New Cars' Reviews

The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 fuel cell

2007-08-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Ford has built the planet's fastest production-based fuel cell powered car.

The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 fuel cell machine hit 207.297mph (325.565km/h) at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

Green land speed attempts aren't quite commonplace yet - 999 is the world's only race car in its class.

"What we've accomplished is nothing short of an industry first," said Ford research VP Gerhard Schmidt.

"No other automaker in the world has come close. We are excited to have accomplished something never before done. We established this project to advance fuel-cell-powered vehicles and to do what has never been done before; and we did it."

Dodge Hornet to be released

2007-06-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

The Dodge Hornet is about to be officially a go. Dodge's Euro B-segment entrant will be produced with Chinese automaker Chery, and won't have a Chrysler-branded counterpart. The show car, from the 2006 Geneva show, had a supercharged 4-cylinder with 170 hp, and got to 60 in 6.7 seconds. Autocar believes the production version may bow as early as this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, though we think that's a bit optimistic.

The good thing is that the Hornet's impending production is part of Chrysler's 3-year, $3-billion product renewal program, which has been "confirmed" since Cerberus bought the company. Though it will likely debut at a European auto show, we have high hopes that Chrysler will bring its Chinese-built B-car to the U.S., as well.

Rolls Royce Phantom Silver Limited Edition

2007-06-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

Rolls-Royce has produced a limited edition, named Phantom Silver, to mark the 100 th anniversary of the Silver Ghost. The special model, of which only 25 will be made, pays homage to one of the most famous automotive names of all time.
First built in 1906, specifically to publicise the then new Rolls-Royce 40/50 h.p. six-cylinder model, the Silver Ghost established the Rolls-Royce reputation for reliability and engineering excellence. The name was coined in 1907 by Rolls-Royce Managing Director, Claude Johnson, by virtue of its silver coachwork and its 'extraordinary stealthiness'. The original Silver Ghost, registered AX-201, competed in the 1907 Scottish Reliability Trial, for which it won the gold medal in its class for hill climbing speed and reliability. The Silver Ghost went on in that year to break the world record for a non-stop motor run, covering a London to Glasgow route 27 times, with mileage totaling 14,371 miles.
More than 6,000 "Silver Ghosts" were built between 1907 and 1925, and sold in every corner of the world. The majority are still in good running order.
In tribute to the specifications of the original, the Phantom Silver is finished in a new Bespoke paint, Metallic Ghost Silver. The 21-inch wheels have chrome centres and on top of the grille sits a hallmarked solid silver Spirit of Ecstasy. Inside, Rose Leaf or Crème Light leather is accompanied by seat piping and headrests embroidered with the Rolls-Royce interlinked RR badge. Straight grained Santos Palissander wood veneer is used throughout. The same veneer is also used on a specially designed presentation box that houses the key, two solid silver key fobs and a specially commissioned solid silver Conway Stewart fountain pen.
Rolls-Royce Chairman and Chief Executive, Ian Robertson, said, "The Silver Ghost is such a significant model in the history of Rolls-Royce that we felt marking its 100 th anniversary was entirely fitting. Its extraordinary reliability, refinement, comfort and virtually silent running were as important to Rolls-Royce in 1907 as they are today."

Phantom Silver specification
• Bespoke Ghost Silver paintwork
• 21-inch alloy wheels chrome centre caps
• Roseleaf or Crème Light leather interior trim
• Santos Palissander veneered wood
• Coolbox
• Solid silver and enamel Conway Stewart pen
• Solid silver key fob* Solid silver Spirit of Ecstasy
• Bespoke drinks holder
• Bespoke champagne flutes and tumblers detailed with silver
• White instrument dials
• Bespoke clock matched to instrument dials
• Phantom Silver tread plates

Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650

2007-05-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

We've seen some pretty wildly modified Volkswagen GTIs in our day. From potent street weapons to track day toys, the GTI is one of the ultimate tuner cars of the last 30 years. But what happens when Volkswagen itself decides to modify a GTI? Crazy happens.

Meet the Golf GTI W12-650. That's W12-650 as in "this GTI has a 650 horsepower, biturbo, 6.0-liter, 12-cylinder engine." You might be doubtful that such a powerplant could even fit in a GTI, and you'd be reasonable to be less than confident. But as it turns out, the engineers were able to find plenty of room after they'd widened the body 160 mm and removed the rear seats. That's right, this GTI is mid-engined and rear-wheel drive. The end result is a 0-62 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph.

