Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged BMW
2008 BMW 335xi
01242 days
Fast, capable and luxurious, the BMW 3-Series has long been the Michael Jordan of the sports-sedan set, a world-class performer that seems to have no weaknesses or vices other than a high price tag. Since its latest ground-up redesign, the 3-Series is even better, with more expressive sheet metal outside and upgraded mechanicals beneath. Is it possible to improve on what many consider to be perfection?
It’s certainly worth a shot. For 2008, BMW takes the already-outstanding 335 coupe and adds the power of all-wheel drive. The new 335xi expands the 3-Series’ resume to include all-weather performance.
From the driver’s seat, the all-wheel drive is seamless, and the additional weight has a negligible effect on handling. The 3-series’ standard Dynamic Stability Control already tames the tail-happy tendencies of the powerful, rear-drive 335i, so the 335xi’s additional stability is simply icing on the cake. The drivetrain is BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, shared with the X3 and X5 line of sport-utes, and torque transfer is seamless. When the going gets slippery, the XDrive all-wheel drive system transfers power to the wheels with traction via a smooth, multi-disc clutch. XDrive will also transfer grip to enhance dry-weather performance, giving the 335ix a subtle edge over two-wheel drive cars. From the driver’s seat, the average 335xi pilot will notice only that the 300-horsepower six-cylinder engine doesn’t tend to make the rear end step out, in the wet or in the dry.
The addition of all-wheel drive makes the 3.0 liter straight six an impressively powerful yet tame engine, in fact. BMW’s first gasoline-powered turbocharged powerplant since the early 1980s, the 335’s engine features two small turbos, to provide maximum boost with minimum lag. The turbocharger is seamless; thanks to the inline engine’s inherent torque nature, there’s never a feeling of boost or lag. There’s a broad torque band and ample power when it’s needed; you can’t catch this engine napping. The throttle’s even perfectly suited, so boost and horsepower both roll on smoothly, making the 335xi deceptively fast from the driver’s seat. The six-speed manual transmission is awesomely suited to the straight-six, and the 335xi will get up and go from any gear, at any speed. It’s as easy to drive slow as it is fast; unlike some frenetic performance sedans, the 335xi is adept at calming down and acting responsible every so often, if the circumstances require it.
The brakes are excellent, of course; BMW wouldn’t allow anything less. The racetrack-bred 335xi is equipped with BMW’s elaborate “double-pivot” dual lower control arm suspension in the front and a five-link suspension at the rear. The bigger brakes require seventeen-inch or larger wheels. The suspension is taut and responsive to a fault, and the ride on the road is stiff but not uncomfortable. That said, the 335 doesn’t like sharp bumps, and tends to bounce like a go-kart over frost heaves.
For all the exciting mechanical bits, the 335xi’s face is rather restrained. The signature BMW styling looks good, but the average onlooker won’t see anything other than another handsome, long-nosed BMW coupe. The 335xi has conservative lines with a lowered hood, cool flat-topped quad headlamps with BMW’s signature corona rings, and of course the unmistakable split grille. This car is competent and confident, so it’s got no need for flashy styling tricks.
My test car featured a red and black leather interior that got mixed reviews, but otherwise the 335xi’s cabin is laid out nicely and comfortable. The narrow-diameter steering wheel feels tightly connected to the rest of the car and will remind younger drivers of a video game controller. The 335xi feels very taut and together–the steering wheel seems to be attached directly to the wheels, the shifter only a hairsbreadth from the gears themselves. The 335xi is good at making sure that the driver is involved. It’s easy to imagine that you can feel each individual tire’s contact patch on the road as you drive. And driving is what this car will invite you to do. The comfortable seats are sporty and grippy but don’t pinch, and surprisingly enough there’s room for over-six-footers in the back seat.
For all that sportiness, it’s still a luxury car as well. A choice of real wood or brushed aluminum trim is offered. Fancy electronic arms present the seatbelts to front-seat passengers when the key is turned, and there’s mood lighting in the armrests front and rear, giving the 335xi a unique theatrical feeling after dark. Active cruise control, heated seats, parking assist and a navigation system are available. Sirius satellite radio and a custom iPod adapter are also on the menu.
So what’s it cost to roll with what’s largely considered the best of the best? BMW pricing isn’t quite “if you have to ask…” but it is up there. 335ix pricing starts at $42,600. My tester featured th rear parking assist, iPod adapter, Sirius, Premium Package and Cold Weather package and stickered for $49,720. BMW’s XDrive is also available on the slightly less expensive 328 series.
Specifications: all specs are for the BMW 335ix.
Length: 180.6 in.
Width: 70.2 in.
Height: 54.1 in.
Wheelbase: 108.7 in.
Curb weight: 3759 lb.
Cargo space: 11.1 cu.ft.
