The BMW 335i is slightly faster than the BMW M3, as its top speed is 160 miles per hour compared to the M3’s 155 miles per hour, respectively. Both cars have near-identical 0-60 mph, engine specs and weight making the differences between the two speeds subtle.
Over the years, BMW has produced a couple different variations and improvements on its standard and ever popular 3-series vehicle. One example of this is the BMW M3, which is a high-performing variant of the 3-series.
Another example is the BMW 335i, which is a powerful model from the 3 series referred to as ‘the flagship model of the new 3-series range.’ It might be a little difficult for auto enthusiasts and potential buyers to differentiate between all the editions in the 3-series umbrella, as they can seem pretty similar to each other.
If you’ve been wondering if the BMW 335i is faster than the BMW M3, stay tuned! In this article, we’ll be going over the specifications of these 3-series variations and telling you everything you need to know.
BMW 335i and M3 Overview
Before we get into comparing engine specifics, let’s do an overview of the BMW 335i and M3 to get an idea of the general difference between the two. To the average person, most of the BMW 3-series models might look the same, but there are fine-tuned differences that allow customers to find a vehicle that exactly fits their needs.
The BMW 335i is slightly more limited than the M3 series as it only ran from 2007- 2015. Since it’s been a few years since these vehicles have been in production, buyers can get them for a relatively cheap price on the used car market. Earlier models tend to run from $5,000 to $12,000, and the newest models tend not to exceed $25,000. While this car has a reputation for high performance, it also doesn’t have the best reliability scores, so buyers should watch out for maintenance issues if they’re looking to buy one used.
The BMW M3 series is the longer-running vehicle of the two, as it has been in production since 1986 and is currently in its sixth generation. The newest model of the M3, the 2021 version, starts at a hefty price of $70,895 if you’d prefer to buy it new off the lot. Even the older models that are more comparable to the used 335is we talked about earlier are more expensive, though, ranging from $20,000 to $35,000, which is a lot of money to spend on a used car. The M3 also has a reputation for high performance, as well as higher reliability scores than the 335i.
Comparing the Engines
So, now that we have taken a general look at both the BMW 335i and the BMW M3, let’s figure out which one is faster. One of the most important things to do when comparing two vehicles and determining which is the fastest is to compare the engines. To make things even with all the different years both of these vehicles have been manufactured, let’s take a look at the 2015 model of both the 335i and the M3.
The 2015 BMW 335i xDrive comes with a 3.0 liter inline 6 engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle’s maximum horsepower is 340 and its estimated top speed is 160 miles per hour. The car is believed to be able to go from 0-60 miles per hour in just five seconds, an impressive speed for a sedan like this one.
The 2015 BMW M3 came with a twin turbo 3.0 liter l6 engine and a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. This impressive vehicle from BMW boasts 425 horsepower and 406 lb./ft of torque. Its estimated top speed is 155 miles per hour and it’s thought that this vehicle can go from 0-60 miles per hour in just 3.8 seconds. Crazy, right?
Both of these engines seem to have pretty similar specs, though both have their strengths and weaknesses.
Fuel Injection and Weight
Before we go over which of these vehicles is considered ‘faster,’ let’s take a look at fuel injection techniques and weight and compare the two. These two vehicles have slightly different fuel injectors, which are the electronic valves that spray fuel into a car’s engine, but both ultimately use the same style of fuel injector. They are an essential part of what makes a car drive fast, so it can be interesting to look at and compare the types of fuel injectors used in each vehicle. The 335i uses an index 12 direct fuel injector, which is a specific type of injection that sprays fuel directly into the combustion chambers past the valves. This type of injector is known as being very precise and might be part of the reason both of these vehicles are so impressive.
Another thing to look at when it comes to comparing these two vehicles is weight. High performing cars can often be affected by tiny differences in weight, and the right engineering might be able to shave a few seconds off of a car’s 0-60 mph time. First off, the 2015 335i has a curb weight of 3,595 lbs, which is fairly standard for a BMW 3-series. The 2015 BMW M3’s curb weight comes in at 3,595 lbs. The two vehicles are exactly the same weight! Though speed can be affected by the weight of a vehicle, that’s clearly not a factor in this comparison.
Wrapping it Up
So, for the ultimate question: is the BMW 335i faster than the BMW M3?
Technically, the BMW 335i is slightly faster than the BMW M3, as its top speed is 160 miles per hour compared to the M3’s 155 miles per hour, respectively.
However, the M3’s top speed is electronically limited, so it’s hard to say if the 335i would truly win if the M3 were allowed to reach its full potential with a top speed.
Some of the BMW M3’s specs suggest that it probably would have the capacity to go faster than the 335i if it weren’t electronically limited, as it has a much higher horsepower and can go from 0-60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds as opposed to the other vehicle’s 5 seconds.
Overall it’s clear that both of these vehicles are impressive luxury cars with the capability of reaching top-of-the-line speeds!
