“The 335d truly is changing the way Americans feel about diesel,” said Paul Ferraiolo, Manager – Product Planning and Strategy. “Fans of ‘The Diesel Driver’ share our passion for the great performance and efficiency of our BMW Advanced Diesels. They are the embodiment of BMW EfficientDynamics.”

The BMW 335d received 29.6 percent of the votes cast by readers of The Diesel Driver from 43 countries. 83% of the votes came from readers in the United States.

Each year, the Diesel Driver’s readers select the Diesel Car of the Year and recognize the top three diesel automobiles offered in the U.S. For the 2011 Diesel Car of the Year, readers chose among 12 passenger vehicles and SUVs. Criteria ranged from fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions to performance, handling, styling, comfort, and the overall package.

The sales momentum for the BMW 335d continues. In the first quarter of 2011, sales were up 34 percent over the same period last year. This comes after the 335d posted an impressive gain of 130 percent for calendar year 2010 when compared to 2009.

[Source: BMW ]

“Having now spent 12 months behind the wheel, I have found the 335d to be a unique offering, one that combines certain traits that typically aren’t found all in the same vehicle. These are sports car-like acceleration and handling, superb fuel economy, excellent ergonomics and passenger comfort, and Teutonic attention to detail.

The 425 pound-feet of torque propel the car forward like a rocket ship; indeed, there’s simply no other way to describe the feeling of the raw power this car has. It handles as if it’s on rails, whether at 250 km/h (155 mph) on the Autobahn or at a slower tempo on a winding mountain road.

Fuel economy has been exemplary. For highway driving, the car has consistently averaged 6.2 l/100 km (37.9 mpg). As contributing editor Paul Riegler noted on an 800 km (498 mile) drive from New York to Washington and back, “No need to stop for refueling.”

The best sustained fuel economy we’ve recorded was 40 mpg (5.9 l/100 km), although we’ve seen as high as 42 mpg (5.6 l/100 km) for brief periods of time.

On a recent drive to New England, the 335d used only 6.4 l/10 km (36.8 mpg) in mostly highway driving with an average speed of 99.3 km/h (62 mph). The return trip, at the slightly faster speed of 100.7 km/h (63 mph) used only 6.3 l/100 km. In total, the 335d consumed a mere 25.27 liters (6.68 gallons) of diesel fuel, making the total cost of fuel for the journey under $20.

Earlier in the year, it used 6.0 l/100 km (39.2 mpg) on a drive from Philadelphia to New York at an average speed of 105 km/h (65 mph). Driving conditions such as traffic can greatly impact average fuel economy and the drive from New York to Philly saw fuel usage of 6.8 l/100 km at an average speed of 106 km/h (66 mph).

Driving from Munich to Lindau to Berchtesgaden to Roßfeld to Graz and back to Munich, the 335d used 6.3 l/100 km (37 mpg)

In the city, fuel usage has been roughly 9.5 l/100 km (24.75 mpg). The EPA rated the 335d at 23 mpg (10.2 l/100 km) for city driving and 36 mpg (6.5 l/100 km) on the highway.

By means of comparison, a similarly equipped BMW 335i (petrol version) is rated at 17 mpg (13.8 l/100 km) in the city and 28 mpg (8.4 l/100 km) on the highway. It’s worth noting that these numbers make the BMW 335d the most fuel efficient car ever sold by BMW NA.”

Full review continued

“Even with its unparalleled power, the BMW 335d is the most fuel-efficient cars ever sold by BMW of North America, which opened operations in 1975 as the official U.S. importer. As a result, the 335d can travel almost 40% farther on a tank of fuel than its gasoline-powered sibling. On long drives there are fewer – if any – refueling stops, and I’ve been able to go 750 km (466 miles) without having to stop for fuel.

We’ve had the 335d in our test fleet for almost a year and it’s spent time passing slower cars on German Autobahnen, driving up twisty Alpine roads, and driving the challenging Lime Rock track. It’s lived up to BMW’s reputation for providing Freude am Fahren (the joy of driving) and it demonstrates responsive yet refined road manners – without sacrificing passenger comfort or driver joy.

The steering feels perfect and gives the driver just the right amount of road feel and resistance. The throttle responds perfectly to driver input. There is slightly more engine noise but, with the windows closed, the driver hears a pleasant diesel growl.

