Parallel to the market launch of the new BMW 3 Series Saloon and the new BMW 3 Series Touring, a new 7-speed sports automatic transmission with double clutch will be presented for the Coupé and the Convertible of the series. This allows further improved acceleration figures in the models BMW 335i Coupé and BMW 335i Convertible, and combines this added dynamic performance - as compared to the standard 6-speed manual transmission - with the comfort features of an automatic transmission.

The 7-speed sports automatic transmission with double clutch shifts without interrupting traction.

The Soft-Core M3 Gets a Hard-Core Gearbox
By Erin Riches, Senior Editor
Date posted: 07-15-2008


We're on final approach into a tight corner, and our left index finger stretches for the minus paddle behind the 2008 BMW M3 Convertible's small, fat-rimmed steering wheel. All we want is a quick, rev-matched, 3-2 downshift from the car's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Our downshift arrives in a violent, noisy spasm, a come-on to every sport biker in the canyon. Yet it still feels like one of the most precise gearchanges we've ever been able to take credit for. It also makes the BMW M3's 4.0-liter V8 very happy. Back down in 2nd gear, the free-revving engine howls to the bikers, and even through gusts of wind and gnats, we hear it tell us how much it hates neutral throttle. If you're not working this V8, you're killing it softly.

Messy emotions are inevitable when you're driving a hardtop-convertible version of a legendary performance car, as the thrill of a sunburn on a summer day has a way of obscuring unfortunate realities like excess curb weight and reduced structural rigidity.

But there's nothing messy or emotional about BMW's new dual-clutch gearbox (abbreviated as M DCT, or M DKG if you're German), which is all business in all of its 11 shift modes. It's also such an effective replacement for the 2008 BMW M3's conventional manual transmission that we wonder if it's not a greater threat to M-division purists than a bulky retractable hardtop.

Let's Doppelkupplung
Perhaps "threat" is too strong a word. But unlike the E46 M3's SMG transmission, the dual-clutch transmission in the 2008 BMW M3 Convertible weans you off the third pedal with disturbing ease.

It works like the dual-clutch gearboxes in the Nissan GT-R, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR and Volkswagen R32. But BMW's transmission is as smooth as a real automatic in city traffic, and with five settings for shift speed available in "D," the transition from one gear to another doesn't have to be aggressive unless you want it to be. The M DCT even allows you to creep a bit while parking your M3.

And while the M3's dual-clutch gearbox separates you from the physical involvement that comes with shifting a true manual transmission, it denies you none of the drivetrain performance. Shifts are superhumanly quick and sledgehammer firm in the sequential M5 and M6 modes, and the ergonomically designed shift paddles (upshifts on the right and downshifts on the left) are always in reach if you keep your hands near nine and three on the steering wheel.

The M DCT is even geared like a real manual transmission, with a short-ratio 4.78 1st gear (compared to the 4.055 gear in the six-speed manual) and closely spaced ratios for 2nd through 6th gears. Seventh is a direct 1.00:1 gear — there's no overdrive for this dual-clutch gearbox. At the same time, the DCT car has a taller final-drive ratio than the manual-transmission car (3.154 versus 3.846), so the effective rpm at cruising speed is much the same.

These numbers tell us that an M3 with the dual-clutch transmission should be quick. But the DCT won't be available on the coupe or sedan until 2009, and this 2008 BMW M3 Convertible outweighs those cars by an average of 500 pounds. With its complete plate of options, our $81,970 test car also takes M3 pricing to a whole new level. The M5, you'll note, starts at $83,900.

It Gets Respect; Does It Deserve It?
Evidently, word hasn't yet spread about the hardtop M3 convertible's weight problem, because in two weeks of driving, we get only two challenges to our accelerative authority and both come from drivers in supercars — a Ford GT and a Ferrari F430.

We can keep the ruse going in freeway traffic, but it's a good thing we don't have to face them on the drag strip. Here, the DCT M3 convertible hangs with the manual-shift M3 sedan to 60 mph with a 4.8-second run (or 4.6 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip). The M3 coupe was 0.2 second quicker.

