finding the signal in an industry filled with noise
(Click here).
Commentary: Sure its long on value, but like too many modern Nissans and Infinitis it’s short on refinement – you can tell it was pulled from the developmental oven too early.
You get what you pay for…
the engine, while lacking nothing in power, has poor throttle response because it’s been saddled with a turbo. You have to concentrate more than you should to drive it well on a decent road, so that the gear changes remain smooth and the power returns at a time of your bidding and not that of the engine… in a Lotus you want – and, indeed, should be able to expect – a more engaging exhaust note, a wider powerband (the engine has given its best by 5,400rpm) and, particularly, a more immediate response to your right foot. And having a chassis that so faithfully and immediately acts on your demands only exacerbates the frustration at an engine that pauses before acting every time you touch the throttle.
And if that doesn’t bother you the refinement and interior quality will…
As Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim would say, “What a chance missed!”
There’s a reason Paul Horrell is one of the few automotive journalists I respect – quite simply he seems to step back from the hype and take a deep breath before he types.
Click here for his take on the 335i. I highly suggest you read it from start to finish, but if you turn to this blog because you like to be in the know without a lot of effort, here’s an excerpt:
toning down the more confrontational surfaces doesn’t seem to have brought any special beauty. Instead it leans to the bland. If you were shown the side profile (maybe with the characteristic ‘Hofmeister kink’ – the angled portion to the inside edge of each C-pillar – blacked out) and told it was a new Honda Accord coupe, you’d not be so surprised…. there’s some shunt in the driveline, and the six-speed manual transmission is on the clunky side. BMW used to be good at this… the huge torque makes it easy to spin the inside rear wheel coming out of tight bends. Habitual drifters would want a limited-slip diff, but it’s unavailable. Oh, and does the ride have to be so hard? ...There’s something slightly haughty and offhand and reserved about this thing. Too perfect, too literal, too passionless… BMW has bust a gut to build a brilliant 300bhp-plus two-door sporting coupe and I can’t quite fall in love with it.
UPDATE: while the performance is far more usable than an M3’s, the flat torque curve, the direct-injection clatter and the lack of athleticism over the last 1000rpm mean it’s nowhere near as exciting. – CAR
Run after run, the Volkswagen’s steering response time was nearly identical. In contrast, the Avalon’s series of step-steer efforts displayed noticeable variation—while the Azera’s proved downright inconsistent. Evidently, only the Germans seem to understand that the foundation of good handling is predictability. – Motor Trend
[Dyno testing shows that] this engine is likely putting out closer to 350 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque... in an all-out drag race, the 335i comes close, but can’t quite match the M3’s blistering acceleration… But at moderate engine speeds, it’s even faster. – Automobile
[Jaguar’s Chassis genius Mike Cross] is always adamant that a Jaguar must ‘breathe’ over the road, and not be so tied down that it gets choppy and uncomfortable. Apart from anything else, a breathing car is a faster car because its wheels are in better contact with the road and the driver isn’t being battered. (That’s why a World Rally Car has a suspension suppleness that would astound someone steeped in a culture where stiffer and lower equates to sportier.) – 4Car