. From daunting acceleration to emergency stops from 100-mph, (on a closed course) the BMW 335i is a special car indeed.

The 3-Series is perhaps BMW’s most popular model of all, and comes in so many fancy flavors it’s sometimes hard to keep up. There are convertibles, coupes, sedan, wagons and AWD’s in 10 styles and two distinct designations (either 328 or 335).

However, the 335i Coupe we drove is the most expensive non-convertible of the bunch ($40,600 base) and is the true snake charmer of the clan. If you like to go topless, the base goes to $49,100.

Readers of my column already know my love of German built motorcars, which to this day is still intact and even more pronounced following a week in this gem. First and foremost, the 335i Coupe is not a car for the general masses. It’s a car for those who feel that driving should be an exhilarating delight more so than a “get me there and back” necessity. Again that’s me to a “T.”

Through the years, the 3-Series has grown a bit and added some weight, but BMW has countered with more power under the hood and excellent, pivot front and 5-link rear, suspension components.

Motivating our tester is a 3.0-liter aluminum block inline-6. It’s fed via twin turbochargers, Double VANOS ignition timing and direct fuel injection with Piezo injectors. Thanks to all this technology, the usual “turbo lag” is nearly gone completely, so when you press the go pedal, hang on.

In addition to being a staunch performer, 335i’s small engine displacement, relative to other super cars, has advantages. Specifically, when the throttle isn’t matted and the twin turbos aren’t “force feeding” the combustion chambers with an air fuel mixture that results in 300-horsepower, consumers can attain 29-mpg on the highway.

That’s a solid number, considering you’re sitting in a car that makes 120-mph feel like 70 and will accelerate to 60-mph in 5-seconds flat from a standing stop. The only “giveaway” of what’s sitting under the hood is a healthy, yet pleasing, growl from the dual chrome tipped exhaust.

The 335i’s low-end torque is amazing, and easily breaks the tires loose in first and second gears if there’s even a hint of dust on the road. When it hooks, it will engage with the best of them and then finish off its amazing power curves with uncanny handling abilities. The adhesion is great, and tossing our tester around a mountain road is exhilarating. (Remember, you don’t have to break the speed laws to enjoy a fine performer, especially on mountain roads).

BMW’s 335i is built for the Autobahn, yet loves cruising anywhere you want to take it, sans icy highways and snowstorms due to our summer performance tires.

Luckily, my week with the rear-drive 335i came between two of the only major snowstorms we experienced in Pennsylvania this season, so our 18-inch run flat performance tires, part of a $1,000 sport package that we recommend, is well worth it.

Inside, you’ll be pleased and at times impressed. BMW’s cabin illuminates smartly front and rear in aesthetically pleasing manners. Even the door handles have ground lighting in them to get you started. Once inside, leathers and fit and finish are exquisite, while roominess is good. The seats are firm, have good side support and with heat as a standard feature.

We’ve spent most of this column touting 335i’s spectacular performance capabilities, because that’s what the car deserves more than exploring all of the comfort and built-in, high-tech safety features that are noteworthy. Your BMW dealer will gladly help once you slide in behind the controls.

Important numbers include a wheelbase of 108.7-inches, 3,571-pound curb weight, and a 15.9-gallon premium fuel tank.

We rate the new 335i by BMW a 9.9, because 10’s are tough to come by.

Likes: True performance car, sizzling looks, great handler, feels like 400-horsepower.

Dislikes: It’s not parked in my driveway anymore.