BMW 3 Series - 2009 BMW 335i

BMW's much-admired 3 Series Gets Updates for 2009

The new BMW 335i is a wonderfully endowed car, under the bonnet with a twin-turbo 3.0 litre six-cylinder engine that revs purringly and sings like a nightingale when worked hard. It pulls hard too, reaching 100kmp in just 5.8 seconds.

The steering may not be the chattiest around in terms of relaying feedback to the driver, but it's accurate and direct, allowing you to make the most of a chassis that always feels beautifully balanced.

The brakes have a nice bite to them, and the six-speed automatic is hardly ever caught napping, responding to throttle inputs with fast, smooth gear shifts.

The 335i simply put, is a great example of how BMW can distil all the elements of driving pleasure into a wonderfully cohesive package.

Indeed, so little is lacking in the way a 3 Series drives that not much has been done to it - this makeover is the sort that carmakers routinely give their models midway into their product cycles.

Thanks to new wheel carriers, there is a widened track (by 10mm) that is meant to improve ride quality. Unless you have a bum as sensitive as a fairytale princess', you'd be hard-pressed to tell.

Instead, the changes brought about by the revamp are mostly cosmetic, aimed at playing up the car's sporty nature.

Witness the new creases on the bonnet, which present lines that seem to evoke the slim nose sections of BMW's Formula One racing cars.

A restyled lower sill features a raised, more pronounced crease in order to visually elongate the 3 series when it's looked at from the side, while new bumpers adorn the front and rear.

The lamps have been given a different treatment too, with the front items receiving what BMW designers call "eyebrows".

These plastic inserts sit over the main projectors, bringing the 3 series visually in line with the new 7 series. They will undoubtedly spread throughout the BMW headlamp range.

LED indicators are arrayed at the corners of the headlamps, while the tail lamps have been completely redesigned to be more uniform in color, neatening up the rear of the car considerably.

Larger wing mirrors round up the exterior changes and offer wider coverage than the older ones.

Inside, cars equipped with BMW's iDrive control interface receive a new knob with additional buttons for more direct access to the system's various functions, and the LCD screen is not in 8.8 inch widescreen format.

Much of it amounts to change for change's sake, but that's not a bad thing, for it means that the sporty soul of the 3 series has been left unmolested. The 335i has always been a great car, so it might as well look the part more.

Facts for BMW 335i

Ups
Lovely, lively engine
Peerless handling
New look keeps it fresh...

Downs
...but not as fresh as some rivals
Slightly offset driving position

Engine
2,979cc, 24V in-line 6

Max Power
306bhp at 5,800rpm

Max Torque
400Nm at 1,300-5,000rpm

Gearbox
6-speed automatic

Top Speed
250kmp

0-100kmh
5.8 seconds

Interior Pictures of the New BMW 335i