[ss134]

When i was trying to decide whether to keep my 12 month old 335i or trade it in for a new M3 i searched the forum looking for a fair, unbiased and in depth comparison between the 2 cars and found that most were lacking in any real detail, any meet on the bones if you like that would give a 335i owner who had not driven an M3 a real insight into the differences between the 2 cars.

I decided that when i took delivery of my M3 i would live with it for a while and test it out on the same roads i used to drive my 335i on and write a fair and hopefully helpful comparison between the cars for anyone who is considering the switch or just interested in the differences in both daily driving and ‘spirited’ driving. This is a long comparison so if you are not interested then don’t read it!

My E90 335i was 6MT M Sport LCI bought new and sold at 11000 miles. My E90 M3 is DCT with EDC bought new 2 months ago and has just under 3000 miles on the clock at the time of writing.

The cars:

















IN THE METAL – FIRST VISUAL IMPRESSIONS

When i took delivery of both cars i was impressed with the way they looked – photographs rarely do a car justice and this is definitely true with both an M Sport 335i and the M3. Both cars look great in the metal but the only thing distinguishing a 335i from a 318d with the M Sport package is the additional tail pipe at the rear – this is not a criticism, indeed some people may prefer this ‘stealthy’ look – i certainly do , but........after seeing at least 3 or 4 black LCI E90’s day in day out on my commute to work the visual appeal of the car began to diminish for me- LCI E90’s are everywhere in Germany – depending on where you live this may or may not be the case.

They say familiarity breeds contempt and this certainly rang true with my old car – i still liked the way it looked but the affect of seeing so many identical looking cars on the road meant that ‘specialness’ you expect in a car of this price started to ebb away – this was how i felt personally, i am not suggesting that a 335i is not a special car – it is, but if every other woman you passed on the street looked like Cheryl Cole then seeing her in person would not have the same impact.. if this makes any sense!

The E90 M3 (where i live) is much less ubiquitous – in fact i had never seen an E90 M3 IRL until i collected mine and have only seen 2 other E9X M3’s on the road since they have been in production. To most non car enthusiasts the 2 cars looks very similar at first glance, in fact my wife thinks it looks ‘identical to our old car’............this doesn’t matter to me at all because every time i see the car it looks special to me, and that is what is important.

There are only 2 points styling wise that i would have liked to have seen implemented on the E9X M3 – the car should come with a slightly lower suspension from the factory 20mm F and 15mm rear would look the business IMO –this can be sorted out via aftermarket springs but why should you have to? The second point is that i would have preferred the exhausts to have been incorporated more into the rear bumper/diffuser as opposed to almost hanging below the bumper with the muffler showing – the 335i rear is spot on in this regard – minor points though.

INTERIOR

The M3’s interior is not much different to the 335i – the Novillo leather is softer, smoother and nicer to the touch than the Dakota leather but i get the feeling it will be less durable, my 335i’s oyster leather still looked showroom fresh when i sold it – time will tell with the M3’s leather. The seats in the M3 are better than in the 335i but its not night and day by any means, a little more lateral support and the embossed M logo on the headrests are nice but if you have the sports seats in your E9X you are really not missing out on much unless you are throwing your car around a race track every weekend you will not notice a huge difference even in fairly spirited driving.
The carpets are thicker in the M3 and the carbon trim option adds a touch of sportiness to the dash. The dials which illuminate white in the M3 look much better than the 335i’s plain dials and the M3 steering wheel with tri colour stitching feels great but having come from a fairly loaded 335i M Sport the difference is not huge but noticeable enough to make the M3 feel a bit more special inside.

ENGINES

Both engines in their own right are exceptional – both have won International Engine of the year awards but they are so different in their characteristics – almost polar opposites in fact. The N54 was my favourite component of my old car – no questions or debate, it was head and shoulders above everything else on that car. It was almost dare i say it, like a diesel engine that revved to 7000 rpm but sounded better.

From 3000+ rpm on a half throttle opening the car would push you back into the seat and pull , it felt ‘meaty’ and strong. The car would pull from very low rpm’s and maximum acceleration could be found at around 4000 rpm or so – I always thought the 335i was deceptively fast but in hindsight it felt stronger than its 300 bhp would suggest on a car of this size and weight.

