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UBS study: «Prices and Earnings» 2009
New Media explored at Tourism Society event
First 100 Agents to register for ASTA’s IDE at THETRADESHOW receive complimentary Turkey tour
Economic downturn continues to weaken Tourism Industry in the USA
Universal Travel Group appoints new chief financial officer and audit committee chair
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Review: 2009 BMW 335d, Performance and Fuel Economy
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Review: 2009 BMW 335d, Performance and Fuel Economy
Review: 2009 BMW 335d, Performance and Fuel Economy
by Sam Abuelsamid ( RSS feed ) Sep 8th 2009 at 9:01AM
2009 BMW 335d - click above for a high res image gallery
Over the last two years BMW has started making a major push for its new
EfficientDynamics technology in Europe and more recently in North America. The
premise is that the company that has long promoted itself as the "Ultimate
Driving Machine" can retain all the qualities that made it so ultimate while
drastically cutting fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe,
BMW offers a suite of technologies like automatic start-stop for engines, brake
energy regeneration and smaller four cylinder engines. The most important near
term technology however is diesel engines.
Late in 2008, BMW launched its first two new clean diesel vehicles here in the
United States, the X5 xDrive35d SUV and the 335d sedan. We recently had a chance
to spend a week with the 335d to determine if it truly can provide the driving
experience that customers expect of a BMW with better fuel efficiency. Read on
to find out if the automaker succeeded.
Gallery: Review: 2009 BMW 335d
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Since the 3-series debuted in the mid 1970s to replace the old 2002, BMW's
compact sport sedan has built a reputation as one of the finest driving cars on
the market. It is also considered the defining icon for a segment that virtually
every premium automotive brand has aimed for with a model of its own. Now in its
fifth generation, the styling of the 3-series has evolved from a relatively
conservative, boxy upright sedan to a look that is decidedly more sporting. Like
the last two generations, the current E90 (BMW's internal platform designation)
features proportions that telegraph its capabilities.
The 3-series has a relatively long hood with the passenger cabin set well back
and the front axle pushed forward. In profile the 3 has a very short front
overhang allowing the in-line 6-cylinder engine to be set well back in the
chassis giving it a perfect 50/50 front-rear weight distribution. The latest
3-series debuted as 2006 model and got a minor face-lift last year although it
didn't change dramatically. At the front it still has the face that instantly
says "I'm a BMW!" with the twin kidney grilles and the quad round headlamps. Of
course those grilles have squashed down vertically and stretched horizontally
over the years and the lamps are now under glass but the intent is clear.
The standard xenon projector beam lamps have integrated LED running lamps around
their perimeters while fog-lights sit in the pockets below the bumper. The body
surfaces of the latest 3-series have more development than past models but are
still much more subdued that some other BMWs of this decade including the last
Z4 and the current 5-series. Besides the fascia, the other stylistic defining
element of a BMW is the greenhouse including the requisite "Hofmeister Kink" at
the trailing edge of the side windows. The kink has been on virtually every BMW
sedan and coupe since the 1961 1500 and will continue into the indefinite future
according to BMW.
While the 3-series has grown significantly over the years, it remains a
relatively compact machine by modern standards. At 178.2 inches long, it is one
inch shorter than a VW Jetta sedan and from 2-7 inches shorter than the Lexus
IS, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-class. That adds to its sporty character but detracts
from its usability as a five passenger sedan. It's not terrible but you'll
probably want to put your tallest passenger in the shotgun position and restrict
the rear center spot only to small children. In spite of its smaller external
dimensions the BMW is actually quite a bit roomier in back than the Lexus with
four inches more leg room and over an inch of head clearance advantage.
But this is of course a BMW which means it's a drivers car. So the really
important seat is front-left (unless you are reading this in the UK, Australia,
Japan or otherRHD countries) and so that is where we'll concentrate. BMW built
an early reputation for excellent ergonomics with most of the controls canted
toward the driver. However, through the 1990s and into this decade the
availability of modern electronics led to a features arms race among premium
car-makers. More features means more buttons and switches to control them. BMW
engineers sought to address this with the iDrive control knob that allowed
drivers to manage everything through a virtual interface in the dash board LCD
screen. This wouldn't have been such a bad idea except that the software menu
interface was absolutely atrocious and unnavigable.
The 3-series refresh last year brought with it the third generation of iDrive
and a huge step forward. It still isn't nearly as good as old fashioned knobs
and switches, but they are getting there. The screen itself is larger and higher
resolution making map reading much easier than before. The menu structure is
much more intuitive but the voice activation still leaves much to be desired.
