BMW 3 Series Coupe 335i M Sport 2dr Car Review - March 2012

REVIEW
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List Price: £39,400
Tax Band: J
Insurance Group: 40
MPG: 33.6
CO2: 196
0-62 Mph: 5.5 secs
BHP: 306 BHP
Range: 466 miles
CarSite Verdict:  3.75/5
The 335i M Sport is a fantastic car, with a great engine, loads of power and controlled handling. For a big engine, it also has pretty good fuel economy too.

PROS:  A coupe with great performance, a powerful engine and superb handling. For such a high-performing car, it also offers decent fuel economy.

CONS:  This model is expensive and the sport suspension is very firm and can be uncomfortable.

Behind the Wheel

The 335i's engine is powerful, but smooth and quiet, with the cabin insulated from outside sounds, although there is a little wind noise at high speeds.

The 335i M Sport has a 306 bhp engine delivering 295 lb-ft of torque at 1200-5000 rpm and reaches 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph.

The suspension, although an improvement over previous 3 Series coupes, is still a touch too firm. However, the 335i handles very well indeed thanks to a finely balanced chassis and rear wheel drive setup.

Looks & Equipment

The 3 Series is a sleek, svelte car and although it can't match the good looks of the Audi A5, it isn't far behind.

The 3 Series Coupes have lots of room in the driving seat, with good adjustment on the seat and steering wheel. The iDrive system is much easier to get to grips with than before and all the controls of angled towards the driver.

The M Sport coupe comes with leather seats, metallic paint, power steering, stability control, cruise control, climate control, alloy wheels, MP3 connectivity and rear parking sensors as standard, with optional extras such as Bluetooth for £250 and satellite navigation for £1,550.

Practicality, Safety & Reliability

The 3 Series Coupe should be a very safe car and comes with a good amount of standard safety equipment including six airbags, dynamic stability control dynamic traction control alongside numerous other features. An alarm is also fitted as standard to protect the car from theft and overall the car achieved a five star rating for safety in the NCAP crash tests, giving drivers plenty of confidence in the vehicle.

On top of this BMW have a strong reliability record, making this area of car ownership worry-free for buyers. A standard three year warranty is also provided.

The coupe has loads of room in the front and back, with plenty of leg room. The boot is of reasonable size too, if a bit awkwardly shaped, with 440 litres available with the seats up and the option to take down the split-folding rear seats to extend the space.

Value for Money

The 335i M Sport is fantastic car and whilst the price is expensive, the performance and the surprisingly low running costs are worth it. You should get around 33mpg on the combined cycle which is very good for a car with an engine this big. CO2 emissions of 196g/km put the 335i into VED band J which is pretty high but reasonable for a car of this ilk.

The 335i should enjoy very good resale values and, at £39,145, is fairly reasonably priced consdering the amount of car you get for your money.

BMW 3 Series Coupe 335i M Sport 2dr Car Review - by 
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