The sound of the engine was nice but somewhat muted with the windows up, a 330i still sounds better though. There was never any real benefit in wringing the N54 out to its 7K redline, after 5.5 to 6K the engine had already given you all it had to give and this was the optimum time to shift if the fastest progress was your objective – i always felt like i was abusing the car by leaving it in the higher rpms in lower gears, it just didn’t feel natural or necessary.

The best way to describe the feeling of acceleration in the 2 engines is to imagine you are on a rollercoaster - the 335i ‘rollercoster’ has an initial big drop and then the momentum remains constant as the trackway on the rollercoaster becomes less steep and starts to level out rather than remaining as a sheer drop. The M3 ‘rollercoster’ on the other hand has a similar initial drop but the trackway does not start to level out, the decline gets steeper and steeper and you continue to gather more and more speed. The N54 gave me a few problems during my year of ownership and i had the common HPFP replaced at 10000miles but i have fond memories of this engine – for a mainstream car it is up there with the best no doubt.

If you step from the 335i and fire up the S65 in the M3 you are greeted with an engine that sounds a little bit course and unrefined at cold idle – a little bit like a diesel actually until it settles down to a constant rpm after it has warmed up. Pull out onto the road and in second gear at 2000 rpm give it half throttle that would have given you a decent surge in the 335i and not much happens- it pulls smoothly and is not slow by any means but that meaty half throttle response of the 335i is not there. Try it again from 3000 rpm and it still feels slightly underwhelming. You have to almost recalibrate the way you use the engine in the M3 if you have been used to driving a 335i.

The first point is that the throttle in the 335i seems to react to very slight inputs with your right foot, so initially despite the so called lag (which my car didn’t have) it feels more urgent on part throttle openings than the M3 – there is not a huge difference between half throttle and full throttle in the 335i – like a lot of modern cars, a small throttle input will give you decent acceleration – and people associate speed and acceleration with that initial ‘push you back in the seat feeling’

The M3 requires more throttle travel than the 335i on part throttle in the lower gears at lower rpms – if you want more acceleration you have to depress the throttle more than you would in the 335i, it takes some getting used to – you can modulate the throttle in the M3....if you want ½ throttle thats what you’ll get, whereas the 335i once past ½ throttle gives you almost all its got straight away which can explain why some people after test driving an M3 feel that their 335i ‘feels’ as fast – if you want full power in the M3 you need to put the pedal to the metal – ½ throttle will give you 50% .........simple. The power in the M3 is very linear and you are genuinely surprised at the speed you are carrying. For those of you who have not experienced the S65 on full song i will try and explain what it feels like when driven as intended......

My car has the DCT transmission (which IMO suits the S65’s characteristics perfectly) so bear that in mind when reading the following description – cruising in 7th at 2000 rpm and pull the left paddle twice to downshift to fifth, the cars revs rise to 4000rpm or so and you can hear the engine note change and even without altering your foots depression on the throttle you can feel the car almost wanting to accelerate – another 2 quick pulls on the left paddle and the engine note changes completely again.......it barks as the DCT rev matches perfectly followed by a howl as the rev needle swings round to 6000 – you can physically feel the car straining at the leash now...a cm of movement by your right foot will give you acceleration, plant the throttle and the car pulls urgently forward, the engine note is angry, high pitched and exhilarating and the needle is at 8400rpm before you even get a chance to check the LED’s that are lighting up around the rev counter, pull on the right paddle and instantly there is a noticeable jerk that pushes you back into the seat as the car seamlessly continues to get faster and faster , the engine is screaming now and you get ready to shift again but the car still has 1500 rpm left in its locker, you wring it out to the redline which seems to take longer to hit than you were expecting – the LEDS are now lighting up yellow and then red around the rev counter - flick the right paddle again and you are jolted back into the seat once more as the car makes a beeline for the horizon...... at this point unless you are on the autobahn you will be applying the brakes (which are noticeably stronger than the 335i’s) if you value your freedom and driving license!

This engine loves to rev – it begs you to do it – drive it as it was intended and the N54 will seem very boring by comparison – the actual feel of acceleration is noticeable but not massively different to the 335i’s but the speedometer and the rate at which cars disappear in your rear view mirror tell another story. This engine will pull hard to the redline and reward you both acoustically and with momentum for doing so – sounds a bit cliché but when you really give it the beans it sounds and feels like you are driving a junior racing car. I thought it would be hard to top the N54 but the S65 on full song feels and sounds like you are driving something much more exotic than a BMW – for out and out driving pleasure and excitement the N54 is left floundering in its wake- it is not even comparable.

