I've often thought that some BMW models tend to put up better test numbers (in acceleration) than their hp ratings suggest they should.

Automobile Magazine apparently were pretty stunned by the power of the new twin turbo 335i (rated at 300 hp).

http://www.automobilemag.com/feature...i_dynamometer/

I guess it put down 275 hp, which is only an 8% loss. The N/A 330i supposedly puts down around 200 hp (rated at 255). Though I wonder if they dynoed the new 330i, or the old one that was rated at less power. A 20+% power loss sounds pretty high for a modern transmission.

Interesting, anyway.

 

The 1/4-mile time they gave it is more or less about the same as the Lexus IS350 which is rated at 306hp and 277tq.

I don't know if the 335 is significantly heavier than the IS, but if the 335 does put out more power, I guess that is its counterbalance. Either that or it has greater potential than 13.6 @ 104 and that's just a conservative rating.

I'll be REALLY interested to see its performance potential with the factory turbos and a retuning of the onboard computer. I wonder if it'll be capable of running 12s with just a reprogram? That would be badass.

 

I noticed that too (about the 1/4 mile time matching some of the IS350 times). I think their 350 hp estimate is probably high (a 21%-22% loss seems like an awful lot to me for a modern six speed auto, assuming this car was an auto). If I use a ~12% loss, 275 hp gets me 312.5 at the crank. A 15% loss gets me to 323.5 hp. 275 at the wheels would mean a 21.5% loss if the flywheel saw 350 hp.

 

I agree that 350 is high. It's probably more like a 15% loss. I'm thinking that the 330i really has more like 235hp. Tests of the new model show that it's not even as fast as the old model with the performance package (rated at 235), and is barely faster than the old 225hp model. Also, the 255hp 330i is not much faster than the 215hp 325i. What's up with that, anyway. 35hp and 35lb ft of torque in going from a 2 stage to 3 stage manifold? Or, our 325i, which has the 3.0 liter engine, just happens to make the same output as the rest of the world's 325i, which has the 2.5l engine?

I'm betting that the new 328i, with 230hp, will prove to be about the equal of the current 330i.

So yeah, BMW's playing games big time. But it looks like they're coming clean, just like Nissan

I think the 330i really has 235hp, and the 325i really has 225.

 

Automobile I think doesn't count the rollout (or runout or whatever it's called). C&D might. Also, weather corrections can really screw things up these days.

Take a look at the 0-120 time. The 335i has a lot on the top end too.

 

That 200 hp at the wheels was probably the old E46 225 hp car (or maybe 235-hp PP car). Road and Track published 5.9 sec 0-60 with 6-speed manual in the 225-hp car a couple of years ago (matched a 260-hp Acura CL that weighed virtually the same). The 255-hp engine came on-line with the new E90 3er that is larger, heavier and has larger, heavier wheels/tires that all combined to pretty much negate the hp increase. Also, peak torque did not increase much at all, so most of the extra power is in the upper RPM range; not good when you make a car heavier. The Germans are very strict about hp ratings (by goverment edict); BMW underrates their engines to make sure and have a bit of buffer built in. Just a guess, but I figure the new 300-hp twin turbo probably makes around 325-hp.

 

They indicated that the 200 rating was with the new one.

Yes, you're right. HP ratings can be deceiving if the gain is all at the top end. I haven't seen torque curves for the old and new, but maybe the new looks like the old except for the last 1000 rpm. Since the engine doesn't stay between 6000 and 7000 during the entire acceleration run, you may not see much difference. I know the new car is a little heavier, but I think less than 100 pounds heavier. Of course, those big wheels can hurt.

 

best e90 I have seen yet, or e92 I should say.

 

The latest Motor Trend has a comparison between the new G35 (months before it goes on sale??) and a 330i. The 330i traps the 1/4 at 94.XX MPH. I don't know -- if it's putting out 255hp, that's probably a nice peak in the HP graph, as opposed to a nice round hill that we like to see.

The new G35 tested isn't as quick as the IS350 (from my memory of other MT tests), but it still hit 100 in 14 flat.