Quote:
Originally Posted by NFS
The 330i is a quick car. Not as quick as a Cayman S or a 911 Turbo (Beemerbird  ), but quick enough for most people.
I think the power output is actually very well suited to UK driving conditions. Enough urge to give you a thrill, but not so much power that you couldn't find space on the road to enjoy it. It's a car that rewards the use of the entire rev range, with a very linear response building to peak performance above 4000rpm. Ragging the nuts of a car up to the redline is good fun in my opinion and the 330i is perfect for this.
The 335i has a lot more power and as a result you tend to run out of road, long before you hit that redline. It's big fat (diesel like) torque plateau also means that there is less reward for using the upper limits of the rev range.
The 330i also has a more sonorous engine note, with a proper induction noise rather than a tuned exhaust.
I really do think it's a very well balanced and sorted car. In some ways I regret parting with mine. |
I really agree with the comment about the 330i having a level of performance that is very usable on UK roads. My son has a C63 which I have driven quite a lot, and which makes my 330i seem fairly wimpish. After all 0-100 in 9.7 seconds is around 5 seconds faster than what my car can manage.
But when I get back into my 330i I really do not miss that fantastic performance. My car is smooth, very willing, sounds wonderful, and feels just right. If anything, the aspect of the Merc that I would swap for my 330i, is the incredible feel to the steering and the outstanding combination of fluid ride and sharp handling. My 330i does run on Goodyear F1 Asymmetric non Run flats, and this change was a great improvement over the original Potenza RFT's, but the C Class chasis is IMO way ahead of the 3 Series.