According to Volkswagen, one of the biggest challenges was getting enough airflow to the engine, a problem solved by designing the C-pillars and rear windows to feed air to the W12. Attention was also paid to aerodynamics, with the carbon fiber roof acting as a large integrated diffuser. Virtually every other component on the car is upgraded to near-race spec as well, from suspension components to brakes. Even the wheels were specially engineered for the Golf GTI W12.

So let's recap: Volkswagen GTI; 650 horsepower; mid-mounted W12 engine; rear-wheel drive; 202 mph. When can you buy one? Well that's the catch: you can't. Volkswagen says this is a strictly a show car to show the world what the GTI is capable of.

Chrysler's old logo's back

2007-05-20T03:19:00.000-07:00

Now that Chrysler is no longer a subsidiary of Daimler, word is that the company will revive its Pentastar logo, dropped in 1998 after the DaimlerChrysler merger - according to a recent Detroit Free Press report.

The tip-off apparently stemmed from an internal Chrysler email sent to employees by one of the automaker's executives. Said executive was present for the Monday meeting where news of Chrysler's sale to Cerberus Capital Management was given to various high-ranking execs.

The news comes not long after that of Buick updating its classic tri-shield badge to give a more contemporary appearance. Like Buick, Chrysler is likely to be introducing a touch of modern design to the iconic Pentastar, lest it be judged as dated.

So now that Chrysler is bringing back icons from its pre-Daimler heritage, how about treating the Sebring to some fake wood paneling and renaming it LeBaron? Hmmm? Hmmmmm?? Come on, it'll be fun!

2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

2007-05-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

First off, your humble servant is not James Bond. That's no Jaeger-Le Coultre Reverso (the watch from which the V8 Vantage Roadster draws its design inspiration) on the left wrist. There's no defibrillator in the glovebox. The drive isn't along the scorched-earth landscape of Iceland or to Casino Royale (though Provence's twisty roads to Mount Ventoux are no slouch).

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster most certainly isn't any manner of Ford Motor Company product nor a jazzed-up Jag or Porsche 911. You slice the iconic top off a 911, even if you're Porsche, and the car looks like an aftermarket conversion. When Aston slices the lid off the V8 Vantage, you get something that looks like its own piece of art. It's as masculine looking as the Coupe (though a couple hundred pounds heavier), the lines enhanced without the fastback roof, making this Roadster look equally at home cruising Beverly Hills or Miami Beach.

In fact, the Roadster has one clear advantage over the Coupe: its soundtrack. No need for a high-end hi-fi in the dash; the raspy WOOFLE! of the exhaust fills your ears with stereophonic sound when you've lowered the top. At speed and especially when exhaust-note-strafing a stone or cement wall alongside a two-lane in Provence, the Roadster's 380-horsepower 4.3 rumbles like a musclecar V-8 with whine added for a British accent. You'll work the gear change extra hard just to make your own music.

Speaking of gear changes, the three-pedal six-speed manual rules. Most Americans will choose the automated manual six-speed, with paddle shifters affixed to the column, just as more Americans will take the Roadster over the Coupe. Aston's automated manual is better than BMW's sequential manual gearbox, but it's not as good as Audi's DSG. Even with this tranny's built-in downshift throttle blips, it's not as smooth or as satisfying as when you row your own. The traditional six-speed manual is one of the best gearboxes extant. The clutch takeup is smooth and even, the gearshift smooth and positive.

No complaints about the engine or chassis, either. The V-8 actually feels stronger than its 302 pound-feet would indicate. With either gearbox, it pulls hard even in upper gears and gives you the confidence to fill any traffic hole with quick application of the right foot. All road imperfections make themselves known through the seat of your pants, and that translates into high cornering ability, but the chassis is at the same time silky smooth and rock steady. It informs you of the imperfections without making you uncomfortable. Steering is inspiring and quick, yet light to the touch. The Roadster is as tactile as the Alcantara placed inside the interior door pulls. Top up or down, the car is quiet until you lay into the V-8. You can keep wind roar to a minimum with the top down and the windblocker in place. Doing the nerdy thing and winding up the windows helps.

Biggest complaints concern the interior. It's snug for larger passengers. The bottom of the super-rakish A-pillar results in a front blind spot at intersections. The center stack is busy with buttons, making it hard to find such rudimentary items as the tripmeter reset. And, really now, a $127,000 car should have automatic-up power windows.

