Edmunds E46 M3 vs 335i vs 135i.

[565]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=125908




Funny I would have picked the 335 first.

[CALL_911]

Ooooh, I've been waiting for this one.
I'll take them in this order:
1. E46 M3
2. 135i (extremely close second)
3. 335i

[CALL_911]

I noticed they had a mistake in the last paragraph or thereabouts. It's an E82. The 5-door (hatch) is an E87.

[sportyaccordy]

I think I would rock with the E46 as well, with the E90 coming behind due purely to the styling/space advantage over the 1.

As I read this article, I thought to myself, "I will probably never take my car to a racetrack. Which of these is most enjoyable on the street?"

[r0tor]

personally like the styling of the 135 waaayyy better then the 335... which has looked awkward to be ever since it was launched

[nickdrinkwater]

BMW really forgot how to style a coupe.

[omicron]

Look at that lovely, lovely M3! My goodness - so crisp, taut and handsome.

[sportyaccordy]

personally like the styling of the 135 waaayyy better then the 335... which has looked awkward to be ever since it was launched

135 doesn't look like a BMW.

[JYODER240]

personally like the styling of the 135 waaayyy better then the 335... which has looked awkward to be ever since it was launched

After seeing a 1-series in person I actually like the the 3-series more. The 1 looks really tall, upright, and ackward.

[sandertheshark]

I'm happy owning the car that succeeds more as a car and less as a track toy.

[CALL_911]

I'm happy owning the car that succeeds more as a car and less as a track toy.

Even though I'd hardly use it, I would take the track toy.

[Raza]

Wow, seeing them all pictured near each other like that...shows off how bad looking the new 3 series coupe is. 

Make that 335i a wagon and not a coupe, and then we'll start to talk about it, but the E46 is my choice in this one.

[the Teuton]

The hell with these three car.  I'd take an E39 M5 for the same money.

[CALL_911]

The hell with these three car.  I'd take an E39 M5 for the same money.

I'd take an E46 M3 over the E39 M5. I love both, however.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I'd take the M3, even if it did 0-60 in 6.5 seconds.

Fast i can fix, ugly....not so much.

[Lebowski]

Wow, seeing them all pictured near each other like that...shows off how bad looking the new 3 series coupe is. 

Make that 335i a wagon and not a coupe, and then we'll start to talk about it, but the E46 is my choice in this one.

That 335i wagon they had in EVO as a long termer was awesome.  I wish they offered that here.

[Raza]

That 335i wagon they had in EVO as a long termer was awesome.  I wish they offered that here.

It was kind of unreliable, but I'd look into buying one.  Fast isn't important to me, but a fast wagon is just cool; like an RS2.

[sportyaccordy]

I'd take the M3, even if it did 0-60 in 6.5 seconds.

Fast i can fix, ugly....not so much.

What about...the... G...T...hyphen...ARRRR....

[FlatBlackCaddy]

What about...the... G...T...hyphen...ARRRR....

That has nothing to do with this comparo.

Ofcourse i'd take the GT-R over a bmw m3

[hotrodalex]

Wow, seeing them all pictured near each other like that...shows off how bad looking the new 3 series coupe is. 

Make that 335i a wagon and not a coupe, and then we'll start to talk about it, but the E46 is my choice in this one.

Say WHA?? The 335i coupe is better looking than the 135i.

What about...the... G...T...hyphen...ARRRR....

Ugly.

[Raza]

Say WHA?? The 335i coupe is better looking than the 135i.

The 3 series coupe is possibly the worst looking BMW on sale today.  Is the X6 out?  Maybe the new sad-face 6 series is worse.  But it's pretty bad. 

The shape is odd, the lines aren't well defined, and you only think it looks good because of the MSG. 

[sandertheshark]

The 3 series coupe is possibly the worst looking BMW on sale today.  Is the X6 out?  Maybe the new sad-face 6 series is worse.  But it's pretty bad. 

The shape is odd, the lines aren't well defined, and you only think it looks good because of the MSG. 

IMO it's second best, next to the 7-series.

And these lines:



Are quite well-defined.  And what's odd about the shape?

[MrH]

I can't believe people are ripping on the styling of the new 3-series of all things.  You've got the frumpy 1-series with side sills that looked to be styled with a melting crayon by a 4 year old, and you're ripping on the 3-series?

[CALL_911]

I can't believe people are ripping on the styling of the new 3-series of all things.  You've got the frumpy 1-series with side sills that looked to be styled with a melting crayon by a 4 year old, and you're ripping on the 3-series?

I can't believe people are ripping on either. I like both of them a lot. But I agree, the 3er looks better, but I would rather have a 1er.

[Lebowski]

I would take a 335i in sedan form out of this group (can I do that, or am I stuck w/ the coupe?), even though i like the looks of the E46 better.

[Tave]

The 3 series coupe is possibly the worst looking BMW on sale today.

I think it's the best looking BMW after the Z4 coupe.

[NomisR]

I bet you guys would rip on the styling of the 135 if it was the exact same car but with a Geely badge.  It's not exactly the best looking car in the world, it's not bad but there's certainly better looking cars.  I certainly wouldn't call it beautiful.

[CALL_911]

I bet you guys would rip on the styling of the 135 if it was the exact same car but with a Geely badge.  It's not exactly the best looking car in the world, it's not bad but there's certainly better looking cars.  I certainly wouldn't call it beautiful.

I would, because the 1-series looks like a proper BMW. Which means that if it were a Geely, it would be another one of their blatant ripoffs, and everyone would bash the shit out of it.

[LonghornTX]

I would, because the 1-series looks like a proper BMW. Which means that if it were a Geely, it would be another one of their blatant ripoffs, and everyone would bash the shit out of it.

Exactly, the E82 and E46 are really the only ones that are styled like a true BMW.  Even then, I feel like the E82 embodies much more design heritage than the E46 does as its taut and upright shape were a mainstay of BMW design for years.

[CALL_911]

Exactly, the E82 and E46 are really the only ones that are styled like a true BMW.  Even then, I feel like the E82 embodies much more design heritage than the E46 does as its taut and upright shape were a mainstay of BMW design for years.

The E92 still doesn't exactly betray BMW's history, but even though it might look a little better than the 1er, the 1er looks more like a BMW. They're both (the E82 and E92) very handsome cars, though.