STEERING AND HANDLING

The hydraulic steering on the 335i (335i and d have different steering to other 3 series models which have servotronic) is better than on most cars but it never felt as connected as i wanted it to be when pressing on. It is heavier than the M3’s at low speeds up to 35mph or so and at these sort of speeds it felt as good or better than the M3 – it is accurate and would weight up nicely on turn in and give you confidence mid corner as to how much available grip you had although there was far too much body roll on initial turn in and through a corner .......the M3’s steering at low speeds is very light and uncommunicative even when set on the sport setting, it is actually quite difficult to apply the correct amount of steering lock on initial turn in to slower corners due to the slightly vague steering – i would prefer stiffer steering at low speeds at the expense of ease of driving in town, parking etc .

Press on though to faster corners or long sweeping bends in the 335i and things change, it was not confidence inspiring.....the whole car would sometimes ‘skip’ mid corner if it encountered a rut or imperfection in the road and then grip suddenly when the tyres made contact with the road again or sometimes on a sweeping bend i could feel the car almost slipping on the 2 loaded up wheels mid bend as it struggled to maintain traction with the road surface – it was very unpredictable when pressing on, you could find the 335i’s limits quite quickly or should i say you could find your own limits quite quickly in this car....the cars behaviour would limit you rather than encourage you to go any faster. I had quite a few heart stopping moments when i decided to take a corner a bit faster than i had attempted previously in the 335i, the car would understeer if you entered a corner carrying too much speed whereas at the same speed in the M3 you can just apply more lock and it will just stick to the line you have chosen with no fuss or drama. The grip, steering feel and composure of the M3 in a fast bend is far better than in the 335.

In MDM mode you can get the tail to step out on command with a sharp prod of the throttle mid corner, it is a lot of fun and yet still feels very safe and controllable – you are never sure whether it was your inputs that brought it back into line or if MDM had kicked in and helped you out – either way once you have experienced it you will be looking for your next opportunity to do it again, DSC is far more restrictive and cuts the fun very early, of course you can disable both systems completely but on the road i never felt the need. The upshot is that the M3 is a much easier car to drive fast in and have some sideways fun if you want to.........you do not have to be ‘Ben Collins’ to access the fun either!

The body roll on the 335i was quite noticeable, a quick lane change at speed would result in a pitch one way and then back again as the car struggled to settle for a moment or two, the steering at high speed was a bit vague and ‘loose’ around the straight ahead, on the autobahn at speeds of 130mph + there was noticeable front end lift which in turn would make the steering feel light and unconnected – it gave you the perception of floating on top of the road surface as opposed to on it.

The first time i took the M3 to V max on the autobahn i started accelerating in 5th followed by a shift into 6th the car was pulling hard and all of a sudden just stopped accelerating – i thought i had hit the redline in 6th so i shifted into 7th and the car still refused to go any faster , i glanced at the speedo and realised that i was doing 170mph and the cars V Max limiter had kicked in.........i thought i was doing 130 or so such was the composure and feel of the car.

The EDC settings on the M3 really make a difference to the feel of the car. In Germany on smooth roads and in ‘sport’ mode the car feels unbelievably tight and planted at speed, there is almost no body roll and you can guide it into fast bends and corners with total confidence, the steering feels fantastic and lane changes at very high speeds feel taut composed and controlled. I am currently in the UK and so far i have yet to use the EDC in sport setting due to the poorer road surfaces i have been driving on – i have been switching between comfort and normal to try and find my favourite setting for these roads – the car does not feel as tight as it does in sport mode but still feels very composed and accurate but with a bit more body roll than in sport - still far better than the 335i though.

OWNING/RUNNING COSTS

Forget manufacturers claims and any calculations you can do to determine how much more expensive the M3 is to run compared to the 335i – the difference is very noticeable (If you live in the USA then this whole section does not apply to you!). I used to regularly get around 300 miles or so from a tank on the 335i – this would include plenty short journeys, spirited drives and high speed driving on the autobahn – the 335 would not punish you too much economy wise when you started to push the car, for the performance on offer it was quite economical and fell into a tax bracket that meant it cost roughly half the cost to tax in comparison to the M3 – a new M3 costs almost £1000 to tax for the first year and £450 or so after that. My average range in the M3 is around 220 miles............if you drive it hard though it can drop to 170 or less, it is possible to achieve close to 300 miles but you would have to be in D2 mode or less and be driving very conservatively to achieve this.