2008 Saturn Vue

2007-05-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

Buyers never plan on driving their shiny new car-payments into an offset barrier, in front of a runaway side-impact sled, or dirty-side up. But the fatalistic ones know it's statistically likely, and these folks will be encouraged to learn that Saturn has armored the new Vue's body structure and armed it with six airbags, active head restraints, seatbelt pretensioners, and collapsing pedals so dummies emerge unscathed (or at least undead) from the worst crashes conceived by any world government. Standard stability control with trailer-sway mitigation (a class exclusive) might even help intelligent dummies avoid a crash-and if not, standard OnStar will summon help.

In between catastrophes, occupants enjoy a superbly trimmed cabin, with supportive seats, soft-touch materials, and quasi-convincing wood or metal-mesh trim. The rear-seat cushion is higher than before, so kids can see out, and road and wind noise is very low. All passenger seats fold flat for hauling long items, and there's loads of cargo crannies, nets, and tie-downs.

There are three engines to from which to choose: Entry XE models get a 2.4-liter Ecotec four, teamed with a four-speed automatic spinning the front tires or a 3.5-liter pushrod six with all-wheel drive. XR or Red Line buyers get GM's 3.6-liter quad-cam six with front or all-wheel drive. Both V-6s get a new six-speed automatic, and all models can be flat-towed behind an RV. A Green-Line hybrid arrives this fall. Suspension tuning is identical to that of the Vue's Euro sibling, the Opel Antara.

So how's it feel? The loaded XR AWD Vue sampled here represents a quantum leap in refinement, but tips the scales at over 4300 pounds. That makes it feel sluggish off the line (blame tall economy-minded gearing) and less than nimble at the helm, though body control and overall performance are admirable. Our tester weighs almost 600 pounds more than a RAV4 Sport V6 4WD and 100 pounds more than a Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD-two competitors that offer third-row seating and carry 16-20 cubes more cargo. Another unflattering fact: Most dimensions measure larger outside but smaller inside than the key rivals'-of course, that's when measured before hitting the wall.

How is it safe to flat-tow a Saturn?

It's definitely not safe to flat-tow all automatic transmission cars for long distance (like on vacation behind an RV). The vulnerable component is the transmission, the end of which is connected to the wheels, and so is spinning at road speeds without benefit of lubrication that is usually supplied by the engine-driven transmission oil pump. In some case, by accident or by design, some of the big rotating masses splash enough lubricant from the sump up onto the key bushings and bearings to keep things running smoothly (as happens with the Vue's four-speed automatic). This, along with the use of Teflon-impregnated ultra-low friction bushings, protects these transmissions during extended engine-off operation. The six-speed required a bit more engineering. A special lubrication pan was placed in an area that receives a lot of splash oil, and gravity then feeds that lubrication down to some remote bearings that wouldn't have otherwise been lubricated sufficiently. Hence, all Vues can be flat-towed - as can any other GM products using the 6T80/75 series transmissions. Or you can use a Vue to flat-tow an Ion (max towing capacity on the Vue is a class-leading 3500 pounds), and entrust the StabiliTrak system to apply brakes selectively if the tail starts trying to wag the dog.

2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

2007-05-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

The Chrysler Sebring convertible took a break for a year and came back toned, sculpted, and stiffer, based on a new platform shared with the sedan. While it resembles the four-door, 3.1 inches more overall length and two fewer doors have certainly cleaned up the exterior. It also now offers a choice of three roofs: vinyl, cloth, and a retractable hard top. All three raise and lower at the push of a button (and can be lowered with the keyfob), use a glass rear window with defroster, and take about 30 seconds to drop. All will accommodate four sets of golf bags (or 11.3 cubic feet of luggage), top up or down, except the hardtop convertibles, which still fit two sets of clubs, top down.

The Chrysler Sebring convertible uses the sedan's engines and transmissions: a 173-horsepower four-cylinder and a 2.7-liter, 189-horse V-6, both backed by a four-speed automatic or a 3.5-liter V-6 with a six-speed automatic. The four-cylinder is coarse and doesn't have enough gusto to get this 3750-pound car going with any alacrity. It may be great in a smaller vehicle, but it's not the right fit here. Combine that with a hesitant four-speed automatic, and you have a Thrifty car rental weekend special. The smaller V-6 is certainly a better engine choice for the Chrysler Sebring. While it has only a bit more horsepower than the four, its 25 pound-feet additional torque makes a noticeable difference. Unfortunately, Chrysler didn't back this engine with the six-speed automatic, a move that keeps the MSRP lower, but also keeps the driver from getting a bite out of the 2.7. The 3.5-liter combined with the six-speed is the most entertaining. Off-the-line acceleration is smooth and shifts are quick, but neither the Sebring's steering nor handling is going to make BMW shake in its boots.

