01 · Overview
BMW's first folding hardtop
Until 2007, BMW had built exclusively fabric roofs. The E93 was the break: a three-piece retractable hardtop in lightweight steel sheet construction, electro-hydraulically operated. World premiere on 7 January 2007 in Detroit, European market launch on 24 March.
A detail rarely mentioned elsewhere: the roof opens in 22 seconds but closes in 23 — meaning it opens faster than it closes. The price of this construction is around 181 kilograms of additional weight compared to the Coupé and a boot that shrinks from around 347 to 208 litres once the roof is stowed at the rear.
In terms of safety, the E93 is elaborate: the windscreen frame itself serves as a roll bar, extending bars sit behind the rear headrests, and a rollover sensor system continuously monitors vertical and horizontal movements. BMW states the highest torsional rigidity ever achieved in an open-top BMW for this car.
The E93 was also the first time Sun Reflective Technology was used by any car manufacturer: embedded pigments reflect infrared components above 720 nanometres, meaning dark interior surfaces heat up by up to 20 degrees less.
02 · History
Seven years open
- 2007 World premiere on 7 January at the NAIAS in Detroit, European market launch on 24 March initially with the 335i and 330d.
- 2008 From May, the M3 is also available as a Convertible.
- 2010 Facelift in March, together with the Coupé.
- 2013 End of production in October — the last body style of the model line.
03 · Model overview
The engines of the model line
In addition, the Convertible also came as the M3 with the S65 V8 and, only in North America, as the 335is.
Technische Daten anzeigen — komplette Modellmatrix
| Modell | Motor | Hubraum | Leistung | Production |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 318i | N46B20, ab 09/2007 N43B20 | 1.995 cm³ | 129 PS (95 kW), ab 09/2007 143 PS (105 kW) | 2005–2011 |
| 320i | N46B20, ab 09/2007 N43B20 | 1.995 cm³ | 150 PS (110 kW) | 03/2005–10/2011 |
| 325i | N52B25 | 2.497 cm³ | 218 PS (160 kW) | 03/2005–09/2007 |
| 325i | N53B30UL | 2.996 cm³ | 218 PS (160 kW) | ab 09/2007 |
| 330i | N52B30 | 2.996 cm³ | 258 PS (190 kW) | 03/2005–09/2007 |
| 330i | N53B30 | 2.996 cm³ | 272 PS (200 kW) | ab 09/2007 |
| 335i | N54B30 | 2.979 cm³ | 306 hp (225 kW), 400 Nm from 1,300/min | 2006–03/2010 |
| 335i | N55B30 | 2.979 cm³ | 306 hp (225 kW), 400 Nm from 1,200/min | ab 03/2010 |
| 318d | N47D20 | 1.995 cm³ | 143 PS (105 kW) | ab 09/2007 |
| 320d | M47TU2D20 | 1.995 cm³ | 163 PS (120 kW) | 03/2005–2007 |
| 320d | N47D20 | 1.995 cm³ | 177 PS (130 kW), ab 03/2010 184 PS (135 kW) | ab 2007 |
| 325d | M57TU2D30 UL | 2.993 cm³ | 197 PS (145 kW) | 2006–03/2010 |
| 325d | N57D30UL | 2.993 cm³ | 204 PS (150 kW) | ab 03/2010 |
| 330d | M57TU2D30 OL | 2.993 cm³ | 231 PS (170 kW) | 2005–09/2008 |
| 330d | N57D30OL | 2.993 cm³ | 245 PS (180 kW) | ab 09/2008 |
| 335d | M57TU2D30 TOP | 2.993 cm³ | 286 hp (210 kW), automatic only | 2006–2011 |
| 335is (US/Canada only) | N54B30 | 2.979 cm³ | 320 hp (235 kW) | from spring 2010 |
| M3 Convertible | S65B40 | 3.999 cm³ | 420 hp (309 kW) at 8,300/min | 05/2008–09/2013 |
04 · Body variants
Body variants
Two-door Convertible with steel folding hardtop
1,384 mm high (335i and 335d: 1,375 mm), wheelbase 2,760 mm. Length and width could not be verified in any BMW or Wikipedia source. Boot roughly 347 litres with roof closed, roughly 208 with roof open. Side windows 30 percent larger than in the E46 Convertible — this figure is only singly sourced.
