Sexy coupé hoists the BMW flag

Sleek, slick - and quick.

In addition to their medium and large luxury sedans Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have armies of coupés, convertibles, crossovers, medium and large SUV's as well as sharp-point missiles such as RS and S (Audi), M (BMW) and AMG (Mercedes-Benz) competing in different classes.

When one brand launches a new model, the other two soon follow with their own "bigger, faster, lower, wider, safer more environmentally-friendly" version which probably the main reason BMW stepped into the fray with its new BMW 435i Coupé Sports Steptronic - with a clear mission to take on the opposition Audi S5 Coupé Quattro S Tronic and Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupé AT.

Sleek, aching to be driven

Of the three, the new two-door Beemer is probably the handsomest beast. Its sleek, muscular looks are emphasised by its low crouch, sharply carved bonnet and body lines, large chrome wrapped low-profile running rubber, bazooka-wide twin exhaust outlets, slit-eyed headlights, gaping air intakes and even narrower than usual trademark kidney-shaped grille.

Its sleek, muscular looks are emphasised by its low crouch, sharply carved bonnet and body lines.

In the punch department, the Beemer loses the power and torque fight to Audi but beats the Merc. The BMW is quicker in the zero to 100km/h dash than the Merc but it is out-paced by the Audi. When it comes to glugging expensive forecourt juice the Beemer is the thirstiest of the three. The price war is won by the Merc but the Beemer beats the Audi.

As has been the case for a long time, the final decision on which of the three is the best purchase option probably boils down to brand-loyalty (or perceived badge snob-value) and individual driving style, with price tags probably not carrying as much gravitas in this segment than it would do in less expensive segments.

A week in the red - and it's rad

I recently spent a week in the snug and sexy red-leather padded confinement of the 435's cabin and the car delivered just about everything its looks promised. It is slick, quick and delightful to drive, particularly when the road starts snaking over a mountain pass.

Through the corners it clings as though nailed to the tar.

Of the three brands, BMW has always been a nose ahead of the opponents when it comes to handling and driver feedback and the 435 delivers in spades. The cog-swopping is rapid and creamy smooth, particularly in S (for Sport) mode, whether left to do its own thing or flicking through the gears using the Formula 1 flappies on the steering wheel.

It clings

Through the corners it clings as though nailed to the tar and the steering is accurate and responsive. The brakes are sharp and hyper-efficient, as one would expect from the Blue Propeller-badged brand.

In the red; as always, the living quarters have been designed with the driver firmly in mind.

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There are few more pleasing powerplants than BMW's famous force-fed straight six engine and it is perfectly at home wedged in under the elegant, sloping hood of the coupé. It blasts out 225kW and 400Nm, which is enough to sprint from 0-100km/h in just under 6 seconds. (This is exactly the same unit that powers the R74,500 less expensive 335i).

The living quarters are spacious and comfortable for the two front occupants but can be a tad tight and low for tall back-seaters, because of the slanted roof. Getting in and out of the back is also not all that easy.

Designed for the driver

Like the 3 Series it is based on, the coupé's cabin and dash lay-out is very much driver-orientated with dials, gauges and switches logically located and straightforward to use. The cabin exudes an aura of solidness and quality. I was particularly impressed with quality of the sound system and the efficiency with which the front and back windows were demisted on cold, wet mornings.

The boot is generous enough to swallow a good few suitcases and travel bags, or a golf bag or two, which adds an element of practicality to the car's sporty nature.

Overall, a refined, luxurious coupé that does a good job of combining comfort, class, driving pleasure and performance. It is a real looker, and a good performer but it does pose the question - does its sleek and sexy looks justify its price jump over the 335i or should one wait for the arrival of the M4?

The price of the BMW 435i (which includes a five-year Maintenance Plan) is R715,527.

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