Chrysler Sebring pricing starts at just over $26,000-lower than in 2006-but goes up quickly as you add features, which we realized upon learning of our Limited's $38,000 as-tested price. The base model isn't available with the hard top-for that, the midlevel Touring package is required, and the metal roof adds $1995 to the bottom line.

2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

2007-05-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, however unsurprised we may be with the Porsche Turbo Cabriolet’s appearance, it’s not as if we’re not salivating. We find the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet as delicious as the current Porsche 911 Turbo coupe. The convertible will be powered by the same frighteningly powerful 480-hp 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six as the coupe and offered with the same choice of six-speed manual or Tiptronic S automatic transmission.

The additional weight and rigidity compromises of the convertible will dampen performance just a tad, with only a claimed 150-pound weight gain. When the hardtop is capable of a 3.4-second sprint to 60 mph, who are we to bicker about a few 10ths when the sun is beaming on our smiling faces?

Slated to be released this September, the Porsche 911 Turbo will be Porsche’s fastest open-topped car since last year’s $440,000 Porsche Carrera GT, and the most expensive car in Porsche’s current lineup. Base price in Europe will be equivalent to roughly $172,000, a $30k smack above the previous generation car, while in the U.S. the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet is a relative deal starting at $137,360

2008 Mercedes Benz C Class

2007-05-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

The new car breezes along on the freeway as you'd expect a well-engineered German sedan to do, its 3.5-liter V-6 (making 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque) and Mercedes's now-ubiquitous 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic working in harmony at 70-plus mph.

The slightly bigger cabin is quiet and comfortable. Multiple changes for the better inside include standard eight-way-adjustable seats, improved gauge work, and a Comand interface that folds neatly into the top of the dash when not in use, controlled by Benz's spinning knob on the center tunnel. Improved safety is always a big concern for the Daimler boys. Seven airbags come standard, and the optional Pre-Safe occupant-protection system is among the many new safety features available.

As the nav directs us off the main highway and toward the bends, it's time to make our final preparations. Hit sport button. Check. Change transmission to sport mode and locate paddle shifters atop new three-spoke steering wheel. Check. Apply sunglasses and look cool. Check.

The sport button activates what Mercedes calls Advanced Agility (an enhancement to the sport's standard Agility Control package), a system designed to firm up the 350 Sport's self-adjusting suspension dampers and optimize throttle response. In addition, a quicker steering ratio and speed-sensitive steering help improve the wheel feel. With the seven-speed in sport mode, more aggressive shifting also is available at our thumbtips.

Working the paddle shifters, we push the C-Class through sweeping lefts and rights in search of body roll. We're not finding much, thanks in part to sport shocks and springs and a beefed-up anti-roll bar added to essentially the same front-strut/five-link-rear layout that underpins the outgoing model. A switch to aluminum suspension links is new, and ride height has been lowered by a half inch. The adaptive brake system, adopted from the S-Class, takes many a stomping in stride. The sweet, AMG-sourced 18-inch rims on our tester, shod with 225/40ZR18s out front and 255/35ZR18s at the rear, never squeal for mercy.

For all the changes and upgrades to this C-Class, the 3.5-liter six, while a competent engine in most situations, is a carryover. The 350's mill proves wanting during parts of our mountain jaunt, especially with sport mode turned off. The Advanced Agility package and paddle shifters help, but there are times when we're searching for more power out of the corners, away from standstill, or during a rolling pedal stomp. With an estimated 0-to-60 time of 6.1 seconds, the 350 Sport is no slouch in its class, but our thoughts can't help but drift to the magnificent 300-horsepower, 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six in the new BMW 335i and wonder why the Benz's block wasn't at least put on the massage table. And there are no plans to offer a manual tranny for the 350, another head-scratcher.

