BMW has always been synonymous with driving pleasure in all vehicle classes. The fact that customers and fans also agree with this summation is once again confirmed by the readers’ poll conducted by German motoring magazine “sport auto”. Cars from the BMW Group received the top scores in four classes. The BMW 335i was voted the best sedan car up to € 50,000 for the third time in three years. The BMW M3 Sedan was the favorite among readers for the second year in a row in the sedans/estates up to € 100,000 class.

Also for the second time in a row, the BMW M235i took pole position in the category for coupés up to € 50,000. In the compact cars class, the BMW M135i easily succeeded in fighting off the competition. As in the previous year, the BMW M550d xDrive took second place in the diesel class, once again underlining the leading role of the BMW Group as a supplier of vehicles that combine sporty performance with maximum efficiency.

Double victory for M Performance automobiles.
In the compact class and in the coupés up to € 50,000, the BMW M135i (26.7 percent of the votes cast) and the BMW M235i Coupé (38.3 percent of the votes cast) once again beat off the competition. Both vehicles have a six-cylinder engine with M TwinPower turbo technology, ensuring spontaneous responsiveness, an exceptional thirst for revs and outstanding refinement (fuel consumption combined BMW M235i: 8.1 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 189 g/km; BMW M135i: 8.0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 188 g/km*).

Triple win for the BMW 335i Sedan.
For the third time in a row, the readers of “sport auto” put the BMW 335i in top place in the sedans up to € 50,000 category. The key factor for the continuing success of the sports sedan is its in-line six-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower turbo technology. The 225 kW/306 hp in-line six-cylinder engine makes particularly impressive play with the typical BMW virtues of instantaneous responses, an exceptional thirst for revs and outstanding refinement. The combination of a turbocharger that operates according to the twin scroll principle with direct high precision injection and VALVETRONIC guarantees an unbeatably efficient balance between driving pleasure and fuel consumption (fuel consumption combined BMW 335i: 7.9 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 186 g/km*).

The defending title-holder BMW M3.

Garnering 39.4% of reader votes, the BMW M3 had no difficulty defending its title as best sedan up to € 100,000, actually managing to increase its share of the vote in its second year on the market. The fifth generation of the BMW M3 (fuel consumption combined: 8.8 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 204 g/km*) is powered by a newly developed six-cylinder in-line engine. The high-revving unit with M TwinPower Turbo technology offers maximum output of 317 kW/431 hp. Peak torque of 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) is available across a broad rev band and exceeds the maximum offered by the previous BMW M3 by almost 40 percent. A rigorously applied lightweight design concept has brought about a weight reduction of around 80 kilograms. Fuel consumption and emissions are down by 25 percent. The BMW M3 Sedan takes just 4.1 seconds to sprint from 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) – when fitted with the optional seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission – and also catches the eye as a strong performer out on the track as well as in everyday use.

The “sport auto Award” has been presented by German motoring magazine “sport auto” since 1980. It is one of the leading German awards for sporting cars and is highly coveted by manufacturers. In 2015 a total of 230 models were nominated in 30 series-production categories and a further 10 tuning classes. In this, the 23rd year of the awards, 13,601 readers took part in the poll via survey postcard, online survey or one of the “sport auto” digital channels.

Placings at a glance:

Winner – Compact Cars: BMW M135i.

Winner – Coupés up to € 50,000: BMW M235i Coupé.

Winner – Sedans/Estates up to € 50,000: BMW 335i.

Winner – Sedans/Estates up to € 100,000: BMW M3.

Second place – Diesel Cars: BMW M550d xDrive.

Second place – Convertibles up to € 50,000: BMW M235i Convertible

Second place – Convertibles up to € 100,000: BMW M4 Convertible

Second place – Coupés up to € 100,000: BMW M3 Coupé

Third place – Sedans up to € 100,000: BMW M5 30 Years

Further information on official fuel consumption figures, specific CO2 emission values and the electric power consumption of new passenger cars is included in the following guideline: “Leitfaden über Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO2 emissions und den Stromverbrauch neuer Personenkraftwagen” (Guideline for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and electric power consumption of new passenger cars), which can be obtained from all dealerships, from Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen and at http://www.dat.de/en/offers/publications/guideline-for-fuel-consumption.html. LeitfadenCO2 (GuidelineCO2) (PDF ‒ 2.7 MB).

