so i get a shot in the 325i Coupe and get to play 'wu lui kia' or 'got money kid' for a couple of days complete with derisive sneer on face as i pull up alongside some 'lesser' vehicle at the lights. (kidding, KIDDING!)
but after the drive in the 335i Coupe in Austria mid last year, this smaller-hearted variant feels lacking in the oomph department.
the 1.7tonne car is sluggish on move off, and the car's 218bhp and 245Nm is really taxed to the max. compared to the blistering sub-6 seconds sprint time to 100km/h of the turbocharged 335i, the 325i is leisurely in contrast and seems more appropriate as a tool for posturing around in, seeing as it turned quite a number of heads during my foray into the orchard road/shenton way areas in the day time.
Fuel consumption averaged 6.9km/L. before you go on about how appropriate this is for a 'performance coupe', bear in mind the Lexus LS460 luxo-barge manages 7km/L (or 14.3L/100km)! that's 4 over litres of potent V8 power in a long wheelbase chassis. and it whips the 325i coupe in the 100km/h sprint to boot!
VS 
brakes, steering (thankfully, NON active steering) and controls are nicely weighted and damped. the suspension is dynamic firm and not at all crashy over the horrible stretches of tarmac along bartley road and paya lebar.
at just under S$190,000 for the entry level spec 325i coupe, one could also consider the alfa romeo GT coupe, but that's a front driver even if it does ooze chic italian flamboyance. even the Z4 Coupe may pose a more entertaining drive and a better head-turner than this car.
great news for those not terribly fond of the rear pinched-eyed look of the sedan. the coupe has inherited face-lift 7-series-esque tail-lights, which give the car a sportier and elegant character. the coupe sits squat and strong with muscular flanks to give it some bulk.
here's a clearer day shot of the back-end from the international launch of the 335i
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