When it originally launched, I felt that the E92/E93 looks were too heavy compared to the outgoing E46 model, but I have to admit that I think this car has aged pretty well. One thing that couldn’t be argued was the performance on tap from the new twin-turbocharged N54 inline-6. While it didn’t offer quite the spin of the S54 in the previous generation M3, it had more usable grunt. Coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission, the performance figures in real-world driving generally indicated that the 335i was as fast as the M3 had been. Inside, the E9x was thoroughly modern, too – if the E46 was the last of the classic driver-oriented dash designs dating back to the late 1970s, the E9x ushered in the new era of electronic-heavy dash design to the 3-series. Is it all bad? No, not really. Build quality and materials were as stout, if not better than, previous generations, and often inside and out these cars still look quite fresh.
Couple that with the have-your-complicated-cake-and-pay-for-it-too folding hardtop, the 335i convertible offers a unique blend of performance, style, and comfort that it seems like few cars can match – and they’re relatively cheap on the used market. Let’s check out this Space Grey Metallic over Coral Red first-year example that has just 16,000 miles: