3 Series BMW E92 3er Coupe: official PR text & info.

[Osnabrueck]

Frankly, I think trim issues affect pre E60 vehicles as well. You can find plenty of 3ers, 5ers and 7ers that look just plain boring with certain wheel/paint combinations.

The "shock period" of being exposed to the E92 is now over, and it's plain to see that this car is one hell of a looker.

I always loved the E46 Coupe, especially after the facelift. But now that the E92 has etched itself in my head, the thing looks immediately dated.

The only issue that's got me hung up now is the engine choice. The 328i seems a bit underpowered, and the 335i a bit overpriced. I really want something right in the middle, like they're doing in Europe, but instead the US is only getting feast or famine.

 

[vabboud]

how can the 328 seem underpowered Osna?
for years the 330Ci was the top performer (bar the M3) at exactly the same power rating, well ok there is that huge 1 hp difference
at 230hp, the 328 is not exactly underpowered, especially since the new coupe is lighter, and better balanced, supposedly

i'd suffice myself with a 328i, if i cannot shell the bucks for the 335

 

[Osnabrueck]

It's all relative, you know. What may have been objectively spectacular with a previous generation of cars is competely mundane in the next.

The 3er Coupe doesn't exist in a vacum - competitors like the Infiniti G offer lots of power for far less. So naturally I'm weighing what the rest of the car world has to offer vs BMW's pitch.

For what my budget allows, and what I'm really looking for in a car - Europe's 330i coupe hits it on the nose with its price of entry and power figures. If I'm going to blow my wad on a BMW really want it to be a no-compromise package, and the 328i falls just shy of that.

A test drive could always change my mind, but for now I'm very unenthusiastic with BMW's packaging.

BTW - Do we have firm information on MSRP yet?

 

[Zafiro]

Mercedes C350 also got 272hp. I wonder which is fastest. C350 or 330i?

 

[Osnabrueck]

Mercedes C350 also got 272hp. I wonder which is fastest. C350 or 330i?

The new Lexus ES also has 272hp.

Sounds silly, but with power output going where it's gone, 230hp from the 328i seems a bit anemic.

 

[EnI]

The new Lexus ES also has 272hp.

Sounds silly, but with power output going where it's gone, 230hp from the 328i seems a bit anemic.

Not all want / need 300hp. And for them there is 328i with 230hp.

Yankees are obviously over obsessed with hp numbers.

You lived in Europe Osna - here people are normally driving around in cars with 60PS or even less.

And even with MBs / Audis / BMWs with 95PS / 102PS / 115PS.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Not all want / need 300hp. And for them there is 328i with 230hp.

Yankees are obviously over obsessed with hp numbers.

You lived in Europe Osna - here people are normally driving around in cars with 60PS or even less.

Look - bottom line. Europe is getting a very sensible 330i model that delivers something like 270hp for less than $40k. For me, that's perfect. 270hp is as much oomph I could ever really want or need in a car like the 3er coupe.

But stateside, BMW is dredging a gulf between the 328 and the 335. From an image point of view this is a good thing, since there's a very real performance gap between the two models.

We all have pretty good "value radars" around here, and we all want to get into a car that doesn't make us hold our nose when we hand the dealer a check.

I don't know what sticker's gonna be for the 328i, but I'm guessing it'll be something in the neighborhood of $35k. Out the door we're easily talking about more than $40k, and I just feel a bit miffed that the car is deliberately underpowered for the sake of propping-up the image of the 335i.

This is the same engine as the 330i sedan right?

 

[EnI]

This is the same engine as the 330i sedan right?

Nope. 330i sedan has N52 engine (VALVETRONIC) with 258PS & 300Nm, while 330i Coupe has N52 / N53 engine (VALVETRONIC / HPI direct injetion) with 272PS & 315Nm.

But sedan is also getting the new engine.

Regarding 328i. It's substitute for 325i -> +15hp.

But I'm sure at the facelift 328i will get N53 engine (268hp) while 335i will also get a hp boost ~ 325 - 330hp (European 335si).

 

[Deutsch]

But I'm sure at the facelift 328i will get N53 engine (268hp) while 335i will also get a hp boost ~ 325 - 330hp (European 335si).

That's great news, but damm this car is gonna get expensive.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Nope. 330i sedan has N52 engine (VALVETRONIC) with 258PS & 300Nm, while 330i Coupe has N52 / N53 engine (VALVETRONIC / HPI direct injetion) with 272PS & 315Nm.

But sedan is also getting the new engine.

Regarding 328i. It's substitute for 325i -> +15hp.

But I'm sure at the facelift 328i will get N53 engine (268hp) while 335i will also get a hp boost ~ 325 - 330hp (European 335si).

Thanks for the information. But let's run it over one more time because I'm a confused mess now.

Please fill in the blanks:

US 06 3er SEDAN:
325i: N52 3.0L Valvetrontic 215hp
330i: N52 3.0L Valvetrontic 255hp

US 07 3er COUPE / SEDAN
328i: N52 3.0L Valvetrontic 230hp - also Touring
328xi: N52 3.0L Valvetrontic 230hp - also Touring
335i: N54 3.0L bi-turbo 300hp

 

[Deutsch]

Thanks for the information. But let's run it over one more time because I'm a confused mess now.

Please fill in the blanks:

US 07 3er SEDAN:
325i:
330i:N52

US 07 3er COUPE
328i:N52?
335i:

Well luckily we're here to weed you out of the confusion What Eni is saying is that the engine found in the new 328 model is the same N52 I6 found in the current 325i but tuned mildly to crank out another 15hp. The 335 is the new N53 I6.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Ok. So is it actually:

North America - All 3ers N52 except for the 335i, which is N53.

Let's keep Europe out of this for a sec, because it's just confusing the tads outta me.

 

[EnI]

Ok. So is it actually:

North America - All 3ers N52 except for the 335i, which is N53.

Let's keep Europe out of this for a sec, because it's just confusing the tads outta me.

USA - All 3ers N52 except for the 335i, which is N54.

Osna, N52 I6 Valvetronic engine comes in two editions: 2.5L & 3.0L
US gets 3.0L only - in 325i & 330i (and now in 328i), while Europe gets 2.5L in 325i & Canada also 2.5L in 323i.

N53 will also come in 2 editions: 2.5L & 3.0L - with HPI direct injection instead of Valvetronic -> replacing N52 in Europe first then gradually elswhere where sulphur free perol is available.

N54 is 3.0L I6 HPI & bi-turbo - featured in 335i and coming also in other BMW models.

Clear?

 

[Osnabrueck]

Totally clear! Thanks for making sens of all that EniLab.

Ok, so now I have a couple more questions.

1 - Why couldn't BMW just be a darling and let us get 255hp from the 328i Coupe, since it's the same damn N52 engine they're using in the 330i sedan? Are they really that cynical that they'd deliberately rob their lower-trim coupe of performance for the sake of making the 335i seem bad-ass by comparison?

2 - Realisticly, when will the N53 engine make its way to the US?

3 - Any US MSRP figures floating out there?

 

[EnI]

Totally clear! Thanks for making sens of all that EniLab.

Ok, so now I have a couple more questions.

1 - Why couldn't BMW just be a darling and let us get 255hp from the 328i Coupe, since it's the same damn N52 engine they're using in the 330i sedan? Are they really that cynical that they'd deliberately rob their lower-trim coupe of performance for the sake of making the 335i seem bad-ass by comparison?

2 - Realisticly, when will the N53 engine make its way to the US?

3 - Any US MSRP figures floating out there?

3 - sorry, I have no detailed info on BMW NA pricing matters

2 - when sulphur free gasoline is more widely available - my guess would be it will come with 3er FL

1 - marketing, Osna, marketing. You can't get all at once at the begining. The engines will be upgraded over the 3er's lifecycle, so 328i will see upgrade sometimes in the future. So will 335i. Also the 328i with the same hp output as outgoing 330i - but costing less - would cause a deep depraciation of 330i. Bad for lease deals - bad for BMW since huge percentage of BMW cars in US are leased.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Interesting perspective Eni. I hadn't even thought about how the power rating of the new 3er would effect the risiduals on CPO 3er coupes.

Well, it's plan to see how it can be bothersome - to think that the only thing standing between you and a faster, more powerful car is sales politics. When you pay much as you do for a BMW you'd love to at least believe that the car is giving you its all.

Do we know if the trim designations will remain the same for the '07 3er Sedans? Will we be sticking with the 325 and 330i?

 

[Deutsch]

Interesting perspective Eni. I hadn't even thought about how the power rating of the new 3er would effect the risiduals on CPO 3er coupes.

Well, it's plan to see how it can be bothersome - to think that the only thing standing between you and a faster, more powerful car is sales politics. When you pay much as you do for a BMW you'd love to at least believe that the car is giving you its all.

Do we know if the trim designations will remain the same for the '07 3er Sedans? Will we be sticking with the 325 and 330i?

You bring up some very interesting points here Osna,

1. It's my personal belief that BMW gives you the best of both worlds in handling/performance compromise, no matter which trim level you pick, so you're always getting the cars max potential. It's just a question or not if you can afford it. In this instance the 335 would be for the petrol junkie that wants or had an M3 but wants a new car. The 328 would probably be for the traditoinal BMW owner/enthusiast that wants a capable all arounder w/ typical BMW non conventional styling and traditional BMW performance in a mid size coupe package.

2. Whether or not BMW will stick w/ the 325 and 330 designations for the nxt model year of course remains to be seen, but since the coupes are new models, this enables them to bring out the new engines w/ out causing too much a disturbance to the 3er sedan, but this is only if the current N52 engines are to soldier on another year. Otherwise I'd look for resale values and residuals alike on the current 3er sedan crop to drop quite drastically and P off quite a few current E90 3er owners if not all. It would be more for those that want a 3er w/ out the high price tag as prices on demo's and prior year cars would drop to a more affordable price point for most, if not all wanting an E90 generation 3er.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Thanks for the input Deutsch. So many numbers to crunch if you're in the market for a 3er!

I guess you just gotta shoulder the burden if you're looking for a value in a highly popular premium car.

 

[Deutsch]

For me it's worth it, I guess mainly becasue unlike many prospective 3er buyers, both coupe, sedan, and forthcoming convertible, I'd be buying the car because I identify w/, and love the brand, the history, and even more so where the brand is going. BMW builds a car that gives me a sensation I don't even expereince in a Porshce(not a bad thing, it's something unique to BMW), how everything meshes together as I metioned w/ performance and handling, in combination w/ practicality, there's nothing else out there like a BMW. Of course these are my thoughts.

 

[sunnyman12]

amen...i honestly dont like a lot of power...or need it...driving a BMW is enough i have never driven a car that feels as good as a bmw...there just the best...ive never driven a porsche so i cant claim its better...but there surely better than any mercedes or audi ive driven...accept i never really liked the 7 series b/c its kinda heavy