Our M3 convertible doesn't lose much ground through the quarter-mile, which it dispatches in 13.0 seconds compared to 12.9 in the sedan and 12.7 in the coupe. The convertible's 107.9-mph quarter-mile speed is much slower, though, as the M3 sedan hits 111 mph while the coupe is at 112 mph. Were this hypothetical drag race to continue beyond the quarter-mile, the M3 convertible would eventually fall farther behind. Even less flattering is the realization that we've timed a BMW 335i coupe with an automatic transmission at 13.3 seconds at 105.9 mph.

The drivetrain is not the problem here, as the convertible's 4.0-liter V8 is tuned identically to the other M3s and offers 414 horsepower at 8,300 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. Further, BMW's internal performance estimates suggest a DCT-equipped M3 convertible has a couple tenths of a second advantage over a manual-shift version. So we think our test car's 4,140-pound curb weight is the issue here, which also drags fuel economy down to a 15-mpg average over 800 miles.

Launch Control
Depending on the weather and your own level of patience, you can also blame the performance on the dual-clutch transmission's launch control feature. Launch control is the key to the quickest acceleration numbers, but we discovered the learning curve is steep.

Here's what you do. First, make sure the stability control is completely off, as this unlocks the fastest M6 shift mode. With your left foot on the brake pedal, press the console shift lever forward. Hold it there and a checkered flag appears in the instrument panel, indicating launch control is active. Continue holding the shift lever and press the gas pedal to the floor, which revs the engine to 5,500 rpm. Now with your left hand, adjust the launch speed in increments of 100 rpm by pressing the cruise control stalk forward or back. You can't launch any lower than 5,000 rpm or any higher than 6,000.

Now comes the delicate part: Release the brake, wait a couple nanoseconds, and then release the shift lever. This sounds easy, but the combination of foot and hand motions is counterintuitive, and there's an initial tendency to pull both feet out, cancelling the launch. Get it right, though, and you feel like you've been fired from a gun turret. Keep the gas pedal pinned and the transmission upshifts automatically (and abusively) at the 8,400-rpm redline.

Cool, huh? But as discovered in our testing, hot weather seems to make the launch control behave erratically, so sometimes the 265/35ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rear meats spin until they melt, and sometimes the gearbox fails to upshift. And sometimes, particularly if you've already launched the M3 a couple times, it won't work at all.

This is normal, BMW officials tell us, as company engineers set very specific operating thresholds to protect the driveline against damage. If any of the engine, transmission and differential fluids are deemed too hot, the DCT locks you out — or does its best to discourage you. This isn't wholly unreasonable, but in practice, this is the most finicky of all the launch-control setups we've tested.

And Then We Cut Loose on the Back Roads
Fortunately, there are other things you can do with a 2008 BMW M3 Convertible. In contrast to other M3s, none of the electronic damper settings on the convertible are too firm for public-road use, so it's easier to talk people into riding along with you — an indication of our baser human nature, but why buy a four-place convertible if you're going to drive around by yourself?

Start adding some speed through corners and you shouldn't get any complaints from your passenger. The M3 convertible is as balanced and athletic as you'd ever expect a 2-ton BMW without a top to be. It doesn't feel quite as structurally rigid as we'd like, but overall, it's quite pleasant to hustle through turns.

And since the folding metal top distributes some 54 percent of the M3 convertible's weight over the rear wheels, you're rarely more than seconds away from a powerslide. Given free range on a road course, the M3 convertible spends most of its time sideways. If you have $82K to spend on a drift car, it should be perfect.

But if slalom and skid pad numbers are important to you, the 2008 BMW M3 Convertible will seem highly imperfect. Its 67.8-mph slalom speed and 0.86g on the skid pad fall well short of the M3 sedan (71.8 mph; 0.93g) and M3 coupe (73.3 mph; 0.95g), even though it wears the same tire model and size. Worse, it's also significantly less agile than the civilian-spec 335i coupe (68.4 mph; 0.88g). Curb weight and softer suspension tuning (compared to the other M3s) are in play here, and you either accept the sacrifice or you don't.

Braking, at least, forces less of a compromise. Our M3 convertible's 108-foot stopping distance from 60 mph is a bit longer than the others (104 feet for the M3 sedan; 100 feet even for the coupe), but pedal feel is excellent and the brakes work well when they're hot.

