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Twin-turbo engine boosts coupe's appeal

BMW has played safe with the new 3-series Coupe's styling, opting for ultra-conservative lines for the big-selling two-door which goes on sale in the UK at the end of September.

28th April 2006

But while its looks might not set pulses aflutter, the Coupe's new top-line engine should generate plenty of interest - it's BMW's first-ever twin-turbo petrol engine, a 3-litre straight-six with direct fuel injection producing 302bhp and 295lb ft of torque (from 1300-5000rpm), that latter figure considerably more than the current M3 musters. BMW's claim is that this twin-turbo unit also weighs 70kg less than a normally aspirated V8 engine of similar outputs. Plastic front wings also help reduce mass, and the new Coupe is on average 10kg lighter than its four-door counterpart.

The new engine is fitted to the 335i SE Coupe and is claimed to propel the car from standstill to 62mph in a handy 5.5sec. The other model available at launch, the 325i SE, produces a far more humble 215bhp yet still posts a respectable 6.9sec sprint time. In the final quarter of the year BMW will also begin production of a 330i with 268bhp and a 330d giving 228bhp and a whopping 369lb ft of torque.

Although four-wheel drive - xDrive as BMW calls it - will be an option for the first time on 3-series Coupes in Germany, all UK models will be rear-drive. A close-ratio six-speed manual is standard, while BMW claims to have improved the response times of its new automatic by 40 per cent. Also on the standard list are Dynamic Stability Control+ (DSC+), traction control and conventional rack and pinion steering; Active Steering is an option.