* Fuel consumption figures were calculated based on the ECE test cycle, dependent on tire format.

Munich. At BMW the letter M signals the presence of high performance and a very special brand of sporting allure. And now Original BMW Accessories from the M Performance range can be specified for the new BMW 2 Series Convertible, stylistic and technical modifications combining to elevate the joy of sporty driving to even higher levels.

Extra dynamism for the exterior.
Side skirts and skirt decals with M Performance lettering lend the BMW 2 Series Convertible extra sporting appeal, as does the rear diffuser. They also match up nicely with the exclusive front grille with black trim surround and the carbon exterior mirror caps. BMW M Performance accent strips which run along the flanks of the car below the crease line inject fresh visual momentum, while attractive BMW M Performance 19-inch light-alloy wheels in 405 M and 624 M styling advance the cause of exclusive sportiness. The 624 M can be ordered in either a bi-colour (matt black / milled) or a polished variant. A stainless steel silencer with chromed tailpipe embellishers and inscribed M logo ensures the car signs off in dynamic fashion. Customers can also specify the tailpipe embellishers in carbon.

High-quality carbon for a more sporting interior.
The BMW M Performance Accessories range offers a host of finely matched products made from high-quality carbon (some combined with Alcantara) for the interior of the BMW 2 Series Convertible. These include the selector lever trim or – in manual cars – the gearshift lever with Alcantara gaiter, as well as a handbrake grip likewise with Alcantara gaiter. The centre console trim, centre armrest and interior trim strips can also be retrofitted in carbon as accessories. Alcantara steering wheels with carbon trim, which can be specified with or without an integrated Race Display, are impressively grippy and provide a sporty feel.

Like the easy-care BMW M Performance floor mats with eye-catching M Performance lettering, the attractive BMW M Performance pedal covers and footrest in stainless steel also emphasise the sporting character of the BMW 2 Series Convertible. Another highlight feature is the BMW M Performance key case, with its sophisticated Alcantara/carbon material combination and blue hex bolt. LED door sill plates in stainless steel with illuminated M Performance lettering even bring a sporty sense of occasion to climbing aboard.

Boosting performance with the BMW M Performance Power Kit.
The BMW M Performance Power Kit for the BMW 220d Convertible (fuel consumption combined: 4.7–4.4 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 124–116 g/km)* boosts engine output by 11 kW/14 hp – from 140 kW/190 hp to 151 kW/204 hp – and cuts the car’s 0 – 100 km/h time by 0.3 seconds. To this end, the engine control unit (including engine data update) and the other hardware components, such as the larger-capacity intercooler, work together to maximum effect. However, despite the higher engine output, there is no increase in fuel consumption in the ECE test cycle. Another highlight for connoisseurs of sporty driving is the BMW M Performance limited-slip differential, which reduces slip through the driven wheels when one loses grip. This allows it to optimise traction and thus give the car’s on-limit handling even greater precision. The BMW M Performance lightweight sports brake discs optimise deceleration (even in the wet) thanks to their special perforation and grooving, and reduce unsprung mass thanks to their lower weight. They also accentuate the car’s sporting profile, especially if light-alloy wheels with an open design are fitted.

Original BMW Accessories increase the value of the car.
In contrast to many third-party products, Original BMW Accessories – which include the range of BMW M Performance Parts – are always matched perfectly to the model in question and are permitted for use with that vehicle. The car’s warranty, moreover, remains unaffected. All of which means the high-quality selection of Original BMW Accessories enhances not only the car’s driving pleasure, but its value as well.

* The fuel consumption figures were calculated on the basis of the ECE test cycle, depending on the tyre format selected.

Further information on official fuel consumption figures, specific CO2 emission values and the electric power consumption of new passenger cars is included in the following guideline: “Leitfaden über fuel consumption, die CO2 emissions und den Stromverbrauch neuer Personenkraftwagen” (Guideline for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and electric power consumption of new passenger cars), which can be obtained from all dealerships, from Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen and at http://www.dat.de/en/offers/publications/guideline-for-fuel-consumption.html. LeitfadenCO2 (GuidelineCO2) (PDF ‒ 2.7 MB).