For example when trying to use the voice control for the navigation system, if
you try to select a point of interest, the system tells you to use the iDrive
knob to spell it out. The system in Ford vehicles does a very reliable job of
detecting names and picking out the right place without having to touch any
controls.
Back in the day when the original 3-series was born, plenty of less expensive
cars used vinyl to cover the seats as an alternative to leather. Unfortunately
in those days their was no way you could ever confuse the synthetic material for
animal hides. Not so today. The latest leatherette materials from companies like
BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Volkswagen are extremely difficult to distinguish from
skins and likely wear a lot better over time. Such is the case with the
materials that cover the seats of the 335d we tested. Those who prefer not to
use animal products won't have to give up any of the luxury feel with this
leatherette. Real cow hides are of course an option as are more robust sport
seats. Even the standard seats in the 3 provide plenty of support and are
comfortable to sit in whether you are bombing around back roads or heading out
on a road trip.
A road trip is of course the ideal use for a diesel engine which just loves to
cruise all day long. This however is not your father's 1982 Oldsmobile diesel.
Over in Europe some 60 percent of all BMWs sold are powered by diesels and in
some markets as many as 80 percent. To most Americans a diesel is the thing that
makes all that racket, black smoke and stench when you are stuck behind a big
truck or bus in traffic. Those who do remember those 80s diesels will also
recall them as being gutless and excruciatingly slow. These days however, all
new diesels are turbocharged and use modern common rail fuel injection systems.
Diesels have always made healthy amounts of torque and they still do but they
also produce plenty of power. Equally important they do it with all the
refinement one expects of any other modern gasoline fueled engine.
Hop into this 335d insert the fob and press the start button and it fires up and
settles into a nice smooth idle. The clatter one typically expects of a diesel
is virtually gone now. The 3.0-liter in-line 6-cylinder diesel generates 265 hp
and a massive 425 lb-ft of torque at just 1,750 rpm. That latter figure is more
than the capacity of any of BMW's current manual transmissions so the 335d is
only available with a 6-speed automatic. That's actually just fine because this
is a strong gearbox with quick and smooth shifts. With the lever in drive
stepping on the accelerator gives a slightly leisurely response right off the
line because it's calibrated for optimum fuel efficiency. If you move the shift
lever back to the sport mode, the engine and transmission responses become much
more aggressive and the 335d virtually leaps off the line.
Regardless of which position you leave the shifter in, once underway it's a
whole different story. Squeeze the accelerator at almost any speed, and the 335d
simply builds velocity in a wonderfully linear way. You can be cruising down the
highway at 70 mph and press the go-pedal and before you know it, the speedometer
will be at 100 and beyond. When you push it hard, the BMW diesel emanates a
beautiful bass growl, but never seems like the old fashioned diesels you
remember.
When the roads get twisty, the 335d also lives up to the reputation built up
over three decades of 3-series. The combination of all the modern features
drivers expect and the heavier diesel engine mean the 335d weighs in at just
over 3,800 pounds. Nonetheless when it's pushed hard down a canyon road in
southern California, the 335d feels beautifully balanced with only minimal
understeer. The thick rimmed steering wheel tries to unwind itself in proportion
to the forces built up at the front wheels while changing direction. Coming out
the corners, the massive diesel torque sends you rushing to the next corner. In
a straight line from a standing start, BMW claims the 335d can accelerate to 60
mph in just 6.0 seconds and our experience was consistent with this.
Of course the diesel engine is not just about performance but about fuel
efficiency. The EPA rates the 335d at 23 mpg city and 36 mpg highway with a 27
mpg combined rating. In our own time with the car, we averaged 30 mpg in mix of
city and highway driving. An extended road trip at constant highway speeds can
easily yield mileage in the upper 30s. By way of comparison the gas powered 335i
which also has a twin turbocharged 3.0-liter in-line 6 is rated 17/26 mpg city
and highway. The 335d starts at $43,900 which is about $1,700 more than the
similar automatic transmission 335i. The 335d (and the diesel powered X5) are
currently eligible for a $900 federal tax credit due to their fuel efficiency.
Of course like any other premium German machine, that starting price is just
that. Injudicious use of the option list can easily elevated the out the door
price to nearly $70 grand. Even with a bottom line closer to the base price, the
335d provides all the characteristics one expects of a BMW with excellent fuel
economy. This is the "ultimate efficient driving machine." Oh by the way the
EfficientDynamics graphics are not included on customer cars, they are only on
the press cars.
Gallery: Review: 2009 BMW 335d
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Tags: 2009 bmw 335d , 2009Bmw335d , bmw , bmw 335d , bmw diesel , bmw diesels ,
Bmw335d , BmwDiesel , BmwDiesels , review
Filed under: Wheels
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