[Jason]

BMW 335d sedan wins AJAC'S 2010 Best New design Award. Beats Audi A5 and Ford Taurus/SHO


February 17, 2010

By The Car Guide

The BMW 335d Sedan won the "Best New Design" award for 2010 as presented by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). The award was handed out as part of the 2010 Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) awards that opened the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

"We are delighted that the members of AJAC have bestowed the 2010 Best New Design award on the BMW 335d Sedan" stated Franz Jung, President and CEO of BMW Group Canada. Mr. Jung continued: "The fifth generation 3 Series Sedan has been recognized for its groundbraking design language in both exterior and interior execution. The most current version only reinforces the perfect balance of dynamism and elegance in this design and we are proud to receive this recognition in the face of such worthy competition."

Canadian independent designer Paul Deutschman, Humber College automotive design professors Ken Cummings, and Bruce Thomson, as well as Automobile magazine's design critic Robert Cumberford were appointed by AJAC as a panel of design experts. Their task was a difficult one: create a short-list of "Best New Design" finalists from the full-slate of fifty-three entries in the Canadian Car of the Year awards program.

The top three finalists for the 2010 Best New Design award were the Audi A5 ("Audi is a perennial top contender for any design comparison. The A5 Cabrio makes this list because it fairly oozes with design competence from every pore. Style, proportion, execution- it's all there." - Paul Deutschman, the BMW 335d Sedan ("The BMW 335d sedan is an excellent follow through design. It is updated so well there's not a line out of place. A beautifully appointed interior with outstanding ergonomics makes a winner in this category.- Ken Cummings), and the Ford Taurus & Ford Taurus SHO ("Ford's appealing Kinetic Design theme is being successfully applied throughout their global product range, including their full size American sedan, the Taurus. It is handsome, bold yet unpretentious. Finally Ford is on a design surge, right when it is needed most ."- Paul Deutschman).

AJAC journalists then selected the winner from the design expert's short-list based on a combination of aesthetics, function, and brand essence. Each parameter was rated separately for each of the design finalists. The aesthetics score reflects the sheer beauty of the design. The function score assesses the manner and degree to which it accommodates the practical requirements of the vehicle type. And brand essence considers its success in conveying the image, heritage, and values of the specific brand.

"The intent of the AJAC Best New Design award is to identify and reward the vehicle that exhibits the best balance of form and function", said Richard Russell, chair of AJAC's 2010 Canadian Car of the Year awards.

AJAC's annual Canadian Car of the Year awards program was created in 1985 with the purpose of providing consumers with sound, comparative information on vehicles that are new to the market.

For that reason, the vote results that determined today's winners are available to consumers as a resource buying guide on the AJAC web site. Also available are the comparative test data derived from the journalists' extensive four day evaluation of over 150 new vehicles in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario in October. This annual event is known in the industry as "TestFest". Shell Canada is the official fuel supplier of the event and in the last year celebrated another milestone in fuels leadership and technology with the launch of Shell Nitrogen Enriched gasolines across North America.

The rigorous TestFest evaluation program includes real world driving on public roads - exactly where consumers drive so that the test and vote results posted to the AJAC web site are directly relevant to potential car and truck buyers.

[keanu1]

I have to agree with them!!

[Ron1n]

Chalk another win up for the d.

[DnA Diesel]

I concur, but the article makes it seem more for the LCI work than the M57. Can't complain, though...it is a great car!

[bsamoul]

Awesome!

[bmwaddict]

It's official my next car will be a BMW diesel sedan (I would love a coupe diesel, but...)

[Jim E.]

Originally Posted by DnA Diesel

I concur, but the article makes it seem more for the LCI work than the M57. Can't complain, though...it is a great car!

+1

I was thinking the same thing.

[bavarian19]

[Tony717]

must...resist....335d...

[DnA Diesel]

Originally Posted by Tony717

must...resist....335d...

....resistence is futile! LOL

[vladberca]

great car! also this engine is available for the coupe and cabrio in EU

[chrisdridley]

It's a great long range car. If you have lots of road to cover, I don't know of a better choice.

[RussRamz]

Thinking of buying a second one for the wife...

[Kamando]

Happily sold my E92 335i for an E90LCI 335d. Can't wait

[HoustonScott]

Best car I have owned. Just did a 500 mile round trip Houston to Killeen and return. Still have more than one quarter of a tank, averaged 38.5, could have done better but got the speed up on the return trip. While at 62mph I recorded 41.2mpg in the first two hours, then let her role. This is the best all round car ever to prowl the roads of America. Looks, quality, power, performance, mileage, on and on and on.....

HS

[Kraven]

Originally Posted by HoustonScott

Best car I have owned. Just did a 500 mile round trip Houston to Killeen and return. Still have more than one quarter of a tank, averaged 38.5, could have done better but got the speed up on the return trip. While at 62mph I recorded 41.2mpg in the first two hours, then let her role. This is the best all round car ever to prowl the roads of America. Looks, quality, power, performance, mileage, on and on and on.....