Base price: $42,600
Price as tested: $49,720
Engine: 3.0 liter DOHC 24-valve twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 300 @ 5800
Torque: 300 @ 1400-5000
Fuel capacity: 16.1 gal.
Est. mileage: 16/25
2008 BMW 135i
01287 days
Driving the adorably stubby 135i, it was hard not to imagine a BMW X5 and 7-Series somewhere playing the part of the little car’s parents, nervously wringing their hands as Junior went out into the world for the first time.
Mom and Dad needn’t worry, of course. BMW’s new sport compact may be just a puppy, but it’s more than capable of taking care of itself. BMW’s newest is a compact coupe that enters the lineup a step below the increasingly expensive 3-Series. It’s a more economical alternative that still wears the vaunted BMW badge and doesn’t make buyers give up any performance for the sake of economy.
The truth is quite the opposite in fact, when you consider that the 135i’s powerplant is shared with the considerably larger 335. Shedding pounds has always been one of the quickest ways to boost performance, and the 135i is proof positive that this strategy is a good one. Since it’s carrying the 300 horsepower turbocharged I6 from the much larger 335i under the hood, the 135 is wickedly fast. The six-speed selectable automatic transmission offers manual gear changes on demand and is quicker than in past years, though it’s not as instantaneous and twitch-free as Audi’s similar DSG. A six-speed manual is also available, of course. It’s a delight to drive. Bury the go pedal and 0-60 comes up so quickly you’ll be going 70 before you register that it’s time to back off to avoid speeding tickets. The 1-Series is also available in 128i guise, with a 230-horse, naturally-asiprated version of the 3.0 straight six.
The 135i floats down the freeway with the greatest of ease, solidly planted and powerful. An all-aluminum suspension keeps the weight down, and the double-pivot front suspension all but eliminates flex in the front end when cornering. The 135’s multi-link rear suspension keeps the rear wheels on the road, and the standard Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is almost a requirement to keep it from getting squirrely under power. Since it’s not hauling around a lot of extra weight, the 135i is tossable and easy to drive, and wide tires wrapped around eighteen-inch wheels provide instantaneous response and copious grip. Six-piston front brakes ensure that it’ll stop as quickly as it goes. The hype calling the 135i an economy car may be a bit overblown, but its handling makes it one of the friendliest BMW products going in spite of the power to weight ratio.
BMW styling keeps everything in the family. At a glance the 135i looks like a shrunken 3-Series, but the details are very different. Flame-surfacing style is evident on the hood, around the wheels and on the flanks where the fenders curve gracefully upward and downward, wrapping the eighteen-inch wheels. An integrated spoiler and LED taillights give the rear end sporty distinction. The short greenhouse is rounded, and the hood and trunk exaggerate the long-hood, short-deck profile of the larger 3-Series in a smaller scale, heightening the impression that the 135i isn’t fully grown. It’s one of the cutest seriously powerful cars out there, in fact.
The diminutive 135 manages to be comfortable inside as well. It’s as snug as you’d expect a 7/8-scale car to be, but ample elbow and knee room are still available for front-seat passengers. Considering that the 135 is smaller than many subcompacts, that’s pretty impressive. Four passengers can be squeezed in, if you need to, and the ten cubic-foot trunk is large enough to be useful. My test car featured a sport-seated interior in black with red seats. A navigation system is available, but requires the addition of BMW’s love-it or hate-it iDrive system. Sirius satellite radio and an iPod or MP3-ready sound system are also available.
The only downside to the 135i is that it’s not quite the second coming of BMW’s legendary 2002. That car had similar attributes to the 135…except it was affordable. With prices starting at $29,375 for the 128i and $34,900 for the 135i, the baby BMW tops any other “premium compact” and costs more than some mid-sized luxury sedans and coupes. My tester was optioned up with a cold weather package, sport seats, an iPod adapter and other accessories, and stickered for $43,675, which is decidedly out of entry-level territory, even for a premium car.
Specifications: All specs are for the BMW 135i.
Length: 172.2 in.
Width: 68.8 in.
Height: 55.4 in.
Wheelbase: 104.7 in.
Curb weight: 3384 lb.
Cargo space: 10 cu.ft.
Base price: $34,900
Price as tested: $43,675
Engine: 3.0 liter twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine
Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 300 @ 5800
Torque: 300 @ 1400
Fuel capacity: 14.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 18/26
2008 BMW Z4
01387 days
It’s not a very large car, but there’s something larger-than-life about the BMW Z4. The edgy design captures the light in a certain way that its competitors from Porsche, Mazda and Mercedes just can’t match. I can’t explain why, but the BMW Z4, whatever its performance chops might be, has a way of making you feel like a superhero.
