First Drive: "Continuity is key." That's the message from BMW as they set about launching the new 3-Series Coupé. The Bavarians were keen to play up the brand's Coupé heritage, dating back not only to 1991 and the arrival of the first 3-Series Coupé version but to 1938 and the gorgeous 328 of that time.
Admittedly there's been a world of difference between the various generations of BMW coupés and there have been some dogs in the litter. While this one does not fall into the latter category by any means, it remains to be seen whether it will reach the heady iconic heights of the 3.0 CSI from the 1960s.
After the design revolution in recent years, it's hardly surprising that BMW is so keen to play up the continuity in the coupé design. As one engineer who worked on the new coupé for the last three years succinctly put it: "We're now working hard not to be the latest thing. Fads come and go, but this car should add to the current model range and have a long styling shelf life."
Yet, while the new 3-Series coupé may not look revolutionary, for the petrolheads out there it represents a sea change in Bavarian attitude to power.
If ever there was a symbol for the return of the petrol turbo, it's the arrival of a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine to top the new coupé range.
The German premium marque had long dismissed turbo technology as a source of added power, claiming the problems of turbo lag and poor fuel economy hindered its acceptance. With the arrival of the new 3-Series coupéwe now find BMW accepting that turbo-charging petrol engines is the way forward.
Admittedly, while the German marque may have joined the ranks of petrol turbo offerings, its new twin-turbo system is far from overused in this engine. While the naturally aspirated six-cylinder block puts out 272bhp, turbocharging only adds 36bhp more. That's not exactly overworking the turbo, especially when most mainstream manufacturers now offer turbocharged petrol derivatives that can get power output equivalent to a 2-litre engine and impressive low torque pulling power from even small 1.4-litre engines.
The reason for such a conservative approach is that BMW wants to retain as much engine refinement as possible. The result is that the 335i suffers from none of the normal turbo lag and even the most astute driver will be hard-pushed to notice when the turbo kicks in. It all makes for a smooth - extremely powerful - drive.
The flagship version features the expected six-cylinder rasp, only this time it's even more enthralling than before, and fuel consumption does not suffer unduly. The turbocharged 3-litre in the 335i manages a combined figure of 9.5L/100km compared with 8.8L/100km for the 330i version. (As you can see, BMW has yet again broken from its tradition of referencing the size of the engine in its naming, causing further confusion in the ranks).
The new coupé comes with both manual and automatic and of the two we still preferred the manual, though if you do a good deal of town driving the auto is worth opting for.
In terms of appearance, the new 335 coupéis no more of a head-turner than its predecessor and the differences between the two models are quite discrete, most notably the front styling that's taken directly from the new 3-Series saloon.
BMW showed some fancy powerpoint slides to illustrate the 'significant differences' between the saloon and coupé but apart from missing the rear doors and having a lower roofline, you'd need to have the slide to hand to convince your friends its anything other than a sleeker version of the strong selling saloon.
There have been some notable improvements on the previous model. In particular the back seats can now easily accommodate two adults. The extra head height does mean the roof is slightly taller than you would expect in a coupé.
On the road, the 335i coupé offered massive reserves of power and even on the unlimited autobahn routes there always seemed to be more power on offer every time you kicked down to overtake.
BMW has long held a reputation for performance driving characteristics and the new coupé strengthens that. The ride and handling are sporting but never austere. The suspension allows you to cruise along in comfort or take to the twisting back roads without having to click buttons into sports mode or compromise on your driving enjoyment.
The Ireland launch date is 28th September for the 335i SE, tested here, and the 325i SE. Soon after, the 330i, 330d and 335d will arrive. While these will tempt some into buying early, the most relevant engine for the Irish market will be the four-cylinder 320i and 320d versions, due next March. These will represent 80 per cent of the 400 or so 3-Series coupés sold in a year. The range-topping 335 will start at €65,395, but entry into the range will be €49,300, for the 320i.
There's a host of new coupés on the way, particularly from Audi, and BMW is keen to set its stall out early. Next will be a hard-topped 3-Series coupé convertible with folding metal roof: due next spring. Then the real goliath of BMW's coupé range will arrive - the M3 - carrying much of the design from this model but with an expected 400bhp-plus under the bonnet. Then we'll really see if BMW will stick with continuity or herald a revolution.
FactFile
ENGINES:
Petrol: 335i (with twin turbocharged 3-litre) 306bhp from 2979cc six-cylinder; 0-100km/h 5.5 sec.
330i: 272bhp from 2996cc six-cylinder: 0-100km/h, 6.1 secs
325i: 218bhp from 2497cc six-cylinder: 0-100km/h, 6.9 secs
DIESEL
335d: 286bhp from 2993cc: 0-100km/h, 6.1 secs
330d: 231bhp from 2993cc: 0-100km/h, 6.6 secs
Arriving here: Late September for 335i, 325i, 330i, 330d and 335d, March: 320i and 320d