It is simply a matter of holding the power (and your nerve), working the six-speed transmission to keep the twin-turbos on song, and spearing from one apex to the next.

It is so well-engaged with the road, unfussed and unflappable, it is inspiring at the wheel.

For overtaking, it is blisteringly fast. Punch it back to third (down-changing with the thumbs) and fire. Between 80-140km/h, it feels like it could suck the doors off anything.

Throttle response from the twin-turbo six up front is instantaneous. Best of all, as it wakes, and the tacho needle dances across the dial, the rising rasping wail that accompanies the action above 5000rpm is glorious. It’s the kind of sound you would package if you could.

The only downside to the drive is at lower speeds. Pottering around, some will find the wheel a little heavy away from the dead-ahead (compromising the experience in urban driving).

For those doing a lot of urban driving, BMW’s Active Steering System might be an option to consider.  By integrating a planetary gear set into the steering column and an electric motor that adjusts the front wheels’ steering angle in proportion to the car’s speed, the system is designed to reduce the effort at parking speeds considerably.

As speeds rise however, the feel of the ‘active’ rack and pinion steering improves markedly. At speed, it is near faultless.

Occasionally on secondary roads, the run-flat tyres also make their presence felt: bridge joins, breaks in the bitumen, the pot-holing where livestock cross (cow manure is dynamite on bitumen) can thump a bit. And more noticeably on the 335i than the 320d we had recently.

There is also some tyre roar; not intrusive, but there… the inevitable consequence of wide rubber and a sports suspension set-up.

The Verdict

We loved this car – so potent, yet so versatile.

As a performance drive, the 335i Touring is blisteringly fast and as agile and as satisfying as they come. Driving it, savouring its engagement with the road and the sound of that rorty yet sophisticated twin-turbo six up front, is a wholly visceral experience.

But it is equally satisfying as a prestige wagon. Inside, flawless, it pampers just enough to satisfy the most discerning of buyers.

The inescapable question though comes down to that sticker price. If you need a wagon with sportscar performance capabilities, and the sticker price is within reach, we’d recommend the 335i in a heartbeat.

The exclusivity, the cachet in that BMW badge and the satisfaction in the knowledge that you are driving one of the best wagons on the planet, comfortably bridges the price gap for the premium buyer.

Of course, most of us would need to think more than twice about that $40k-plus price differential over the likes of the finely executed and quite remarkable HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer… or even Volkswagen’s surprising Passat R36 Wagon.

The simple fact is though, we’d all buy a 335i if we could, wouldn’t we? It is, quite simply, a superbly executed car.

Likes

• Astonishing chassis balance and on-road dynamics
• Fabulous undersquare twin-turbo in-line six
• Understated, stylish interior
• Brilliant iDrive (now a plus)
• Wagon versatility, with sportscar performance
• Premium fit and finish

Dislikes

• Driver ergonomics not for everybody
• Heavy steering at low speeds
• Run-flat tyres still make their presence felt
• A little tyre roar on coarser blue-metal roads