The M3 You'll Love To Hate and Hate To Love
On a gut level, you want to accept the 2008 BMW M3 Convertible's limitations, because it delivers so many of the right sensations — the insistent tone of the workaholic V8, the exhaust pop on downshifts, the beads of sweat that form on your sunburned forehead.

Yet, for all the benefits of its retractable hardtop, this M3 is too heavy for its own good, so its handling performance numbers simply aren't those of a serious performance car. And when the asking price balloons past $80,000, they really need to be.

But we suspect BMW knows exactly how to play this hand. Hard-core types like us will stick to the M3 coupe and sedan, while this M3 convertible draws a slightly less demanding crowd. And that slick dual-clutch transmission will bring us together and eventually eradicate those evil three-pedal cars altogether.

BMW Updates the Iconic Sport Sedan and Wagon for 2009

By John Pearley Huffman, Contributor

Date posted: 07-17-2008


Landlord is standing over my shoulder looking at photos of the updated 2009 BMW 3 Series. "What'd they change?" she asks, squinting to see if there's some detail she missed. "Well, the whole front end is changed," I tell her through the fog of Chanel No. 5 that always enshrouds her. "There are new headlights, new LED turn signals, and..." I say, riffling through the press release, "BMW says the 'contour edges of the side skirts have been set higher and modeled in a more distinctive fashion.'"

"Doesn't look much different to me," she snorts unimpressed. "Well, at least they didn't screw it up."

Landlord may drive a 3 Series but is no 3 Series connoisseur, and the subtleties of the 2009 version of the world's greatest sport sedan are obviously lost on her. But for the legions of Bimmer nuts out there, every change in side skirt contour and turn signal design is big news.

This is, after all, the first significant change to the E90 generation 3 Series since its 2006 introduction. But beneath those surface changes are some real evolutionary developments — not huge leaps, mind you, but developments. And there is one big piece of news — the 335d turbodiesel is finally coming to America.

Elongated for Your Pleasure
In an automotive world that seems to have become obsessed with smaller, more modest vehicles overnight, the freshened styling of the 2009 3 Series sedan and wagon (two-door models won't look any different from the 2008 editions) is intended to boldly emphasize the car's length and width. This is done with a new hood, an aggressively shaped front bumper cover, new headlight buckets and the aforementioned revised side skirts and more pronounced character lines in the front fenders.

The new hood's two additional character lines form a spear that surrounds the BMW emblem and points forward to the reshaped twin-kidney grille, which is now recessed deeper back into the fascia. It's not a prominent spear compared to, say, the raised center section on the hood of a '63 Corvette Stingray, but it does add some belligerence to the E90's lines.

The new bumper cover looks very much like the old one, that is, if the old one had been left out in the sun long enough to melt and sag a bit. BMW has also segregated the round driving lights off in their own finned nacelles to either side.

While the headlight buckets are essentially the same shape as those used on previous E90s, the expected round lamps inside now have corona rings that act as daytime running lights when the 3 Series is equipped with the optional bi-xenon elements (standard on the 335i and optional on the 328i). Models with standard halogen lamps use the corona rings as parking lights. Beyond that, the turn signal lights have a new "graphic, chrome-colored rib structure" with an "oblique orientation" that BMW says "enhances the vehicle's impression of width." Whatever. I now expect people with oblique orientations to soon demand equal civil rights.

Changes in the rear include a slightly (very slightly) reshaped deck lid and new L-shaped monochromatic taillights with LED elements. And BMW has increased the rear track by 0.6 inch, which should deliver increased stability.

If all that isn't enough, then surely the new side mirrors with two character lines in their bodies will inspire your bloodlust and get you to sign that closed-end lease.

Of course there's more.

Inside and iDrive
If the changes on the outside of the 2009 BMW 3 Series rate as subtle, those inside are downright inscrutable.

"Matted chrome" is now used to cover such controls as the start/stop engine button, the ventilation system's rotary knobs and the lighting controls. And the updated, latest version of the dread, menu-driven iDrive system that comes along with the satellite navigation system uses a control knob also finished in "matted precious metal finish."

In fact the iDrive controller itself is slightly smaller than before and is framed by a brace of buttons that act as shortcuts for accessing particular functions without scrolling through dozens of menus, submenus and sub-submenus. The display itself is now a higher-definition 8.8-inch screen and an 8-gigabyte hard drive has been built into the iDrive system for packing audio files into the system.

