BMW 330 U.D.E. puts the G35 Sedan to SHAME!

[sesegal99]

BMW Ultimate Driving Experience day at the Philly Race Park.

http://www.bmwusa.com/bmwexperience/...dPrograms/UDE/

Has any one here taken part in this? I did this yesterday, basically during the Morn you get to take any BMW around town for a 10-15 mile test drive by yourself. We took a 325i 330i and a 525i out.

But here's the fun part and I mean FUN!!!....we signed up for a free adult driving class (2 hours - 15 min class the rest driving) where we took an Audi A4 Quatro, G-35 Sedan and a 330i (all with sport pkgs) on a mile long track to compare. We each had a professional driver in the passenger seat and got to take the entire track at full speed in all the cars. No lie, this was the sickest thing I have done, Tanner Faust Formula D driver and stunt driver for the Dukes of Hazard was our instructor. Ranking in order, the G-35 last then the A-4 then the BMW 330i by far!!! These were fully stocked cars. After that course, I was considering a trade in of my G for a 330i. Granted the coupe isn't going to feel as bad as the Sedan or maybe even the Audi did but that 330i is one sick machine. It took s curves, hairpins , whatever all at full speed with awesome handleing and incredable grip. Can't say that for the other two cars, not even close. The G-35 sedan's *** was all over the place and handleing was awful, there is no driver feel and you almost feel unsafe in it. The Audi had huge understeer due to the 60/40 weight distribution of their design but it felt better than the g in the curves at high speed. I stress, we took all these cars to their limits on this track and at those speeds the hands down winner is the 330i. Not one person out of the 30 or so in our class disagreed with this. This is how cars should really be test driven. BMW rocks.

[Vic]

yeah... i think the new 330 is sweet..

[roneski]

So why is this in the coupe forum?

[mephistomyhero]

Interesting you found the link on the BMW website Now, the Sedan is no where near the Coupe in terms of handling. I don't know about you, but the site looks biased? Wonder why they didn't put the Coupe to the test

P.S. Let's not start the BMW vs. G35 again.

[SixFive]

Now, the Sedan is no where near the Coupe in terms of handling.

Right, since the sedan shares components with the Kia Spectra and has a 3 cylinder, it could never even be on the same planet.

P.S. Let's not start the BMW vs. G35 again.

I think you just did.

[gettaluvr]

Originally Posted by mephistomyhero

but the site looks biased? Wonder why they didn't put the Coupe to the test

lol they use 330i for the test not 330ci so why should they use g35 coupe for the test ?

[jgainnm]

Well, you should get something for the additional $5-6K (and likely more) cost of the BMW.

[sesegal99]

BMW prob wanted to keep it a sport sedan vs sport sedan matchup....otherwise they would have use the 330i coupe and the g or z . The drivers there were not biased. They are race car drivers, not car salesman.

[G35_TX]

Originally Posted by mephistomyhero

Interesting you found the link on the BMW website Now, the Sedan is no where near the Coupe in terms of handling. I don't know about you, but the site looks biased? Wonder why they didn't put the Coupe to the test

P.S. Let's not start the BMW vs. G35 again.

This is not true. The Sedan and Coupe are almost dead even in the handling department.

[EZZ]

Originally Posted by G35_TX

This is not true. The Sedan and Coupe are almost dead even in the handling department.

I guess the better tiring, stiffer suspension, and lower center of gravity adds nothing to the steering on the coupe As I said before... in the ONLY COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE TEST BETWEEN THE SEDAN AND COUPE (Motortrend, COTY test), the coupe had an average 2mph faster slalom than the sedan. I've honestly drove the sedan quite a bit due to stupid TSBs and the coupe is simply a better handler. That is stock of course.

[gto2050]

Originally Posted by EZZ

I guess the better tiring, stiffer suspension, and lower center of gravity adds nothing to the steering on the coupe As I said before... in the ONLY COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE TEST BETWEEN THE SEDAN AND COUPE (Motortrend, COTY test), the coupe had an average 2mph faster slalom than the sedan. I've honestly drove the sedan quite a bit due to stupid TSBs and the coupe is simply a better handler. That is stock of course.

Wasn't that test done against the older 330i? The new one is a different story.

