Coming Soon: S4-Stomping BMW 335is

The great thing about manufacturers competing with each other is that we, the consumer, wind up the inevitable winner. While Audi, Mercedes, and BMW continue to produce ever-more-powerful cars just to keep up, we get more and more choices.  When the (B8) Audi S4 came out last year, it narrowly managed to capture the "most covetable small sports sedan" title from the previous standby choice, the twin-turbo 335i.  The supercharged V6 Audi has a more sophisticated AWD system, more power, better fuel economy, and just in general a little bit more of everything.

Well of course BMW isn't going to just sit on it's hands and say it's good enough.  That's not the nature of the beast.  And although it hasn't been officially announced yet, it's one of the worst-kept industry secrets at this point that BMW's got a hotter 3-series coming out - something between the already-fantastic 335i and the near-legendary V8 M3.

It turns out it's called simply the 335is.  A product planning document (below) leaked out of BMW Canada's website offering a few details on this hotter 3-series, and it sounds pretty tempting.

The N54 twin-sequential-turbocharged 3.0L I6 is given a boost increase (like in the Z4 sDrive35is, engine bay shown below) to raise output from the stock 300bhp up to 322bhp, and torque jumps from 300 to 332lb-ft of twist, with the same "overboost" function as the Z4 allowing bursts of up to 369 lb-ft under certain circumstances.  While this isn't a huge gain in power (aren't most chipped 335i's putting down 380+ at the wheels at this point on stock turbos?), a useful power gain combined with a full factory warranty is... a nice thing.

Other differences are relatively minor.  The 335is gets a new exhaust system (hopefully open enough to actually hear the engine, unlike the current 335i which is creepy-quiet!), increased cooling capabilities, a fog-light delete for engine/brake cooling purposes on the coupes, and importantly an available 7-speed twin-clutch DSG-style gearbox.

What won't be available is BMW's trick xDrive AWD setup, which is a bit of a disappointment, but I guess I won't complain about a powerful, twin turbocharged RWD BMW sedan.  Or coupe, or cabrio as it were.  Other sad truth: the 335is will probably still lack a real honest-to-god limited slip differential, which seems kinda scary in a 322bhp turbo car.

But, this is all initial speculation based on one leaked document.  We should be seeing the 335is fairly soon (considering it's scheduled to start production in March!) so more information - and hopefully some pictures - should be on their way soon.  In the mean time, Audi had better keep one eye over their shoulder.  Things are about to get really interesting.