While a manual transmission isn’t available (BMW says that a manual transmission that could handle the engine’s torque would be cost-prohibitive), the ZF-manufactured automatic transmission’s shifts are perfectly timed and the normally silent engine emits a low but muscular growl under acceleration.

The 335d is, with a 0-60 mph time of 6.0 seconds, slightly slower than the 335i (0-60 in 5.6 seconds) For passing maneuvers, where going from 70 km/h (44 mph) to 150 km/h (93 mph) seems to happen almost instantaneously, the 335d has no peer.”

Full comprehensive review at Executive Road Warrior

A latest report by Motor Trend comes to reiterate its qualities and strengths, and one negative…price.

“For the past several years, my attitude towards diesels has been, “If you want to haul 10,000 pounds of horse manure, awesome. Otherwise, get a gasoline-powered car if you enjoy driving.” Why did I feel this way? Well, first of all, diesel-milled heavy duty trucks are really fantastic. Especially in regards to their truckiness. In fact, burning oil makes them feel more truck-like than a higher-reving gas-powered motor does. Plus, the modern ones can haul 10,000 pounds of manure with ease.

—–
Look, I just thought diesel cars were boring. But hey, based off my admittedly small sample set, I don’t think I could have come to a different conclusion. How big of a man am I? I was wrong about diesels. Totally wrong.

——

I just had my own revelatory diesel moment about two hours ago. It went something like this. I climbed into our long term 2009 BMW 335d for the first time. I noticed the average mileage was an indicated 29.0 mpg. I then drove 120 miles down to San Diego. My speed was somewhere between 80 and 85 mph. When I handed the fob to the valet, the 335d’s average mpg had risen to 29.4. I’m simply awed.

Not only was the mileage good enough to put a huge crack in the fundamental theory of hybrids, but the car itself was excellent. Its handling is as good, if not slightly better, than any other E92 3 Series. Torque is everywhere, instantly available to rock the 335d back on its haunches at the stab of the pedal. Sure, above 90 mph the low-revving turbodiesel runs out of gas (so to speak), but that just doesn’t matter. The BMW 335d is the best car I’ve driven in a very long time. In fact, the 335d might just be the best car on the road. Shame about that $50,000-plus sticker price.”

Full article at Motor Trend

Let’s have a look.

“The roughly 400 km (249 mile) drive from New York City to Washington D.C. and back (another 400 km) used most – but not all – of the Montego Blue BMW 335d’s fuel, reported Paul Riegler, our contributing editor. undefined In terms of fuel economy, the 335d used 6.0 l/100 km (39 mpg) on the traffic free trip, with speeds ranging from 80 km/h (50 mph) to 130 km/h (80 mph).

“No need to stop for refueling,” Paul’s notes read.

How many other cars with 425 pound-feet of torque can you say that about?

Contrast this with the same drive taken with a BMW 335i sedan at the same time, similarly equipped with automatic transmission. That car used 9 l/100 km (26 mpg) for a total of 72 l (19 gallons). One refueling stop was required. The 335d only used 48 l (12.6 gallons), delivering over 50% better fuel economy.

Since picking up the BMW 335d at the BMW Welt a little over six months ago, I continue to be amazed at how quiet the car can be, even at very high speeds. Driving the car at 220 km/h (137 mph) for extended periods of time simply reinforced this observation.

Despite the 86 kg (191 pound) weight penalty compared to the 335i sedan, BMW maintained a front-to-rear weight distribution of 51-49. Turn-in is excellent and the handling and control don’t seem to suffer at all from the additional weight.

Full article continued

According to Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, in being considered for the green Top 10, each vehicle was required to offer fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions superior to the bulk of vehicles in its class, and at the same time provide all the safety, creature comforts and driving enjoyment that would make it pleasant to own.

In describing the BMW 335d, the kbb.com editors said, “To most passersby the 335d looks like any other BMW 3 Series. To the driver, however, the 335d is something truly special. To the styling, luxury, and refinement of the standard 3 Series, the 335d adds a six-cylinder diesel engine. Immediate power, robust acceleration and 36 miles per gallon highway fuel economy make us wish more cars featured a diesel option.”

