RE: PH Blog: Hopping continents in the new 3 Series
Tuesday 14th February 2012
Snow in the Pyrenees, but roads perfectIn retrospect, 730 miles was a bit too much. Despite starting off from Valencia at 6am, and despite - er - pushing on during the quieter stretches of autopista and autoroute, my run up to Poitiers was a 13-hour slog.
Healthy diet crucialBut it was my Red Bull-addled brain that suffered, rather than the new F30 BMW 335i. I arrived in Poitiers twitching with caffeine, and red-eyed, but having experienced one of the best drives of my life.
Saw the sign. Made a stopThe 335i proved itself a master of all trades. It was totally at home cruising at motorway pace, delivering 35-ish mpg. Switch the 8-speed auto into 'S' (or even the manual setting), wind up the 'Driver Performance Control' to Sport and switch the traction control off (but leave the ESP to catch you) and it would tackle twisty mountain passes with gusto (and a gloriously gurgly straight-six soundtrack. And for the inevitable trundles though towns and villages, there's the start-stop mode, refined drivetrain and cosseting cabin to keep you a) frugal and b) comfortable.
So the moral of the story? Don't voluntarily attempt a 700-mile one-day trek on your own (at least without caffeine-based support). But if you do have to do it, it's hard to think of a better tool for the job than the new BMW 335i.
PH Blog: Hopping continents in the new 3 Series
Part two, in which Riggers bites off more than he can chew
Snow in the Pyrenees, but roads perfect
Healthy diet crucial
Why? Because the 335i lapped up everything I could throw at it. Prior to setting off I figured the mind-numbing monotony of thinly-trafficked continental motorways (and the gendarmes' habit of hiding on bridges like snipers) would not be good for my sanity. To stave-off looming madness I therefore decided to use the (genuinely excellent) sat-nav to plot in sections of twisty single carriageway routes departementales and routes nationaux.
Saw the sign. Made a stop
When the roads were boring, our particular 335i had plenty to keep me entertained, too, with the usual iDrive iPod hook-up complementing a cracking sound system. The gadget count was through the roof, too, with a thoroughly effective head-up display (a class first) auto-dipping headlights, camera-based speed limit detection system, cruise control, reversing cameras (back and sides), lane departure warning, electric seats, an electric sunroof and plenty of other fiddle-worthy goodies.
Riggers
PS - full and 'proper' driving impressions coming soon
Discussion
robinessex said:
Er, average speed = 53.15384615 mph. Once upon a time, you could floor the gas pedal on the continent, not nowadays. Anyone read the epic CAR article on 3 Lambo's being driven from the factory to the UK. Speeds were +150 some of the time.
A legendary article - and a feat we can't really repeat in the 21st century 
Aye, but that does include at least 250 miles off the motorway (Perpignan to Foix is a particularly lovely stretch for those who are Google Maps inclined... )
PHMatt said:
This is the first 3'er with back doors I've liked since the original.
The E30 saloon was "ok" but the E36, 46 and 90 all looked badly proportioned to me.
But that looks very nice.
(e46 vert owner)
Do you mean original 3er with 4 Doors or the original 3er? The original 3 only had 2 doors. The E30 saloon was "ok" but the E36, 46 and 90 all looked badly proportioned to me.
But that looks very nice.
(e46 vert owner)
Garlick said:
Nice one Riggers.
I remember doing Turin-London in one slog in the PH Mini Cooper S in 2008. Was a great drive until I realised that fannying about in the mountains wasn't getting me very far, and had to head to the autoroutes to make my channel crossing.
That looks like the bit of road between Courmayeur and the Tunnel heading towrds the tunnel?I remember doing Turin-London in one slog in the PH Mini Cooper S in 2008. Was a great drive until I realised that fannying about in the mountains wasn't getting me very far, and had to head to the autoroutes to make my channel crossing.
Lame, I did the same distance and time in our Panda Multijet and managed 58mpg a few years ago so it wasnt really a hardship in a 335i. Including plenty of 'squealing' around on the gotthard pass.
Also, 880miles up from Modena on the bike in 13hrs including 9 fuel stops. Ached a bit after that one especially for the 250miles the next day.
Also, 880miles up from Modena on the bike in 13hrs including 9 fuel stops. Ached a bit after that one especially for the 250miles the next day.
craig-A said:
don logan said:
Try Nice to London several times in an EVO 6 with fixed Recaros!!!!!!!
If the need to scratch an unscratchable itch doesn`t drive you crazy the fuel stops will!
That's tough going. If the need to scratch an unscratchable itch doesn`t drive you crazy the fuel stops will!
Any particular reason for the trips and in an evo?
E38Ross said:
PHMatt said:
This is the first 3'er with back doors I've liked since the original.
The E30 saloon was "ok" but the E36, 46 and 90 all looked badly proportioned to me.
But that looks very nice.
(e46 vert owner)
Do you mean original 3er with 4 Doors or the original 3er? The original 3 only had 2 doors. The E30 saloon was "ok" but the E36, 46 and 90 all looked badly proportioned to me.
But that looks very nice.
(e46 vert owner)
don logan said:
Try Nice to London several times in an EVO 6 with fixed Recaros!!!!!!!
If the need to scratch an unscratchable itch doesn`t drive you crazy the fuel stops will!
I drove from Paris to Roma in one go, in a Pug 205 GTI, which was fully laden with all the gear I thought I would need for a year living in the Eternal City. Left Paris around 2pm and got to Roma around 5am the next day. Survived on a diet of those yogurt sweets you get in France. Everything was great until in Italy I started to encounter a lot of closed petrol stations and very nearly ran out of petrol.If the need to scratch an unscratchable itch doesn`t drive you crazy the fuel stops will!
When it was time to drive home, I tried to do it again in one hit, but either my enthusiasm wasn’t there or I was too tired from the farewell party the night before, but somewhere in the middle of France I very briefly nodded off at the wheel. Thankfully I didn't crash but I gave myself such a scare I ended up drive at about 80kph until the next service station where I passed-out for a couple of hours.
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