Our drive ends in a wonderful medieval hillside town called Alcoy in Spain's Costa Blanca region. As we pull into the courtyard in the heart of la ciudad, some two dozen C-Klassen of all flavors are already neatly parked. Included are multiple diesel (none for the U.S. at present) and gas-powered variants. The cars wear two distinct mugs: the Avantgarde or Elegance front fascias, which will be called Sport and Luxury in the United States.

The car's exterior is slightly larger in all dimensions. The three-bar sport grille is highlighted by a Benz star disc you could almost use as a Frisbee and a mesh-look air intake. Luxury has the more traditional chrome multibar grille and the old-school hood ornament affixed. Gone on both versions are the circular light treatments and the sheetmetal that sloped over them for an angular approach. Two hard creases on the hood lead into each end of the grille. The flanks are cleaned up, and now one razor-sharp beltline runs just below the door handles. Out back, the vented taillights, developed during the car's extensive virtual prototype testing, move the air well enough that the designers decided against a spoiler. The looks aren't likely to make the Benz design hall of fame, but it's more contemporary and edgier.

Coming to the U.S. this August will be three versions for the 2008 model year: the 350 Sport and the 300 Sport and Luxury, which are powered by the automaker's 228-horse, 3.0-liter V-6. A six-speed manual will be standard for the 300 Sport, but the other models will come with the seven-speed auto. Versions with 4Matic AWD also will be offered, but only for the 300s. One bummer: The Advanced Agility package won't come our way until the following year. A V-8-powered AMG version is on the way and will be shown later in 2007.

With some 70 percent of the 50,000 or so C-Class models sold in the U.S. last year sport-themed, the emphasis was clearly focused there. But did Benz go far enough? We're not so sure, especially with BMW's 335i, the top-tier Audi A4 and Lexus's coming IS-F all poised to ambush the new car. The three-pointed star does have an undeniable allure, however, and with a car as improved as this, the new C should easily hold its own against its formidable sport-sedan competition.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster

2007-05-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

Like the hardtop on the market for nearly four years, Mercedes-Benz's new SLR McLaren Roadster is capable of 207 mph. At that speed with the cloth convertible top lowered, you'll want to wear a helmet, not a hat or toupe'. Lighten up on the throttle a bit, and driver and passenger can converse at speeds well over 120 mph with the top down, Mercedes says. The Roadster, on sale in the U.S. this fall, comes with the SLR coupe's 617-horsepower, 575 pound-foot supercharged 5.5-liter AMG V-8, front-mid mounted and coupled to an AMG Speedshift R five-speed automatic.

The cloth top works this way: just unlock it from the header - there's an aluminum piece at the front of the top -- raise it briefly, and the mechanicals take over and fold it for you. It goes up or down in less than 10 seconds, Mercedes claims. The top is available in three colors and the car has two fixed rollbars.

The Roadster's goodies otherwise match that of the SLR coupe, with a carbon-fiber body styled with an arrow-shaped nose like the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One cars, lateral louvers, side pipes behind the front wheels, wide-opening gullwing doors, airbrake in the trunk lid and diffuser in the rear bumper.

Expect the vehicle to be priced somewhere in the $500,000 range when it hits the market.

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

2007-05-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

The run of Porsche 997-series 911 variants continues with the launch of the 911 Turbo Cabriolet.

The cabrio features a three-layer soft top, which opens and closes in roughly 20 seconds, according to Porsche, and features a low balance point. Despite extensive convertible-specific chassis reinforcement, the open-top version of the 911 Turbo weighs just 154 pounds more than its hardtop sibling.

With a drag coefficient of .31, the 911 Turbo Cabriolet is on par with the hardtop's number. The automatically-deploying rear spoiler extends slightly further than the coupe's, helping the cabrio to generate negative lift at the rear axle. Six airbags are standard equipment and the rollover protection system features steel tubing integrated into the windshield frame along with extendable rollover protection behind the rear seats.

The Cabriolet comes with the same 3.6 liter, bi-turbocharged six-cylinder boxer engine as the coupe, which generates 480 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque at 1950 rpm. With the optional "Sport Chrono Turbo Package," an overboost function can push torque up to 500 lb-ft. Manual transmission-equipped models can accelerate from 0 to 62 in just four seconds. With Tiptronic S the time can be cut to 3.8 seconds, Porsche claims. Both versions can reach speeds of up to 192 mph.

Among the standard equipment on the 911 Turbo Cabriolet are Porsche's Active Suspension Management (PASM) system, bi-xenon headlights, 19-inch forged wheels with two-tone appearance, A/C, wind deflector, and Porsche Communication Management (PCM) - a navigation system with a 5.8 inch color monitor, and a Bose Surround Sound System.