BMW’s commitment to reduce harmful emissions and help protect the environment is unique in the automobile industry. Rather than focus on just a few models, BMW places its EfficientDynamics principles to all of its vehicles by using lightweight components in key areas, new technologies for improved powertrain efficiency and more importantly, planned sustainability for the long term reduction of fuel consumption and emissions output.

The BMW 335d Sedan achieves a fuel efficiency rating of 23 mpg (city) and 36 mpg (highway), netting a range of 580 miles in regular driving. Thanks to the standard Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance technology, the 335d combines the driving dynamics and refinement of a premium automobile with the most current and demanding standards for preserving resources and reducing emissions. Despite a 0-60mph acceleration time of 6.0 seconds, the 335d is the single most fuel-efficient BMW passenger vehicle ever imported to the United States.

For more information about the 2010 Top 10 Green Cars from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, visit www.kbb.com/GreenCars2010.

[Source: BMW ]

“Three months after picking up the Montego Blue BMW 335d at the BMW Welt delivery center in Munich, it continues to provide consistent Freude am Fahren. Aside from one letter on the decklid badge, there is little in outward appearance that distinguishes the 335d from its petrol-powered counterpart, the 335i. Yet driving a 335d does make a very clear statement to the world, one that says “I want incredible fuel economy without sacrificing performance.” To put this more in BMW terms, “I want the ultimate fuel economy machine.”

The 335d does this by combining sports-car acceleration with exemplary fuel economy, and then adding in comfort and attention to detail. Indeed, this very combination may be the forerunner of a new breed of luxury-performance sedans.

The 3er Series was first introduced in 1975 as the successor to the 2002, the car that first defined the sports sedan. Since then, the BMW 3er Series has continued to define this genre and it is the car that other car makers try to emulate.

The 3er doesn’t attempt to pamper the driver and passengers; instead, it focuses on a driving experience that is unlike any other. One can recognize a 3er Series driver: he’s the one who is grinning from ear to ear after every trip. The 335d driver is grinning even more as he knows how much fuel he saving with every trip.”

Continued here

Back in September, in an interview with Automotive News, Jim O’Donnell, CEO of BMW North America, has reiterated that BMW remains committed to its diesel strategy in the U.S. even if more hybrid vehicles will emerge in the near future. As far as future plans, BMW is hoping for 10%-20% diesel penetration in U.S and also the introduction of new diesel vehicles on the market. The one mentioned by Mr. O’Donnell was a diesel variant of the next generation 5 Series, but unfortunately, no other news along that line have been released since.

In the mean time, those of us looking for a sporty luxury sedan, we will have to settle for the 335d model. The fellows at MotorTrend are enjoying their long-term loaner and decided to check in with their readers at 1,300 miles. Let’s find out their impressions….

“So what are you doing here?” says the polite Border Patrol officer after he’s checked our Green Cards, and had a look in the 335d’s trunk to make sure we weren’t transporting illegal immigrants. “We’re on vacation,” I reply. His eyebrows arch: “In Yuma?!” Yeah, yeah, we know…

The 358 mile Tucson to Yuma leg has returned our best mileage so far — an average of 34.1 mpg. Yuma also proved diesel fuel is more consistently priced in Arizona than gas. We’ve paid $2.69 a gallon for each of the last three tanks, while regular gas has varied from $2.23 to $2.49 a gallon and premium from $2.53 to $2.75 a gallon. (Back in LA our initial $2.99 a gallon tank of diesel cost 20c a gallon less than regular and 38c a gallon less than premium.)
————————
We make LA later that afternoon. After four days and 1304miles on the road, the BMW 335d has averaged 32mpg without any special eco-driving. It grunts like a V-8 — shrugging off steep climbs and surging past slow-moving traffic with the merest wriggle of your right foot — yet it sips fuel almost like a four. This might be a compact car, but it’s capable of crossing a continent in giant leaps — based on our experience the 335d will easily go 515 miles between fuel stops. Driver and passenger are likely to need refueling first.

Full review continued

P.S. We can only speculate at the moment, but we feel confident that a 5 Series diesel will make it to the U.S. market the latest next year.