Maybe it’s just because it bears a strong resemblance to BMW’s last exotic, the Z8, star of movies like The World Is Not Enough, Jackie Chan’s The Tuxedo and Fastlane, but the Z4 has a way of bringing out the action hero in everyone. That’s probably why, when I got a teary call at midnight from an old, dear friend who was very much in need, I took only the barest glance at the Z4′s keys and said, “I’ll be right there.” Never mind that she was 1500 miles away; there might as well have been a Bat-Signal shining on the clouds, and the Z4 was ready to hit the road. So strong was the Z4′s aura of confidence and power that I didn’t even stop to see how much a plane ticket would have cost. Sure, flying would have gotten me there sooner, but what’s the point of the cavalry arriving without a trusty steed?
The Z4 does a good job of looking the part of a superhero’s car, too. Love it or hate it, the Z4′s controversial shape definitely stands out on the road. It’s got a classic sports car profile–a hood that stretches to the horizon and a stubby tail–and it’s low and wide enough to look larger than it is. A highly streamlined version of BMW’s familiar twin-kidney grille rides between glassed-in quad headlamps. The front fenders are accented by sharp creases, which connect with the contours of the front bumper and hood shutlines to form a sculpted bodyside. Lighted BMW roundels serve as side marker lights. The rounded taillights form a distinctive mask at the rear, and the short decklid has a distinctive kick-up instead of a spoiler. A manual top is standard; my Z4 featured the optional power-operated roof, and the strong windshield frame and roll hoops provide rollover protection. It’s just a couple of hidden rocket boosters and laser cannons away from a kid’s drawing of a superhero’s ride.
Rocket boosters the Z4 may lack, but would-be do-gooders won’t find themselves wanting for high-tech motivational urge. The 3.0 liter inline six-cylinder engine is a state-of-the-art piece of equipment, producing 215 horsepower in the standard Z4 3.0i and 255 in the 3.0si. It’s no ordinary engine; magnesium and aluminum construction sets it apart from your average sports car’s powerplant. BMW’s Valvetronic variable intake valve lift system is also along for the ride. The Z4 has BMW’s familiar torquey confidence, and it’s relaxed on the freeway. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, and it’s got an active, connected-to-the-machinery feel that’s just right for an action-oriented car. For superheroes who’d rather focus on things other than rowing through the gears, a six-speed automatic is available. The automatic features racing-style paddle shifters for quick gear changes.
The cockpit is businesslike, and a good place from which to battle whatever evil the freeway may toss your direction. I set out under a darkening sky and drove all night, accompanied only by the red lighting from the two-pod dash. With the fat steering wheel between my hands, I might as well have been driving the Batmobile. The seats are heavily bolstered but comfortable, and the Z4′s cabin feels roomier than that of other roadsters. A wide swath of metallic or optional poplar wood trim defines the dash during the day, with switchgear located to minimize visual clutter. Don’t worry if you’ve got to drive quickly; strategically placed pads on the console and doors make sure that you won’t bang your knees and elbows while working the controls. Automatic climate control is available, as are a navigation system, heated seats and a trip computer. The Z4′s size and the folding top necessitate a smallish trunk, but the eight and a half cubic-foot cargo bin is still able to hold two or three bags.
The Z4′s front strut, multi-link rear suspension provides an unassuming sort of athleticism, and the relaxed powerplant belies this car’s strong cornering ability. The suspension technology is inherited partly from the race-bred M3 with ultra-light lower control arms and a wide track. The suspension is designed to keep the wheels perpendicular to the road, so it’s stiffer and much more stable than the comfortable straight-line ride would suggest. Yes, the Z4 can dance. The handling is enhanced by an exceptionally stiff chassis. Unlike some small roadsters, the Z4 is comfortable enough to drive all day, and entertaining enough to keep you alert without wearing you out. Run-flat tires on 17″ wheels are standard, and the sport package adds a size offset allowing wider tires at the rear. Electronic power steering is also used, to reduce weight and improve response time. Dynamic Stability Control is also part of the package. This system uses the brakes to minimize wheelspin and sliding, ensuring that you’ll drive a bit more like a proper hero in the Z4.
With the Z4 as part of my utility belt, I rolled into Dallas like the cavalry, a scant eighteen hours after leaving home and just in the nick of time. A grateful damsel in distress met me at the door, and we immediately adjourned to a safer environment, top down. Would the results have been the same in a rented Camry? Of course. But a car like the Z4 is all about adding the right amount of showmanship to your substance, and that makes it the perfect superhero’s steed. And you don’t have to be Bruce Wayne and have your custom-built, either. Starting price for the Z4 is $37,175 for the 3.0i, and $43,175 for the more powerful 3.0si.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2008 BMW Z4 3/0i.
Length: 161.1 in.
Width: 70.1 in.
Height: 51.1 in.
Wheelbase: 98.2 in.
Curb weight: 3020 lb.
Cargo space: 8.5 cu.ft.
Base price: $37,175
Price as tested: $45,625
Engine: 3.0 liter DOHC 24 valve inline six-cylinder
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 215 @ 6250
Torque: 185 @ 2750
Fuel capacity: 14.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 21/30