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Honestly I chose the 335I because of the torque (which is not even comparable during normal driving conditions) and for the sound it makes. The exhaust and intake note from the 328 did not seem as refined or as sporty. Purely my opinion, which is all this tread is about in the first place, isn't it?
Also, no one on here is really discussing how the drivetrain associated with the engine impacts the cars overall handling. I drove all of the variants available in the US, and the 335i xdrive 8AT with DHP was, to me, the obvious winner in terms of balance and predictable power delivery. For my specific situation, it is the car.
By the way, anyone who thinks aftermarket companies invest even a 10th as much R&D effort into their part optimization as an OEM is out of touch with the industry. The reason a lot of people on forums mod their cars and buy aftermarket components is because they are looking for their vehicle to be a different compromise than the OE intended. Designing a car is all compromise. Very few vehicle can lay claim to purely being focused on performance optimization.
Finally, claiming a version of a vehicle is better or worse is frankly ridiculous, everyone makes their buying decisions based on compromise. For some, that compromise is cost, for others it is performance or driving feel, and for others it is even the ability to be comfortable when necessary and 80-90% a performance car when called upon.
Personally, that is what I think the F30 does perfectly. It combines the confident handling and performance we all expect from BMW, while playing a dual role in being much more comfortable and grown-up than previous versions, without venturing into the slightly lazy/comfort realm of the current 5 series. With the F30, BMW is able to appeal to more buyers and thus increase their sales, which is their goal after all.
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