Of course nobody buys a car like an M3 to save on fuel bills but even in comparison to other high performance cars with similar or more power this is one thirsty motor. For the extra fun, pace and sound of the S65 however i can forgive its thirst.................what i cannot forgive though is the range – if Ferrari can fit its new 458 Italia with an 83 litre tank then why couldn’t BMW have done similar with the M3 – this is a design flaw IMO and means that in reality on the autobahn driving at Vmax i could probably cover 500 miles quicker in a 335i than in the M3 due to fuel stops – i would definitely get there quicker in a 335d – although to be fair the 335’s would feel nowhere near as composed as the M3 and would require some bottle to drive at VMax on some sections of autobahn that the M3 would eat up no problem. Obviously you also have to pay £400 or so for the 1200 mile service and my insurance premium also rose by £500 a year.

CONCLUSION

There are many comparisons on this forum and on the web between these two cars but the truth is that they are totally different cars engineered for a different type of customer. Both are great cars and for what they were designed for they are both rightly regarded as class leading. The 335i is a fantastic car that handles better than almost all of its direct competitors while having a peach of an engine - i remember driving a friends brand new Volvo S60 for half an hour or so and despite both cars being similar in price i realised that the 335i just felt so much better to drive – in every respect, there was a huge difference and i couldn’t wait to get back into my car............the difference between the M3 and the 335i is as big as between that Volvo and the 335i.

For normal daily driving the 335i is the better choice – not because the M3 isn’t as good as a daily driver, it is just as capable as the 335i and in comfort mode is actually a touch more comfortable than a 335i with the M Sport suspension, but IMO the higher list price and running costs are not justified if the car is to be used in this manner most of the time – for a lot of people the 335i will be all the car they could want and quite rightly so.

However, if you regularly get in your car and start to drive with no destination in mind and for no other reason than to enjoy a blast down your favourite roads only one of these cars will really do the job properly – the sound of the V8 screaming at max revs, the feedback from the steering as you flick between the bends, the planted feeling the suspension gives you and the confidence to push faster and faster will leave you with a grin on your face the 335i cannot come close to........the M3 makes the 335i feel ordinary in this regard which is not an easy thing to do. It is a special car that can do the daily chores as well as any other car but with the press of a few buttons and a heavy right foot it can make you feel like all you’ll ever want to do is drive............................................. ................................. i normally end up at a petrol station

[rsmallwo]

Excellent write up, Having driven neither what you are saying makes complete sense. As my car is definately a daily driver I'm a 335d man.

[ss134]

Originally Posted by rsmallwo

Excellent write up, Having driven neither what you are saying makes complete sense. As my car is definately a daily driver I'm a 335d man.

I will be looking at the new F30 335d with interest when it comes out - may be my next car when i return to live in the UK full time.

[beemerbird]

Ye gods man what a write up, no writers block on this forum.

This is where its at imo. Forget car journos for the most part. A full, comprehensive, impartial and factual comparsion between two cars based on actual ownership and 'living' with the cars.

Steve, you've summed up so eloquently the differences between N/A and turbo engined cars, the differences in perceived performance and imo clearly set out why these cars are so different. But as you say both very good cars in what they do.

I think what you have written, certainly for me, clearly shows why and where the price differential is between an E9X and the M3. I say this because I've sometimes read (not on here) people discussing the higher price of the M3 and more recently the car I've just bought and the other models in the range. The differences are very often NOT in what the eye does see, rather what the eye cannot see ie. in engineering terms etc, etc. Proof of the pudding as they say.

Your last paragraph sums up how I 'live' with my cars and I agree totally, the fuel costs are academic to a point as the sheer enjoyment of driving is what makes me happy and is my relaxation tbh. No doubt a time will come when we will decide to drive cars that are the everyday all rounder etc and fine that will be also. It will be interesting to see what is 'out there' in the future.

I honestly think your write up deserves to be in the main UK part of the forum.

Even get a glimpse of you in one of the pics (well sort of).

Very enjoyable reading Steve, thanks for that. Hope you're doing ok over here at the mo.

[ss134]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

Ye gods man what a write up, no writers block on this forum.

This is where its at imo. Forget car journos for the most part. A full, comprehensive, impartial and factual comparsion between two cars based on actual ownership and 'living' with the cars.