[g35cas]

Originally Posted by sesegal99

BMW Ultimate Driving Experience day at the Philly Race Park.

http://www.bmwusa.com/bmwexperience/...dPrograms/UDE/

Has any one here taken part in this? I did this yesterday, basically during the Morn you get to take any BMW around town for a 10-15 mile test drive by yourself. We took a 325i 330i and a 525i out.

But here's the fun part and I mean FUN!!!....we signed up for a free adult driving class (2 hours - 15 min class the rest driving) where we took an Audi A4 Quatro, G-35 Sedan and a 330i (all with sport pkgs) on a mile long track to compare. We each had a professional driver in the passenger seat and got to take the entire track at full speed in all the cars. No lie, this was the sickest thing I have done, Tanner Faust Formula D driver and stunt driver for the Dukes of Hazard was our instructor. Ranking in order, the G-35 last then the A-4 then the BMW 330i by far!!! These were fully stocked cars. After that course, I was considering a trade in of my G for a 330i. Granted the coupe isn't going to feel as bad as the Sedan or maybe even the Audi did but that 330i is one sick machine. It took s curves, hairpins , whatever all at full speed with awesome handleing and incredable grip. Can't say that for the other two cars, not even close. The G-35 sedan's *** was all over the place and handleing was awful, there is no driver feel and you almost feel unsafe in it. The Audi had huge understeer due to the 60/40 weight distribution of their design but it felt better than the g in the curves at high speed. I stress, we took all these cars to their limits on this track and at those speeds the hands down winner is the 330i. Not one person out of the 30 or so in our class disagreed with this. This is how cars should really be test driven. BMW rocks.

Dude, what planet are you from. My Best buddy has an '06 330i, and we traded vehicles for a day. Mostly because he wanted to drive my car, not because I wanted to drive his. I do have a coupe, but I can't see the sedan being that much different. Handling, the 330i has probably less driver input than my coupe, and understeers worse(I can't see how you got a sedan's ***around, it understeers bad). The audi A4 is the biggest dog, every car mag agrees with this statement so I'll just compare bmw and infiniti. As far as power, pretty much equal. Both my buddy and I agree that they are so close. Although, another friend was riding in the G, and has ridden in the 330i, he feels the G has more power. I've taken my coupe to the track, and smoked cars that should be on an even playing field, so I really don't know what your taking about. If you personally didn't drive the car at it's limit, and only ridden with an instructor who is getting paid by bmw, you probably didn't get a real good idea of what all three cars can do. I do like the 330i very much, but I picked up my 6mt for $30k and he bought his 330i for $38k.

[InTgr8r]

Originally Posted by g35cas

............. If you personally didn't drive the car at it's limit, and only ridden with an instructor who is getting paid by bmw, you probably didn't get a real good idea of what all three cars can do. I do like the 330i very much, but I picked up my 6mt for $30k and he bought his 330i for $38k.

I think you hit the nail on the head.

[EZZ]

Originally Posted by gto2050

Wasn't that test done against the older 330i? The new one is a different story.

I was comparing the G35 sedan vs. coupe. The BMW 3 sedan is > G35 from every source I've read but its not shocking since its newer technology. I personally believe that if the BMW were only a couple grand more than the G35, the G35 wouldn't sell so well however, a $8-10k difference really puts things into perspective.

[sesegal99]

FYI....if you read the whole post....**I **drove all three to the limits as did the 29 other people. I'm still coming down from the high of being able to drive those cars to that extent. The sedan flat out sucked! And the *** end DOES kick out very easy when taking a hairpin or moderarly sharp curve. The whole car was loose the entire track. The prof drivers may be getting paid by BMW to be there but they all were very un-biased and didn't try to sell us the car. They gave us simple facts about them and driving instructions and what to feel for and let us drive (aka beat the crap out of) and make our own decisions. Like I said, every single person there agreed the 330i was above and beyond the other two in all catagories. I took my coupe out last night to compare and got on it in a bunch of turns, nothin like on the track but there is a night and day difference of suspension and handleing between the G Sedan and Coupe. If you didn't take part in the class we're talking about here, there's no way you can make comparisons from driving on local roads, even if you think you are beating them...the real results come out by driving the way we did yesterday on the track. I'm still in awe - f'in awesome, love the Germans.