BMW 435i M Sport
joined the PH fleet with the mission to prove that it's not all grown-up and boring. Trouble is, we've not really used it for journeys you could describe as anything else. So let's just say verdict on that will have to wait, for now.
Not too long though - it'll be heading away from the M25 slog very soon and hopefully able to prove itself on more testing terrain.
How far will good looks get you?
For now though it's racking up the miles on the boring motorway commute, a great deal of which places greater emphasis on stuff like infotainment systems, comfort and attempting to make sitting stationary near junction 17 as painless as possible. Yes, the 306hp straight-six is currently somewhat wasted.
So how about that manual gearbox? Well, given the above usage it's probably not the set-up you'd choose either, an auto 420d probably the car I should be driving. But this is PH so an oversized petrol straight-six and three pedals it is!
In the typical BMW style it's a bit rubbery and long of throw, the clutch a little indistinct and the footrest catches your shoe as you move your foot. Clear enough manuals probably aren't especially high on the development agenda these days but the calibration with the engine is better than I'd hoped.
In the M135i the eight-speed auto has clearly been very cleverly matched to the N55 engine's power delivery, successfully masking any peaks and troughs that may lie in its power and torque curves. No hiding with a manual but, guess what, there aren't any! The turbo straight-six might not be quite as creamy smooth as the normally aspirated ones of old and doesn't have that stirring top-end howl either. But there's enough sense of there being something more special than a four-cylinder under there, which is what you'd want. And I'm hoping the PH-worthy drivetrain will come into its own on the North Yorkshire roads I'll be driving soon.
There's no hiding that it doesn't punch as hard as it does in the M135i though, that seemingly modest 14hp and 37lb ft deficit and 85kg weight penalty adding up. It's rapid but not rabidly fast like the 'baby M' - we await the M235i with renewed interest and wonder where that'll leave the 4 Series equivalent.
Dyson on a mission to bring back lawn stripes
I'm also keen to see how the chassis copes with some more demanding driving too. So far it feels a tad 'on its toes' and rather oversprung and underdamped. The latter diagnosis backed up by the fact it's actually better over speed bumps in the firmer Sport setting, the dampers not topping out with the thwack they do in comfort and pitch much better contained at the same moderate speed. In the M135i I configured the harder dampers just for the Sport Plus mode; in the 4 Series I've got them selected for Sport too. Again, I'm more interested in how this impacts on corners than speed bumps so will report back on this next time round.
And the Dyson vac? Well, if I'm sanguine about the outside of the car getting a coating of M25 grime I do get a bit fussy about the interior given how much time I spend in it. And now that the legendary 'lawn stripes' BMW press cars are always delivered with have faded I was glad to have the offer of a Dyson DC58 Animal to test out and see if I could return the mats to their striped glory. With its 'V6' motor and various other exciting sounding tech, the Dyson's aggressive sounding name isn't actually far off the mark and it's a fearsome little sucker for sure. More on this in due course.
PistonHeads. Hoovering matters!
FACT SHEET
Car: 2013 BMW 435i M Sport
Run by: Dan
On fleet since: October
Mileage: 3,077
List price new: £48,160 (Basic list of £41,435 OTR plus £670 for 19-inch M double-spoke 442M wheels, £360 for Adaptive Headlights, £515 for Adaptive M Suspension, £350 for enhanced Bluetooth, £300 for folding mirrors, £825 for head-up display, £460 for Interior Comfort Package comprising memory electric seats, 'extended storage' and sun protection glass, £95 for internet, £675 for Harmon/Kardon speakers, £570 for M Sport brakes, £1,000 for BMW Professional Media Package, £325 for online entertainment, £330 for reversing camera and £250 for Variable Sport Steering.)
Last month at a glance: Honeymoon period begins with our new 4 Series