How much for the Porsche blow-dry effect? The cabrio's pricing is listed at 126,600 Euros (roughly $172,000 at current exchange rates, but expect U.S. pricing to start at around $136,000) and will be available in September, according to the automaker.

BMW 335i 2007 Coupe

2007-05-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

The BMW 335i 2007 Coupe is distinguished by a “powerdome” hood, a deeper front air dam, illuminated surrounds for the standard xenon adaptive headlights, and horizontal LED taillights. Although the body isn’t quite as wide as the sedan’s, track dimensions are nearly identical, so the coupe requires more pronounced fender flares to cover the rubber. Maintaining the classic proportions that have distinguished 3-series coupes since 1991, it all adds up to a look that’s simultaneously sophisticated and aggressive. Not to mention drop-dead gorgeous.

As you'd expect, there's mechanical distinction to go with the sexy sheetmetal. The most obvious is a new engine, but that distinction won't last long. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter six will distinguish the 335i exclusively during its September showroom debut, but BMW plans to make the force-fed engine available in the 3-series sedan shortly thereafter.

There will be three U.S. editions of the coupe — the 328i (from $35,995), with its naturally aspirated 3.0-liter straight-six (230 horsepower, 200 pound-feet of torque); the all-wheel-drive (a first for a BMW coupe) 328xi, from $37,795; and the turbocharged 335i (300 horsepower, 300 pound-feet of torque), from $41,295. All have the same five-link rear suspension as the sedan, all come with 225/45-17 run-flat tires standard, and all but the xi include sport-suspension tuning that's far easier to live with than the unforgiving spring and damper settings of an M3. All trim levels offer an 18-inch wheel option, along with performance tires. Aside from the turbo engine's much bigger punch — an aside not to be taken lightly — the biggest dynamic distinction between the 328i and 335i is in braking, thanks to the 335's heftier rotors.

We had a chance to put a 335i through its paces in an all-too-brief tour of the Austrian Tirol near Innsbruck and emerged with three major impressions. First, the new six-speed Steptronic automatic is well matched to the turbo engine's almost bottomless torque, and its paddle shifters allow manual operation when the pilot feels playful. We still prefer the involvement of the standard ZF six-speed manual, but as automatics go, the Steptronic goes better than most and is eminently preferable to BMW's balky sequential manual gearbox.

Second, the 335's sport-suspension package provides an outstanding compromise between creamy ride and athletic response.

Third, he Alpine heights magnified the benefits of boost, but we're certain this new engine will win friends at any altitude. BMW forecasts 0-to-60-mph times of 5.3 seconds for the 335i. Judging by our Tirol touring, we thought this was conservative, a premonition that was vindicated when a 335i showed up at Hogback HQ as this issue was going to bed — just time enough for some formal test data: 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds and the quarter-mile in 13.6 at 105 mph. Those results are almost excactly the same as the numbers posted by the last M3 we tested [C/D, May 2003]. Wow. 'Nuff said.

3-SERIES COUPE
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear- or 4-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
Base price: $35,995-$41,295
Engines: DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline-6, 230 hp, 200 lb-ft; twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline-6, 300 hp, 300 lb-ft

Transmissions: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting, 6-speed manual
Wheelbase: 108.7 in
Length/width/height: 180.3/70.2/54.1-54.2 in
Curb weight: 3400-3600 lb
C/D test results (335i):
Zero to 60 mph: 4.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 12.1 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 5.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.6 sec @ 105 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 144 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 160 ft
Projected fuel economy (C/D est):
EPA city driving: 20-21 mpg
EPA highway driving: 29-30 mpg

BMW’s first U.S.-market gasoline turbo, a 3.0-liter blown six-cylinder, has two small IHI turbochargers that each pressurize three cylinders with a maximum of about nine psi of boost. Direct fuel injection, a first for a BMW gasoline turbo engine, helps to cool the intake charge and allows a high 10.5:1 compression ratio. The block is made from aluminum, not magnesium and aluminum as used in BMW’s naturally aspirated straight-sixes. Horsepower is 300 at 5600 rpm, and the peak torque of 300 pound-feet arrives at just 1400 rpm and hangs on until 5000 revs. We’ve driven the 335i, and if there’s any turbo lag, it’s infinitesimal.