Jonathan is also one of the most passionate BMW owners out there and his love for the brand goes years back. As a starting point, Jonathan went back to BMW’s roots to experience another BMW European Delivery, but this time, aboard a BMW 335d.

Part of his experience includes a tour of the BMW’s Munich factory where 10,000 workers producing ca. 800 3er Series autos and 1,200 engines each day. While photos are not usually allowed to be taken inside the plant, The Diesel Driver received special permission to snap some shots and share them with us all.

My 335d’s production started on 2 December with a coil of steel that was unraveled and cut into plates that were then pressed into the right shape.  The Press Shop handles 600 metric tons of steel plates each and every day and the steel is specifically selected for individual parts in order to meet BMW’s high standards.

Depending on the part, four to six production steps are required.

The parts formed for the 335d were then assembled in the Body Shop starting on 8 December until the car body was completed later that day.

Press Shop

Large panels simultaneously converge into a central spot for spot and laser welding as well as other joining techniques such as gluing. Robots seem to magically  create the chassis by turning and rotating different parts.  The robots in the Mobi-Cell perform spot welding with exacting precision.

The remarkable “Mobi Cell” Body Shell Concept is a BMW manufacturing innovation.  Mobi Cell stands for “Mobile Standard Fertigungszelle” (mobile standard production booth). It makes it possible it to shift production stations within the body shop  quickly and economically. The individual station can be combined with and connected to larger and more complex manufacturing stations, thereby  improving the factory’s flexibility and ability to cope with changes in demand.

Continued here

Automobile Magazine is the last in line to praise the 335 diesel by adding it to their 2010 Automobile All-Stars list. Here is an excerpt from their article:

“Can we have a bit of fanfare, please? The BMW 335d is the most important car this year to get lost in the crowd. While the 335i and the M3 always show up in comparison tests, the 335d is an outlier – because, really, what would you compare it with? There’s no other car that combines performance and fuel economy at this level. Sure, there are many cars that do 0 to 60 mph in six seconds, but they don’t get 36 mpg on the highway.

There are cars that match the 335d’s fuel economy, but they don’t top out at 149 mph. From behind the wheel, the 335d feels even faster than its numbers suggest, because the diesel six cranks out more torque than a 6.2-liter Corvette – 425 lb-ft. And despite the diesel’s weight penalty (220 pounds more than a 335i automatic), the car maintains a 51/49 front/rear weight distribution, which means that the 3-series’ sweet rear-wheel-drive handling survives intact.”

Full article

The 335d needs no further introduction, I’ve been saying for months that if I had a choice a few years back, the diesel would have taken over the 335 gasoline, but that’s just another story. With their latest performance diesels, BMW hit the jackpot when it comes to combining luxury, performance and efficiency and the multiple awards they’ve won, confirm that.

So, let’s see what PM has to say about the only 3er diesel in the U.S.

“In the future, the word ”luxury” might describe automotive qualities quite different from what we imagine today. When sedate and sensible fuel sippers dominate the automotive landscape, luxury could define the ability to produce sports car acceleration with exemplary fuel economy. The BMW 335d is ahead of that curve.

Under the hood is a twinturbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel, with a mammoth 425 lb-ft of torque that can return solid mileage. In fact, on a recent 390-mile PM test, we saw 33.6 mpg. It takes only one brief prod of the right pedal to know the BMW has an incredible motor. The rush of torque is not unlike an old-school big-block V8’s. Reeling in lesser cars is not only effortless, it’s tantalizingly fun. And this diesel model fits right in with the rest of BMW’s 3 Series lineup, offering fluid, organic steering and a chassis that encourages you to press on just as hard as the road and your bravado will allow. Yet this BMW rides comfortably and absorbs potholes with a muted “thump.”

Luxury cars don’t have to be one-dimensional. The 335d blends luxury, performance, fuel economy and fun into one very rewarding package.”

Click here for the list of complete awards

The 335d boasts a best in class EPA fuel economy of 23/36 MPG (city/hwy). This makes it the most fuel efficient BMW ever sold in the US, and also gives it the highest ever EPA MPG rating of any 6 cylinder vehicle ever offered in the US (gas or diesel). BMW X5 xDrive35d achieves an EPA rating of 19/26 MPG (city/hwy) and accelerates from 0-60 in 6.9 seconds, making it the fastest, most efficient Diesel SUV available in the US.

