Autocar UK publishes their test drive of the BMW 435i.
Here is an excerpt from the review:
“On first impression, the 435i coupe doesn’t feel too far removed from the old 335i coupé There is terrific refinement to the driveline that characterises its on-road feel around town and on the motorway. But this comes as no real surprise. The worldwide sales success BMW has enjoyed over the past two decades has been based very much around evolutionary progression of its traditional model lines, and this is clearly evident in the on-road nature of its latest two-door.
On the one hand, this is a welcome development; up until it ceased production earlier this year this car’s predecessor still scored highly for overall engagement. On the other, it could be interpreted as complacency in the face of what is fairly formidable two door competition; a new model surely ought to bring a freshness of flavour beyond just a new name.
Despite the familiarity, there’s no doubting the ability of the BMW 4-series to entertain. In pure driving terms, it is every bit as engaging as the Audi A5 coupé and Mercedes-Benz E-class, if not more so. The electro-mechanical steering is accurate, responsive and quite well weighted with eager self-centering traits up to moderate speeds. However, a reduction of assistance makes it artificially light, rather devoid of feel and lacking any true feedback at higher speeds.
The 435i coupe’s chassis rates are noticeably higher than those in the 435i sedan, leading to tauter body control and greater levels of agility on testing sections of blacktop in sport mode. There is genuinely impressive poise on turn in and those optional 19-inch tyres deliver loads of front-end bite – all of which raises confidence levels from the very first corner.
When you raise the pace and dial up Sport Plus mode to reduce the threshold of the switchable DSC+ (Dynamic Stability Control Plus) system that also acts as an electronic differential, you discover an added dimension to the handling, and a keen ability to kick the tail out when tempted. But, as before, a firm ride can sometimes take the shine off the handling, robbing the chassis of mid-corner compliance when the surface is not absolutely smooth.”
Source: http://www.autocar.co.uk Via http://www.bmwblog.com
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