Top speed runs on unrestricted sections of the Autobahn are usually done with the latest toys, but today we’re highlighting a 16-year-old BMW 3 Series Sedan. It’s an E90 in the torquey 330d specification that was in need of some pampering from a mechanic. Its M57 engine was refreshed over the course of three weeks before hitting the road.
The diesel-fueled sports sedan cost €3,200 to purchase and another €1,500 to repair, without taking into account the labor costs. It’s now apparently worth about €8,400 and runs like a charm while providing more than adequate pulling power. In third gear, it needed four seconds to go from 80 to 120 km/h (50 to 75 mph). The same gear was also used for a 50 to 90 km/h (31 to 56 mph) run completed in three and a half seconds.
It was also subjected to the typical 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint, which it completed in 6.9 seconds. With the traction control off, it was understandably two-tenths of a second slower due to the damp road and rear-wheel drive. Following a couple of sprints, the E90 hit the Autobahn where the 330d had plenty of road to stretch its legs.
Flat out, the diesel-fueled 3 Series hit just under 240 km/h (149 mph) based on its analog speedometer. However, the GPS-based app shows the car was actually traveling at speeds of around 224 km/h (139 mph). That smartphone is the only screen inside the cabin as although the E90 was the first 3er with iDrive, this car doesn’t have it.
For those who are unfamiliar with this engine, the straight-six unit was offered in the E90 between 2005-2008 and it produced 228 horsepower and 500 Newton-meters (370 pound-feet) of torque. The M57 was superseded by the N57 with an extra 13 hp and 20 Nm (15 lb-ft) in the second half of 2008.
Fast forward to 2022, BMW will still sell you a 3 Series with a six-cylinder diesel engine. As a matter of fact, an oil-burner is offered for an M Performance version (M340d) that recently went through a mild LCI.
Source: TopAutoPOVÂ / YouTube