More intriguing is BMW's new "ConnectedDrive" service that keeps the car in constant contact with the rest of the world through online networks. So far, the fully enabled ConnectedDrive isn't scheduled to be offered in the U.S.-bound 3 Series during 2009 — BMW says the country lacks the necessary technological infrastructure. However, in Germany at least, ConnectedDrive's talents include the ability to surf the Internet through the iDrive system while the car is parked (so there's no reading Inside Line on the autobahn).

Other changes include a new auxiliary audio input jack inside the expanded center console alongside a power outlet and special non-slip recess for iPod addicts. And on the driver-side door panel, the control panel for the power windows and mirrors has been moved back 2 centimeters so, BMW says, "as to enable even more comfortable access."

So if you've always found that your left forearm is 2 centimeters too short to be truly comfortable in the BMW 3 Series, you're out of excuses now. Of course, those of you with forearms 3 centimeters too short may want to protest BMW's inadequate response to your plight. We suggest an online petition.

Mechanically Just as Sweet — but Where's Our DCT?
Freshened styling and a tweaked interior may be nice, but any BMW's soul lies in its mechanical sweetness.

Around the world, BMW has pretty much left the engine choices for the E90 alone.

In the U.S. the 328i sedan, coupe, convertible and wagon return with 230 horsepower from its naturally aspirated 3.0-liter six while the coupe, convertible and sedan will again also be offered as 335i models powered by a twin-turbocharged gas 3.0-liter straight-6 rated at 300 hp. The M3s are heading into 2009 virtually untouched.

However, there is some powertrain news. In Europe (and much of the rest of the world), the 335i coupe and convertible will also be offered with a dual-clutch, computer-controlled seven-speed transmission, which we've already sampled in the 2008 BMW M3 Convertible.

Conceptually similar to VW's Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), BMW's Double Clutch Transmission (DCT) offers the driver either fully automated or manual shifting operation. It also can be manually controlled by a shifter in the center console or paddles behind the steering wheel. The bad news is BMW won't be shipping the DCT over in the 335i two-doors to America during 2009. And it's not saying when — if ever — it plans to do so. Still, we expect it to make a midyear appearance on this side of the Atlantic.

In other transmission news, once again a six-speed manual will still be available on every model with a conventional six-speed automatic transmission as an option.

All-wheel drive will also continue to be an option on the 328i sedan and wagon and the 335i sedan — and now models so equipped will be called "xDrive" instead of having the "x" buried into their name. So what has been the "328xi" will soon be called the "328i xDrive." Got it? Good.

Diesel Do Nicely
Bigger news, however, is the return of BMW diesel power to North America for the first time since the company discontinued the underwhelming 114-hp 524td after a two-year run in 1986.

With 265 hp aboard, the new 335d sedan is more than twice as powerful as that ancient 524td and with 425 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 2,250 rpm, BMW is claiming a 0-60 time of just 6.0 seconds despite the fact that a conventional six-speed automatic transmission is standard.

Built around an aluminum block and heads, the new BMW "BluePerformance" turbocharged diesel straight-6 displaces 3.0 liters and uses both a particulate filter and catalytic converter (housed in a common case) to meet air emissions standards in all 50 states. This engine has the potential to revolutionize how diesels are perceived in this country.

Let's see how much of that potential is realized.

Midcycle Thrills
The DCT transmission and BluePerformance diesel engine may attract a few new buyers to the 3 Series, but it's not like BMW has radically altered the E90 in this mid-lifecycle updating. It's still the heart of the company's lineup and still an iconic entry-level luxury and performance platform. In short, BMW didn't screw it up.

Even Landlord could recognize that.

With 265 hp aboard, the new 335d sedan is more than twice as powerful as that ancient 524td and with 425 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 2,250 rpm, BMW is claiming a 0-60 time of just 6.0 seconds despite the fact that a conventional six-speed automatic transmission is standard.

Built around an aluminum block and heads, the new BMW "BluePerformance" turbocharged diesel straight-6 displaces 3.0 liters and uses both a particulate filter and catalytic converter (housed in a common case) to meet air emissions standards in all 50 states. This engine has the potential to revolutionize how diesels are perceived in this country.