#02#When BMW introduced the 330d back in 2000, it was widely considered to be the first overtly sporting diesel in its class. Its forebears such as the 325td were good, but technology at the time meant their true potential was limited. The E46 330d changed that at a stroke and combined effortless grunt with excellent economy. It was a very good diesel car (with over 200bhp by the time it was phased out) that began to change the bias of the hardcore petrol fraternity who refused to take a diesel seriously and certainly considered a diesel BMW borderline sacrilegious.

Fast forward to the present day and diesel cars now outsell petrol versions in most of Europe. Market demand, driven by fuel prices and taxation based on CO₂ emissions, have now pushed the humble oil burner to the top of the sales charts and, as you'd expect, BMW has been at the forefront of the technological advance. The 335d shown here is the technological showpiece of the BMW diesel range at present.

Contrary to the badge's inference, the engine is of 3-litre capacity rather than 3.5, but differs from the other 3-litre straight-six in that it employs twin turbochargers rather than a single unit. As we've seen in the 335d and 535d previously, these two turbos work in sequence rather than tandem to give the optimum matches at two different parts of the engine's operating range - the smaller turbo at lower revs; the larger one at higher, effectively equating to one well-matched turbo solution across the full speed spectrum.

The performance this engine delivers is, quite simply, stunning. Matched to a six-speed auto, the pace is quite amazing - one assumes that BMW's manuals lack the durability to live with the massive torque. Driven back-to-back with a BMW 335i, the diesel is not appreciably slower flat out and is actually quicker in most real-world scenarios. The gearbox is calibrated to keep the engine running at 1200rpm and above so one never feels that off-boost lull that can hamper progress in some turbodiesels. From this point upwards the response is relatively linear and always predictable, as the broad and deep wave of torque that builds at such low revs holds on all the way up to a redline, which is set at just over 5000rpm.

As accomplished pushing hard on B-roads as it is an effortlessly pacy cruiser, the 335d covers all the bases required for an all-round sporting drive. The driving experience in full automatic mode is fine, but is elevated to a more satisfying level by the paddle shifts on the wheel. BMW has moved away from the left-paddle-down, right-paddle-up, shift pattern and now both levers (positioned perfectly at the quarter-to-three) shift up and down with a pull or push respectively. This is a marked improvement over the more limited functionality of old; expect to see it on SMG cars soon as well. #p##01# In-gear urge is almost peerless; I can't remember another car that accelerates as cleanly and quickly from low revs, and with such long gearing, in recent times. I include the Audi RS4 and the outgoing M3 in that statement; you have to pedal those cars hard to sustain the kind of pace the 335d does at ease. It was rumoured that BMW was considering an M3 diesel; assuming that this car may have formed the basis for such a rumour, that badge would not have been shamed by its appearance on the rump of the 335d.

We've driven a variety of the latest 3 Series now and a skim through our reviews will reveal a somewhat unanimous verdict of excellence for the entire range; the 335d Touring is no exception. In fact, it may well be the best one we've encountered to date - no mean feat in itself - which means it is one of the very best sport wagons you can buy. As you'd expect, the chassis is a treat in terms of handling agility and poise, excelling on bumpy back roads as well as smooth and flowing roads.

The trade off is a firm ride, but the body control where you need it most is adequate compensation for a motorway ride that perhaps lags that of a Mercedes-Benz equivalent. The driving controls remain virtually flawless, although I-drive still takes a few days to come to terms with and it's well worth spending the time and effort needed to learn the voice command menu. The Touring body offers as much space and practicality as most people would ever need with seemingly no penalty in terms of dynamics as compared to the saloon; in fact I prefer the styling as well as the added space and airiness it offers.

You'll have figured by now that this car was well liked and has left a lasting impression. We're used to engines being the focal point of BMWs, but for the diesel to replicate this expectation is truly remarkable. Even more amazing is that this diesel actually performs as well as the petrol models and, for now at least, is probably the quickest 3 Series you can buy. What this means is that this car is not only a class leader and benchmark, it is also something of a watershed in that it is not only a highly capable diesel performance car, but also it is the first diesel I can think of that is a highly capable performance car in its own right. #p##04# By that I mean at the top of the class as a sporting offering, never mind as a sports wagon under which guise it goes some way beyond humbling the competition and the word humiliation begins to come into play. Easily capable of withstanding comparison with its petrol equivalents, this is a diesel that sells on sporting prowess rather than economy. It's a brilliant car, admittedly at a price, that completely redefines the definition of diesel motoring and may well open the door to a raft of pure performance diesels in the near future. As it is, the 335d Touring may just be all the car you'd ever need.

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2007 BMW 3 Series range overview

Model	UK (£ on-the-road)	Ireland: (€ on-the-road)
BMW 318i ES Touring	£21,900	€41,950
BMW 318i SE Touring	£22,930	€44,100
BMW 320i ES Touring	£23,550	€44,800
BMW 318d ES Touring	£24,280	€45,300
BMW 320i SE Touring	£24,580	€46,950
BMW 318i M Sport Touring	£25,220	€48,720
BMW 318d SE Touring	£25,310	€48,350
BMW 320d ES Touring	£25,420	€48,500
BMW 320d SE Touring	£26,450	€51,550
BMW 320i M Sport Touring	£26,870	€51,570
BMW 325i SE Touring	£27,330	€54,000
BMW 318d M Sport Touring	£27,600	€52,970
BMW 320d M Sport Touring	£28,740	€56,170
BMW 325d SE Touring	£28,840	€55,150
BMW 325i M Sport Touring	£29,970	€59,500
BMW 330i SE Touring	£30,695	€59,300
BMW 330d SE Touring	£31,240	€60,850
BMW 325d M Sport Touring	£31,480	€60,650
BMW 335i SE Touring	£32,555	€62,900
BMW 330i M Sport Touring	£33,505	€64,800
BMW 330d M Sport Touring	£34,050	€66,350
BMW 335d SE Touring	£34,550	€67,450
BMW 335i M Sport Touring	£35,365	€68,400
BMW 335d M Sport Touring	£37,290	€72,950