Steve, you've summed up so eloquently the differences between N/A and turbo engined cars, the differences in perceived performance and imo clearly set out why these cars are so different. But as you say both very good cars in what they do.

I think what you have written, certainly for me, clearly shows why and where the price differential is between an E9X and the M3. I say this because I've sometimes read (not on here) people discussing the higher price of the M3 and more recently the car I've just bought and the other models in the range. The differences are very often NOT in what the eye does see, rather what the eye cannot see ie. in engineering terms etc, etc. Proof of the pudding as they say.

Your last paragraph sums up how I 'live' with my cars and I agree totally, the fuel costs are academic to a point as the sheer enjoyment of driving is what makes me happy and is my relaxation tbh. No doubt a time will come when we will decide to drive cars that are the everyday all rounder etc and fine that will be also. It will be interesting to see what is 'out there' in the future.

I honestly think your write up deserves to be in the main UK part of the forum.

Even get a glimpse of you in one of the pics (well sort of).

Very enjoyable reading Steve, thanks for that. Hope you're doing ok over here at the mo.

Thanks Helen....always the charmer aren't you Looking forward to going home on Friday......even if it is only for a week before i'm back again until late Oct!

Hope you've been out having fun in the new motor, make the most of it before the crap weather sets in.................although with Quattro that shouldn't affect you as much...

Also....rather than looking at reflections in the cars if you Pm me your email i will send you a pic!

[themetz]

Great write up indeed!

I'd agree with everything you've observed in such fantastic detail.

In the end, for me, the company car tax was the real killer - at pretty much double the BIK charge vs the new N55 335i, and taking into account the fact that my car is the secondary family motor and therefore generally only used for commuting - I just couldn't justify the difference in cash that the M3 diverted to HMRC.

I also suffered with the gearbox issues on the DCT software (now resolved) which was a real irritation.

I miss the M hugely, but have nearly the same smile every time I get in the 335 as I had with the M3 - the pay off for not having quite as big a smile, is an extra holiday!

The M3 certainly, and without any doubt, felt much more 'special' than the standard E9x - snd i guess it depends on how much that's worth to you because as you have mentioned, in the real world, there is barely anything in the getting-from-a2b-performance.

Think i'll probably try again with the next gen though!!

[beemerbird]

Originally Posted by ss134

Thanks Helen....always the charmer aren't you Looking forward to going home on Friday......even if it is only for a week before i'm back again until late Oct!

Hope you've been out having fun in the new motor, make the most of it before the crap weather sets in.................although with Quattro that shouldn't affect you as much...

Also....rather than looking at reflections in the cars if you Pm me your email i will send you a pic!

I say it as it is. Blimey you're soon back again then!

Was off last week and the weather was great which was rather fortunate. Got some miles covered across most of North Yorkshire, she's loosening up nicely lol. Am impressed with the mpg for the performance you get, mind you the car isn't heavy.

PM sent!! And no pics like you did before months ago on the forum as funny as they were lol........

[pjs]

A great read, and I agree with virtually all your 335i comments.

I've only ever driven a palmersport e92 m3 with DCT and it was in a different league.

With the 25k miles a year I do, i'm happy to 'make do' ...

[m1bjr]

The M3 feels more special.

But is it more special than a seriously well modified 335i kind of special?

[Dr G13]

Excellent write up, great read. Infact i'm gonna read it again and pinch myself as I just bought a 335i lol

[ss134]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

The M3 feels more special.

But is it more special than a seriously well modified 335i kind of special?

Not sure as i have never driven one! All i can say is that the M3 is designed and engineered with one purpose in mind............to give the driver pure driving enjoyment, i'm sure with enough cash you could get a 335i to handle and go as well or better than the M3........but so could any car... Golf, Focus etc etc................likewise with a supercharger the M3 is faster than a Ferrari 430 and with an Akra exhaust can sound almost as good....but it still isn't as special as the ferrari is it?.......its just a modified M3

[225_AB]

Never driven either car but that is a great review. Will have to stick with my 330d......................................for now.

[zltm089]

fackin hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!....Thats one review I was waiting for!!!!....

Enjoyed reading this!!!...Thanks for posting....

The way you describe the 335i....SPOT ON!!!!!.... The engine part and handling charactristics were well described and clear....

Ah damn it....wished u had an e92....but i guess the handling will be similar(ish) for the e90....


