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I'd get the coupe, auto, Procede to c.400 BHP (with some high flow cats or quiet exhaust parts if necessary), better brake pads if necessary.

I wonder if the xDrive transmission will go with the DCT 7 speed gearbox?

 

Must admit, a AWD 3 series 335i makes me interested in BMW's again.

That TT engine is meant to be an absolute monster. Chipped it'd kill an M3. Probably the reason BMW didn't give it a LSD.

 

Think the suspension dampening might annoy you on the bumpy B-roads as it probably won't be any different to the 2wd versions.

But if going by the reviews of the old 330xi (never sold in the UK), it should have a rear torque bias, which should be nice if it carried over to this model (although the old e46 330Xi did have softer springs and higher ride height).

Personally, the only time I would find the AWD of use is in the wet. As rear-end grip is good enough - providing the car has Michelins and they aren't run flats. However a proper LSD would be nice - as long as its not too tight.

But the AWD version AFAIK still won't have a rear LSD, and that still is a must for using a AWD car in extreme slippery conditions or when pushing high BHP. However the DSC might cope with excess wheel slip better (virtual LSD - the system has the capeability, but will BMW make full use of it? ).

 

From what I read the suspension has a higher ride height (better wheel travel?) and is softer than the suspension on the 335ci sport, I thought the suspension on my brother in law's 320d ci sport was surprisingly good, more compliant than I expected. People were moaning about the gap between the arch and the tyre on the front of the 335xi in North America, sounds like that is just what I need. I gather you can get 17" on all season tyres with a 130ish mph limiter, or 18" on summer tyres with a 155 mph limiter. The sport pack was only seats and steering wheel paddles, no change tot suspension like on the saloons.

My bugbears on the E46 M3 were:

Lack of torque
Lack of wheel travel on the bumps
Wilting brakes
... but on the smooth stuff the handling and grip were incredible.

Sounds like the 335xi might fix all except the brakes, I think they stop as well as an Evo/STi on the first stop, might just need better pads to keep doing it as the M3 seemed to deposit material on the discs leading to juddering when the brakes were hot, I think the pads were soft.

I would happily give up some of the ultimate grip of the M cars for a bit more compliance in the real world. It was more often that I was held back by the car bouncing vertically as the tyres came off the ground due to excessively stiff, short travel suspension that it would that I was held back by lack of lateral g in smooth corners. In the wet it was compounded.

 

I fitted a Quaife LSD to mine plus Apa brakes. It's brilliant. Tempted by the Dinan 400bhp kit at the moment, but it's half a ducati 848 and I'm being swayed by the bike at the moment!!!

The LSD is a hoot on the track!

 

I think the suspension travel wasn't really the whole issue; more so the shocks and rubber damping on all the mounts, and they get worse when they wear too (where one would think it gets softer, it doesn't). Where they still remain overly stiff to minor undulations but fail to control excess movement.

Still an issue either way.


What the 335Xi will get in the UK suspension-wise will be a mystery until it surfaces; As typically, NA spec cars have different rubber/spring/damping specs to EU cars.