BMW 335i Touring 2007 Review

The 1650 cars BMW Australia shifted in July 2007 made it the marque's best-ever sales month, and put the premium brand on track for another record year. On the back of a constantly expanding range of models - eight individual letter/numbers combinations, without counting body variants (or Mini) - sales continue to soar. Despite misgivings over styling, and the controversial iDrive and run-flat tyres, Australians continue to gravitate to the 'ultimate driving machine'.

The latest example of Beemer's niche-filling policy adds choice to the largely ignored 3 Series Touring. Currently, the 3 wagon is only offered in 2.5-litre 323i form, and sells around 100-120 units a month. After ignoring the 3.0-litre version, the product planners are keen to add the 225kW twin-turbo 335i Touring to the range in March/April '08. At a near $40K premium over the 160kW 323i Touring, BMW is not keen to make any sales predictions. But such has been the demand for the brilliant six-that-performs-like-an-eight in the 3 Series sedan, coupe and convertible, BMW sees a small (make that tiny) role for a boutique wagon with blistering performance.

But not for Oz buyers the choice of manual or automatic gearboxes like the 335i Coupe - the Touring is six-speed-auto only here. After driving both 'boxes back-to-back in Germany, the rationale behind the decision is easy to understand. At 5.9 seconds to 100km/h, the auto wagon is just 0.2sec slower, but so effortless is the performance, and so sweetly matched the engine to the chassis, that the manual verges on being pointless. Not that the shift is bad, rather it interrupts the smooth flow of acceleration and eliminates the pleasures of paddleshifting. And, inside rear wheel spinning out of a hairpin, the manual exaggerates the need for an M3-like locking differential to rein in the energetic 335i engine.

You won't buy the Touring for its carrying capacity (the X3 and X5 play that role), for as a five-seater the boot's 460 litres only matches the sedan. Even with the rear seats lowered, the space expands to a comparatively modest 1385 litres. The attention to detail is thorough, though there's no separate opening rear window like the 5 Touring. The sill is low, the rear suspension doesn't intrude excessively and the rear seat back (with ski-port) flops down easily to form a near-flat loading floor. In addition, there are four tie-down rings, two fold-away shopping hooks and a neat luggage cover that springs up when the rear door is opened.

If, like us, you prefer the styling and practicality of the 3 Series Touring to the sedan, the Q-car potential of the wagon may tip the balance come decision time.

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