The throttle bit, you mentioned is spot on....i feel the same about my car....

Maybe the M3 doesn't deliver as much power/ torque at lower revs when compared to the 335i.... guess u'll hav to floor it to feel the power in the M3 now...good luck with the mpg....


Off/Topic

The quality of reviews is definitely high these days....Are you guys planning to become car journalists or sumfin?

I want an M3!!! ....

[zltm089]

Regarding some of the "modded" 335i v/s M3 posts, I think that there is definitely something special about the M3, coming "out of the box" from factory, with those extremely good looks, excellent handling and decent bhp....It might not be as fast as a GTR or have a four wheel drive quattro system, but there is something about M3s that attracts me ...

So for me, it will have to be M3 first, and then modded 335i...(even if a modded 335i will piss over a standard M3)

[ak335]

Nice write up, congrats on the ///M

[zltm089]

Quick question....about your dct gearbox....


Does it allow full control of the gears? i.e will it allow you to change gear even if it means going in the "red" zone/ over reving?

Or does it have that "protection engine" bullsh*t, that will only allow you to kick down, if the speed is within the range....?

In before, people asking me, why would you want to over rev etc....I LIKE FULL CONTROL OF THE GEARS, IF I WANT TO KICK DOWN, DROP DOWN TO 2ND GEAR AT 100MPH, THIS SHOULD BE MY CHOICE/ DECISION AND NOT SOME CAR COMPUTER...(Not that i would do that)

[johnnydad]

Brilliant and detailed piece of writing - tells me so much I wanted to know!

One question - what tyres was your 335i running?

[nicko44]

Thanks for that really informative and thoughtful write-up ss134. It is far and away the best written "double test" that I have had the pleasure to read (and I have read a great deal). You go into just the kind of detail that forum readers want to hear, and avoid the superficial glibness that you find all too often in the motoring press.

I was particularly interested in your comments about throttle response and the different feel in the power curve as between the M3 and 335i. Having just driven an N55 engined E93 335i (with DCT), I also was struck by just how much of the power is available on a light throttle (much like in any modern diesel turbo), and how you don't get an awful lot more power when you complete the throttle movement to the floor. Very different feel to my "evolved" 330i, where the last bit of the throttle movements provokes the response....."OK then, you want to get mean and nasty!" and you are greeted with a very determined snarl and quite a bit more pace (always admitting of course that the 335i is still significantly faster).

I also found the N55 engine was really much more comfortable with changing up at 5800 to 6000. You got it perfectly when you said that you almost felt unkind in keeping it hanging on till 6500 or 7000rpm. The car seems to breathe a sigh of relief when you change up and hit the next higher gear at around 5000rpm.

As regards the comparison with the M3, I'm afraid I have never driven one. However I have spent quite a time in my son's C63, and whilst this car is not as "toppy" as the M3, it does have a beautifully linear power curve from the low 1000's all the way up the rev range, and this is something that only a large capacity high revving NA petrol engine can provide.

We should enjoy this breed of car before the emission regs kill them.

[creepy coupe]

Excellent write up SS134 and one that’s long overdue, you’re right about there not being a decent and accurate back to back comparison before, if you ask for owners opinions, they assume you’re a troll looking to fire up some great debate, so thanks for posting.

On the subject of handling, was your comparison based on a 335i with run flats fitted?

Also have you had any issues with the DCT when driving in traffic, such as lag or hesitation and lastly, did you drive a manual M3?

[kdiz]

This was a really good writeup I think you have summerised everything in a fair way as well.

I think your right with what you say about two totally differernt cars. I personally am going to shoot for the 335i as I don't do that much driving and i think that would suit my driving style for now atleast, especially coming from an almost 20 year old car the handling on the 335i will probably be in a differernt league to what i have now

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Great write-up! Really well written, and impartial at that. It's been a long time since I got such an objective view on both these cars, and that from someone who has even owned both (most people just comment on these cars and have never even driven any of them).

I also agree with what you write, it sums up very nicely my own impressions when I had the chance to test drive the M3 (an E92 though) before buying my 335i. And it's great that you got an E90 M3, there are so few of them which makes them much more special (also bearing in mind that the next M3 won't come out as a sedan most probably).

If you're in Germany, come over to the Nürburgring on the first week-end of October! Then you can indeed drive your M3 on its home turf (and experience some modded 335i if you're interested).

Alpina_B3_Lux

[ddogg35]

nice write up