Review of the new BMW 3 Series Coupe

If you're in the market for a prestigiously badged yet relatively affordable coupe, then BMW's 3 Series Coupe will be one of the first cars you'll turn to. In recent times though, the competition has been building, first from Audi's A5, then from Mercedes' E-Class Coupe and even from niche alternatives like Infiniti's G37 Coupe. Time then for Munich to ratchet up their car's desire factor a few notches. The result is the facelifted E90 version we're looking at here.

There have been a series of cosmetic changes but essentially, the visual recipe remains the same - which means that as ever, this model remains beautiful in its own right. Contemporary BMW design has sometimes been a strangely hit and miss affair but the bullseye has been firmly hit in this instance. Taut, sleek, muscular and boasting not a single shared body panel with the 3 Series saloon, the latest Coupe will earn whole legions of buyers before they ever clap eyes on one in the metal. The silhouette is low and elongated, giving it an elegance that's singularly lacking in the buttoned-down saloon.

The 3-Series coupe's focus on shaving weight comes hand in hand with some seriously powerful engines and that will be enough to pique the interest of any keen driver. The petrol line-up starts with the 170bhp 320i, then comes the 218bhp 325i model, which sits just below the 272bhp 330i derivative. At the top of the pile sits the legendary M3 but you can enjoy much of what this exalted variant offers in the desirable 306bhp 335i. This is a revolutionary engine insofar as it marked BMW's first turbocharged petrol unit offered in this country since the 2002 turbo, a car that was pensioned off in 1975.

Accelerating from zero to 60mph in just 5.5 seconds, the 335i is a car that's almost as fast as the old-shape M3 yet which is far less temperamental. As is the norm with high-end BMW models, the top speed is electronically limited to 155mph. Ignore the badge on the back, this is no 3.5-litre unit. Instead it's a turbocharged 3.0-litre powerplant with Valvetronic variable valve management and direct injection technology.

"The car doesn't come cheap but buyers really do get an engineering tour de force for their money"

Talking of turbos, what about the diesel options? These start with a 184bhp 320d variant that these days offers another 7bhp and another 30Nm of torque, helping it sprint from rest to sixty in just 7.5s. There's the same kind of improvement to the six cylinder 204bhp 325d, then comes the 330d and the diesel flagship is the 286bhp 335d. A seven-speed double clutch transmission is also available that actually enhances performance and economy.

BMW has taken steps to differentiate the latest coupe from the saloon and Tourer estate. Most noticeable is the single air-intake sliced in below the front bumper with matt aluminium fins mounted within it. Its effect is to visually lower and widen the car for a more planted and sporty stance. It appears to work. Other features include the revised headlights with LED corona rings and red LED rear lights.

Otherwise, it's as you were in this beautiful piece of design. On the way around the car, you'll spot the sculpted flanks and should you tap the front wings, you'll find that instead of the high-pitched ring of steel, you'll hear the duller thud of plastic. In a bid to cleave weight from the 3 Series Coupe, BMW have used plastic as well as the more traditional method of 'tailored blanks' - panels that are thick where structural rigidity is needed and thin where it's not. With a fixed centre console dividing the rear seats, the 3 Series Coupe is a proper four seater with room in the back for two adults. The 440-litre boot and folding rear seats add a welcome dose of practicality but this is, above all, a coupe model.

All models come with close-ratio six-speed manual gearboxes but there's also a very decent automatic option that halves the shift times of a conventional auto thanks to a smart interface between software and torque converter. There is even a pair of paddle shifts behind the wheel for when the driver wants to have some fun. That three letter word figures large in the 3 Series vocabulary. One look at the aluminium suspension parts and the direct rack and pinion steering shows that BMW are serious about upholding their reputation for producing the Ultimate Driving Machine.

The standard 3 Series Coupe comes in SE trim and that gets buyers 17" alloy wheels, cruise control, xenon headlights with built in daytime running lights, Dakota leather upholstery and dual-zone air-conditioning. It's fairly comprehensive but then, you'd expect that at the prices BMW is asking. The M Sport trim level comes at a hefty premium of around £2,500 but it does much to enliven the look of the car. The M aerodynamic bodykit is added as are 19" alloy wheels while various M-Sport accessories pop-up inside. As many as 65 per cent of 3 Series Coupe buyers take the M Sport option.

The competition for the 3 Series Coupe has grown stiffer in recent times. Audi finally got its act together in this market with the handsome A5 Coupe while Mercedes has the slightly larger E-Class Coupe. It's likely that the BMW will retain its crown as the driver's choice in the sector but pressure from these competent alternatives may have been a factor in prompting BMW to up the game of its 3-Series 3-door with improvements we've been talking about here.

The 3-Series Coupe may be predictably pricey to buy but it's surprisingly affordable to run. BMW's EfficientDynamics technology is standard across the range helping the cars achieve economy and emissions levels that belie the kind of performance that's on offer. The diesels shine particularly brightly with the 320d returning an outstanding 60mpg and 125g/km emissions. Even the improved 335d can manage 42.8mpg and 174g/km (now dropping a VED band to H) while the petrol options are hardly profligate either. The 43mpg 320i has 154g/km emissions and the 335i is now significantly more affordable to own, returning 33.6mpg with 196g/km emissions, dropping a VED band to J. Impressive stuff.

The BMW 3-Series is a great driver's car with some world-beating engines and this improved Coupe version adds even sleeker styling and some more efficient engines into that outstanding mix. The car doesn't come cheap but buyers really do get an engineering tour de force for their money.

Sacrificing two of the doors that you get on a 3-Series saloon for the markedly improved aesthetics of the coupe will make sense to many buyers. The car looks better and handles with a touch more verve. It all means that in the wider mid-sized sports coupe market, there's still little to touch BMW's offering if your priorities are good looks and a sparkling driving experience with a modicum of practicality thrown in. Surely, that's what coupes are all about.

TOP 5 3 SERIES DEALS

The results below show the top 3 SERIES deals on buyacar

BMW 3 Series 320d Luxury 4dr Step Auto Diesel Saloon
Price £28,706 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £3,399
BMW 3 Series 320d M Sport 2dr Diesel Coupe
Price £27,980 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £5,435
BMW 3 Series 320d Sport 4dr Diesel Saloon
Price £26,135 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £2,945
BMW 3 Series 320d EfficientDynamics 4dr Diesel Saloon
Price £25,285 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £2,795
BMW 3 Series 320i M Sport 2dr Step Auto Coupe
Price £27,478 Read 3 Series Reviews	Save £5,257
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