The G37 isn't that much slower but is a much better value. Both have agile handling & compliant rides. Both have excellent brakes, fit & finish, & front-seat comfort. I think it's a fair result.

 

With the BMW 4 channel traction and stability control, there is really not much need for one unless you need AWD.

 

The editors of Car and driver would disagree. Aug issue-lightning round
"...why many of us at Car and Driver think it’s the best all-around car in the world."

 

I've read a couple of reviews (including one 335i vs G35/G37 review that I can't seem to find now) that specifically mentioned the difficulty in accelerating out of a turn without spinning the inside rear tire. It's puzzling that BMW couldn't offer a LSD when some sub-$25,000 performance-oriented cars come so equipped these days. Between that and their deletion of the oil dipstick on their 3.0L I6 engines, it has become apparent that BMW is quickly abandoning the enthusiast market that used to love their cars. This is too bad, since they've shown in the past that they can capture a substantial section of this market. Oh well...

 

There is an oil level sensor on all the new 3.0/I6 motors... the dash display will tell you when you need to add oil and how much (as well as calculate based on driving style when to change the oil). You don't need a dip stick.

And lets face it, with most of the idiots that buy cars now-a-days, a warning on the dash is 1000% more accurate, as most car owners don't even know how to find the dip stick (well alone how to check the oil) anymore.

Don't believe me??? When did you see last see anyone check the oil at a self serve gas station??? I check every fill up, but I doubt in these days of jiffy lube that 99% of other drivers do. I don't think I have seen someone pull the dipstick and check at a gas station (unless they were a long term rotary engine owner) in the last 5 years.

 

The big problem with the lack of a dip stick is that you have no sure way of telling how much oil is in the crank case in case of an electrical fault or software bug. The little electronic sensor is a very nice feature, but it isn't perfect yet. While I agree that this isn't going to be an issue with the general BMW buying public, a move like this seems a little strange coming from a brand that used to market itself to driving enthusiasts.

 

I would take the 335i allll day long. The engine in it really makes me think BMW is coming back and the design of the coupe is superb, especially for Bangle.

 

The latest issue of C&D arrived in the mail this weekend, and I honestly did a double-take when I read the review of the G37 coupe. Holy smokes this car is heavy! The G37 is a good two to three hundred pounds heavier than the Mustang.

I now wonder what will happen to the next generation of the 350Z. Despite the spy photos floating around the internet that show a shortened car, is Nissan going to blow it and still come out with a car that is heavier than the previous generation?

Cheers

 

In the same C&D issue the 335i bests the EVO and the 350Z track in Lightning Lap II by a good margin.

C&D boldly states the "335i may be the best all around car in the world".

Limited slip or no, this car is a real treat and is at the top of my list when the 8 goes bye bye, which is going to be soon.

 

on the idrive equipped ones (dunno about the non idrive) theres a sensor that tells you exactly what the level of the oil is in the engine, why get out and open the hood when you dont have to and you get a much more accurate reading...id say a car that has that kind of a sensor caters more to an enthusiast.

 

im not surprised at all at beating an evo and a 350z, the 335 is one of the most complete machines ive ever driven and that includes some older porsches. I think sleeper really is the best term. I'll need to take my dad with me to the track so that we can compare cars but based on my wheel time behind the 335 its handling is right up there with the 8 but that may be my mesmerization with the beauty of active steering control .

 

as a g35 coupe owner, if im in the market for a new car in the entry luxury segment, id pay the extra 7k and go with the 335i.

When the G35 came out in 2003 it obliterated the 3 series in performance with significantly more hp, torque stiffer sport suspension and better tires. for performance minded buyers, it was an easy choice. This round it seems its the 335 that has the overall performance edge over the G37, or at least they are fairly close.

Id rather pay the extra 7k for the free maintenance and mod-ability of the 335 coupe. Even if the G37 win the mag comparisons, it has lost the huge performance edge that it once had.

 

With the results from the guys at vishnu (65 horsepower, 74 torque) with just tuning, i'd go for the 335i as well. I don't really like the idea of spending this much on a car w/o paying off the 8, which is why I've been considering the 135i, assuming it comes out w/the same engine as the 335i. And how much for that? 3k.. not bad at all.

 

Brought to you by the same mag who once crowned the Vega as Car of the Year

 

And yet another reason to not trust the Lightning Lap times.

 

I liked the comparison they did at Edmunds Inside Line. It also comes to the conclusion I expect the majority of comparisons will come to.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=121462

 

i dont think there's anythign shocking about a 335i beating a Z or Evo around a track. Its very capabale. While Lighting Lap times are not gospel, certainly trustworthy to a respectable degree.

 

its not gospel, but its a good reference for the general capabilities of the cars under that track condition. the 335 was defeated at tsukuba by the 2007 g35 sedan too...
all of these are general indications

 

Overweight pos? Spoken like someone who can't afford the $90,000+ price tag. I can't afford it either, but my boss drives one and it may be a lot of things, but a pos it is not.

 

I thought the Evo time for the LL was very suspect. In general lap times with different drivers on different days shouldn't be compared. It's a gimmick stolen from Top Gear.

 

BMW: Because if anyone ever criticizes it for any reason it's just because they can't afford one.

 

Again, i don't disagree with you per se, but the LL is a bit more controlled than the stig cruisin around on TG. They have 3 drivers assigned to a select number of cars, and they take the best time each got in various conditions.

I'd never walk aroound touting one car superior over another based on the LL, but certainly wouldn't discount all the data it provides either.

 

It's a great idea as long as it is functional. If the sensor ever goes, then you're in big trouble. They had a problem with this in some of the early builds, but it seems to be ironed out now. The thing that would worry me is what happens at 80,000 miles, when you're out of warranty, and your sensor goes out when you're out on a road trip? I wonder how much it costs to replace the sensor... This is more of a nitpicky type thing (it definitely wouldn't stop me from going after a 1-series when those come out), but it seems somewhat silly to completely axe the dipstick.