- Shift paddles on steering wheel, offered on the 335i only as a stand-alone option with the Sport Package. There are two paddles above the steering wheel's horizontal spokes. Similar to the shift lever, tipping the paddles rearward produces an upshift; tipping forward produces a downshift.



xDrive: BMW's first Coupe with all-wheel drive

Like the other all-wheel drive BMWs, the new 328xi Coupe incorporates BMW's advanced xDrive all-wheel drive and traction system. xDrive operates as follows:

- Driving torque is always transmitted to the rear wheels, and most of the time, to all four wheels.

- The portion of torque transmitted to the front wheels is controlled by a multi-disc clutch that can be fully open, fully engaged or at any level of partial engagement in between. The torque split between the rear and front wheels is thus steplessly variable.

- Engagement pressure on the multi-disc clutch is directed by an electronic control system in response to actual road and driving conditions.

xDrive doesn't just optimize traction; it can also enhance both agility and stability on grippy as well as slippery road surfaces. Via the same type of logic that DSC employs to recognize and correct for excessive over-or understeer, xDrive adjusts the front/rear torque split to avoid these tendencies. If undesirable oversteer is sensed, the multi-disc clutch is completely closed, sending the maximum possible torque to the front wheels. If excessive understeer is detected, xDrive opens the clutch completely sending no driving torque to the front wheels. In the BMW tradition, the driver ensures optimum vehicle dynamics under a wide range of driving and road conditions.

In a comparison test of BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Subaru Legacy all-wheel drive models, Germany's authoritative auto motor und sport magazine had this to say about xDrive:

"The BMW 330xi has the most modern and adaptable concept. It works: With amazing aplomb, the 3 Series moves right ahead in knee-deep snow, and keeps its front and rear ends smartly under control. Where in other vehicles the driver may break out in a cold sweat on snowy roads, he or she can keep cool in the 3."



Traditional BMW driving dynamics further refined

The new 3 Series Coupe offers class-leading agility through a combination of its significantly enhanced dynamic potential on the one hand and with the most sophisticated chassis control and assistance systems on the other. Together they provide a margin of safety for any situation in which a car might reach the limits of driving physics. In other words, the driver and passengers in a BMW 3 Series Coupe enjoy superior active safety at all speeds.

Traditional rear-wheel drive and a near 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution give the new BMW 3 Series Coupe ideal qualities for optimum driving dynamics. The specially tuned suspension enables the driver to convert the power and performance of the engine into an exhilarating driving experience. Boasting a new double-pivot front suspension with spring struts made almost entirely of aluminum in combination with a new five-link rear suspension, the new BMW 3 Series Coupe has the most advanced and sophisticated suspension in its class.

Although the new 3 Series Coupe's double-pivot front suspension it is already familiar from the 5, 6 and 7 Series, the current 3 Series Sedans and Sports Wagons introduced this system to the 3 Series in '06 and the 3 Series Coupes incorporate it for the first time. It is a more elaborate concept than that of the predecessor models, featuring two lower arms working in combination with the spring / shock absorber strut. The previous, highly acclaimed, 3 Series system utilizes a single, curved arm. These two lower arms are the reason for the name "double-pivot."

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