05 · Engines
The engines in detail
N54B30 · 2,979 cm³ · 306 hp — 335i up to 2010 verified
BMW's first inline six-cylinder with two turbochargers and direct injection. 400 Nm from 1,300 rpm. It made the 335i an unofficial M3 substitute and is at the same time the engine with the longest list of defects in the model line — high-pressure pump, injectors, wastegates.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.979 cm³ |
| Leistung | 306 hp (225 kW) at 5,800/min |
| Drehmoment | 400 Nm at 1,300–5,000/min |
| Getriebe | Six-speed manual, six-speed automatic, seven-speed DCT from 2008 |
BMW PressClub, Wikipedia — BMW N54
N55B30 · 2.979 cm³ · 306 PS — 335i ab 2010 verified
Replaced at the facelift in March 2010: a twin-scroll turbocharger instead of two, along with the first combination of single turbo, Valvetronic and High Precision Injection. Same output, around eight percent less consumption, torque plateau from 1,200 instead of 1,300 rpm.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.979 cm³ |
| Leistung | 306 hp (225 kW) at 5,800/min |
| Drehmoment | 400 Nm at 1,200–5,000/min |
| Besonderheit | first combination of turbo, Valvetronic and direct injection |
BMW PressClub T0076998EN_GB
M57TU2D30 TOP · 2,993 cm³ · 286 hp — 335d verified
The most powerful diesel of the model line, exclusively with six-speed automatic. 580 Nm from three litres. Note for research purposes: the German Wikipedia page on the E90 lists the 335d as N57S with 560 Nm — this is incorrect; the same Wikipedia's own M57 article correctly lists it under M57TÜ2D30 TOP with 580 Nm.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.993 cm³ |
| Leistung | 286 hp (210 kW) at 4,400/min |
| Drehmoment | 580 Nm |
| Getriebe | six-speed automatic only |
Wikipedia — BMW M57, BMW PressClub UK
N57D30OL · 2.993 cm³ · 245 PS — 330d ab 2008 verified
Arrived with the facelift in September 2008 and replaced the M57 in the 330d: 245 hp and 520 Nm compared to the previous 231 hp and 500 Nm. The N57 is considered the more refined of the two six-cylinder diesels.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.993 cm³ |
| Leistung | 245 hp (180 kW) at 4,000/min |
| Drehmoment | 520 Nm at 1,750–3,000/min |
BMW PressClub T0020081EN_GB
06 · Weak points
Known weak points
- Timing chain of the N47 diesels (318d, 320d). The chain sits on the transmission side, which means the engine must be removed to replace it. BMW changed the gears, chain and chain tensioner several times and extended the goodwill period to eight years and 200,000 kilometres in early 2014. There is no BMW source that acknowledges the defect.
- High-pressure pump, injectors and wastegates of the N54 (335i up to March 2010). In October 2010, BMW recalled around 130,000 vehicles from model years 2007 to 2010 and extended the warranty on several of these components in the US. The warranty extensions applied explicitly only to the US market.
- Blower control unit. In January 2021, BMW recalled around 430,000 vehicles in Germany and over 500,000 worldwide due to corrosion of the blower control unit and the resulting risk of short circuit and fire. All four body styles of the model line are affected.
07 · Engineering
Engineering
The three-piece folding hardtop
What the roof costs
Sicherheit
Sun Reflective Technology
08 · Motorsport
Motorsport
None. The M3 Convertible was the most powerful model of this body style; the racing variants of the model line are all based on the E92 Coupé.
09 · Buying guide
What to look out for when buying
In addition to the model line’s engine issues, the Convertible adds the roof mechanism. However, there are no reliable sources on its durability.
There are many reports circulating about leaks and faults in the roof hydraulics, for which we found no two independent, reliable sources. A full roof demonstration at viewing does not replace this.
10 · The competition
The competition
Audi A5 Cabriolet
From 2009, and deliberately with a fabric roof — the opposite decision on the same question.
Mercedes-Benz CLK / E-Class Convertible
Mercedes also stuck with the fabric roof; the folding hardtop there was reserved for the SLK.
Volvo C70 (II)
From 2006 with a three-piece steel folding hardtop — the technically closest related solution on the market.
11 · Galerie
Galerie
12 · Sources
Sources & Further Reading
- BMW PressClub — The new BMW 3 Series (T0048254EN)
- BMW PressClub — The new BMW 3 Series Saloon and Touring, 09/2008 (T0020081EN_GB)
- BMW PressClub — The new BMW 3 Series Coupé and Convertible, 03/2010 (T0076998EN_GB)
- Wikipedia — BMW E90 (production periods, plants, production figures)
- Wikipedia — BMW M57 and BMW N57 (correction of diesel assignment)
- BMW PressClub USA — The all new BMW 3 Series Convertible (T0017721EN_US)