HS

Congrats on what seems to be a very fine piece of engineering combining performance, luxury and fuel economy in one package! I'm looking at an S4 in addition to this vehicle and over research things before I buy.

From a pure performance perspective, I think the S4 may have an edge with the sport diff and rear wheel biased AWD...Audi has this down it seems. I also like the interior appointments better in the Audi although in fairness I haven't been inside a 335d yet, just the pictures and descriptions of awkward cupholders, etc. (obviously not a dealbreaker).

Regarding performance, I think the 335d has all one needs to have fun and also be safe and get the necessary zip when needed to get out of the way of traffic/trucks whatever the road throws at you. Although the S4 may have the performance edge, the 335d seems quite capable.

The main thing that has me now considering this 335d is the amazing fuel efficiency and range. Seems like a few cons are the smell of diesel, not being able to automatically top off while refueling due to the nozzle in the car being small. Diesel is readily available around the parts I drive in here in So Cal, so that's not an issue...

Seems like the 335d is an all around amazing car with the driving performance of the 3 series, enough performance and plenty of economy as well...

[DerekS]

[QUOTE=Kraven;6768776)

Regarding performance, I think the 335d has all one needs to have fun and also be safe and get the necessary zip when needed to get out of the way of traffic/trucks whatever the road throws at you. Although the S4 may have the performance edge, the 335d seems quite capable.

The main thing that has me now considering this 335d is the amazing fuel efficiency and range. Seems like a few cons are the smell of diesel, not being able to automatically top off while refueling due to the nozzle in the car being small. Diesel is readily available around the parts I drive in here in So Cal, so that's not an issue...

Seems like the 335d is an all around amazing car with the driving performance of the 3 series, enough performance and plenty of economy as well...[/QUOTE]

Having owned a 335i Coupe previously, I can tell you that there is no sacrifice in performance driving a 335d. In fact, on the highway, the d feels much stronger in passing situations than the 335i.

I'm not sure that I would agree with your statement that in real world driving situations, the S4 "may have a performance edge". I have yet to drive an Audi that is as well balanced as the 335d and possesses that telepathic BMW steering. For me at least, the AWD and front end weight bias of the Audi hurts its steering feel and its handling. Check out the Road & Track review of 335d; they confirm that its faster through the slalom and has superior road holding than a 335i.

As for the smell of diesel, there isn't any unless you spill fuel on your hands. Toping up the tank is no different than toping up a gasser. And having driven through 8 western states + BC, I have never encountered any issues with the filler not being the correct size; in other words, I have never needed to use the adapter that came with the car.

Finally, when it comes to fuel efficiency, there is no comparison between the 335i and the 335d. The d usually gets better than advertised fuel economy. On a recent 2000 km trip down to Southern Oregon, 48-50 mpg (imperial) was the average, driving @ 120-130 km/h with AC on !!!

I have owned a good number of 3 Series and 5 Series over the past 26 years; the 335d is the best one yet. What other car offers this unique combination of performance, fuel efficiency, handling and so much fun to drive ???

[Kraven]

Thanks for the response Derek...Vancouver is amazing as you know, visited there for the first time last year...

I would option my car very similar to yours inlcuding the Space Grey exterior...anything you wish you had done differently with your order? How do you like the Nav? The tires you have are also choice...that's just luck of the draw I hear, right?

[DnA Diesel]

Originally Posted by Kraven

...I would option my car very similar to yours inlcuding the Space Grey exterior...

Yup, Derek has a very nice looking car!

[DerekS]

Originally Posted by Kraven

Thanks for the response Derek...Vancouver is amazing as you know, visited there for the first time last year...

I would option my car very similar to yours inlcuding the Space Grey exterior...anything you wish you had done differently with your order? How do you like the Nav? The tires you have are also choice...that's just luck of the draw I hear, right?

I wouldn't change any of my options. IMO, the burl walnut trim looks much better than the high gloss black plastic. We have an English Springer who travels in the back seat, so black leather is a practical choice for the upholstery. The sports package is certainly a must have option !! If you go for a factory order, I would suggest you specify the black headliner; it comes standard with the Canadian ZSP, but is a separate option for the US market. The black headliner is more attractive than the standard off-white one.

The NAV system works very well, as does the Individual sound system. Unfortunately, the Canadian version of the 335d does not come with adaptive headlights; go figure ??? If you can get active steering (again not available in Canada), I would not hesitate in ordering this option; I had it on my 335iC and the steering was fabulous.

Space grey looks great with the black window trim and the stunning ZSP alloys.

Before I took delivery, I insisted on Michelin Pilot PS2, so the dealer found a set on a new 335i Coupe and exchanged them for the crappy Bridgestones that came with the car from the factory. I had these awful tires on my previous 335iC, so I was determined not to drive with them again. It is true that the Michelins ride better and have a longer rated tread life.