To “sweeten” the deal even more, BMW announced that the 335d and X5d will quality for a tax credit. The 3 Series Diesel tax credit is up to $900 while the X5d up to $1,800.

We reviewed the 335d back at the L.A. Auto Show and it left a positive impression on us. In the upcoming weeks, we will have the new X5d for a few days and we’ll be able to test both during short rides, but most important, over a long drive across the country(more details on that next week).

But in the mean time, our close friend Kamil at CarGuyDad shares with us his experience with the new diesels and plenty of technical details.

Here is a preview of that:

Engine:
Like on most new cars today, open the hood and you’ll see nothing. The engine is a three-liter, aluminum (yes, aluminum), DOHC, 24-valve, common-rail direct-injected, in-line six with a 16.5:1 compression ratio. The engine features variable intake manifold and double-VANOS valve control. All of that is supplemented by a pair sequential, differently sized turbos. Big air-to-air intercooler is located within the front bumper cover of both cars. The engine produces 265hp at 4200rpm, but more importantly 425lb-ft at a low 1750rpm. Unlike a traditional diesel there are no glow plugs, as the direct injection system has the ability to start a dead cold engine all by itself.

What the engine does have, as does just about every other new diesel, is urea injection. Here is how urea injection works: most of the diesel soot gets trapped in the particulate filter located just behind the exhaust manifold, where it eventually burns up. The stuff that gets through and/or the burned remnants (NO/NO₂), get trapped in a secondary catalytic converter known as the SCR catalyst (selective catalytic reaction). When the urea is injected into the SCR, a chemical reaction occurs which generates ammonia (NH₃). The ammonia in turn reacts with NO/NO₂, converting it into nitrogen (N₂) and water vapor (H₂O). Got it? Chemistry lesson is over, class dismissed.

Did we get your attention? Then feel free to read further at CarGuyDad.

As a disclaimer posted by R&R as well, the 335d was equipped with Sports Suspensions while A4 Quattro was running with stock suspension settings.

Before we go further, how many of you really think this is an insane comparison and how many of you will bet on the Audi? Well, I have to admit, I did…… Was I wrong? Let’s find out next.

Okay, we can agree diesels are much improved. But that doesn’t mean we want one providing the motive force in a BMW 3 Series, right? After all, it’s hard to envision true back-road thrills with an engine that tops out at 4600 rpm. How does it respond when driven hard? Is it slow and heavy? More importantly, how does the BMW 335d compare to a state-of-the-art direct-injected gasoline-powered sports sedan, in this case Audi’s excellent A4 3.2 Quattro?

While that makes our test an apples-to-oranges comparison, we’re much more concerned about the engines involved here anyway — their power, performance, driveability, fuel consumption…and fun.

Unfortunately, even in outright acceleration, the Audi gets smoked by the BMW diesel. With 265 bhp and “only” 243 lb.-ft. of torque from a direct-injected 3.2-liter V-6 — and despite the launching traction of Quattro all-wheel drive and a curb weight almost identical to the BMW’s — the A4 can’t overcome the BMW’s monstrous 425 lb.-ft. of torque. Although we bettered the acceleration times over the previous A4 3.2 we tested, the Audi’s 0–60-mph time of 5.9 seconds lags significantly behind the BMW’s 5.3.

BMW 335d vs. Audi A4 3.2 Quattro Continued

“The 2009 BMW 335d sets a new standard for performance-oriented sedans, by delivering a remarkable combination of fuel economy, acceleration, handling, and electronics.

The 2009 BMW 335d is like nothing else on the road in America today. While it looks, for all intents and purposes, like typical 3-series BMW, the 335d’s game-changing clean diesel engine transforms the car into a tour de force to be reckoned with.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We put over 750 miles on our Alpine White 335d review unit, and vanquished the official estimates, scoring an average of 43.9 MPG on the Interstate highway, with 35.1 MPG combined. Test period temperatures ranged from the forties through the sixties, with freeway speeds between 60 and 72 miles per hour (MPH).

The 335d presents a paradox. It isn’t just fuel efficient. It’s downright fast, with a stated 0-60 MPH time of six seconds flat.”

Full Review at MPG-o-Matic