Battle of The Bimmers: BMW M3 vs. 135i vs. 335i

06 May

Posted by David as 1-series, 3-Series, BMW 135i, BMW M3, Videos

Ever wondered which closely matched BMW would fair to be the king of the ultimate driving machine? Many have compared the new BMW 135i against the E46 M3 and then up against the 335i.

Edmunds has an interesting test video of the close competition of the E46 BMW M3 against the new 135i and 335i. The 135i and 335i share the same engine which is an all new 3.0-liter inline 6 cylinder twin turbo producing 300 horsepower. Although the 0-60 times were totally off for Edmund’s M3 test, it is apparent that the M3 has an edge over both the 135i and 335i. Many times the test drivers get it all wrong and sometimes the get it right such as where the Automotive Addicts Blog posted the 135i running a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds. The test goes on to show that the M3 had the better track time while the 135i and 335i are still decent performers that deserve a serious look by all serious automotive enthusiasts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZGwpifULe4

6 Responses

Mark

May 7th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
1

Cool..based on my recent drives in the 135i, the 335i and the M3, I would have to rank the M3 on tops, hands down….next would be the 135i which is a true “little rocket”….as much as I loved the 335i, everything I felt about that car (the 335i) was totally blown away when I was behind the wheel of the M3…

Then again, with a souped up suspension on a 335i (maybe from Dinan) as well as some other sweet Dinan upgrades, the gap between the 335i and the M3 could grow closer….

Of course, two BMW’s in the stable (an M3 for weekend romps and a 135i for the daily driver) would make for some serious fun!!!

Cheers,
EuropaCar

May 9th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
2

Very interesting comparison, but there’s something about all American car tests that I really dislike.. really cheesy, for one
Rob

June 25th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
3

My 2007 BMW 335i Coupe runs with an oil temperature of about 245 degrees in normal conditions. I contacted my BMW dealership’s service department and was informed that this is an acceptable operating temperature. Can anyone else comment on what they are experiencing with their 335i? Thanks.
Dan

June 25th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
4

Rob - My ‘07 335i sedan also runs in that range when on the highway (and has for nearly two years). I, too, was told by the dealer that this was acceptable.
Rob

June 26th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
5

@Dan:

Thanks Dan. Appreciate the quick reply. Rob
Colin

July 24th, 2008 at 7:44 am
6

I raced the new “V8″ M3 with my 335i sedan and made it look silly.335i is tops over M3 anyday.