BMW BLOG

The BMW 130i is the big winner of the long-term test ranking by one of Germany’s leading car journals, Auto Bild. Covering 100,000 kilometres or more than 62,000 miles without the slightest problem, BMW’s sporting compact not only achieved the best result throughout the whole of 2009, but also took over overall leadership among all cars ever tested over this distance. In response, the professional car testers gave the BMW 130i their 1+ grade (equal to AAA) and acknowledged BMW’s sporting performer as the “Best Auto Bild Long-Term Test Car of All Time”.

Apart from highlighting the car’s supreme reliability, the testers also lauded the outstanding driving pleasure offered by their car, waxing lyrical time and again in particular about the powerful, fast-revving and very efficient straight-six power unit.

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I remember first seeing the 1 Series back in September 2004 – also my first trip to Bavaria. I came with my dad to a BMW dealership in Rosenheim, a city 40 miles away from Munich.
The showroom was rather small, with only 5 or 6 cars on display. While my father was drooling around the X5, I was hoping to see the back then brand new 1 Series. The car was released just in the peak of the “Bangle revolution” – BMW sales were soaring, the press was disgusted by the radical new designs and the loyal fans were writing petitions against good ol’ Chris Bangle.

I was rather disappointed when the salesman said that the 1 Series isn’t available to display yet, but the first examples will be ready for a week or so. Too bad, I thought, I’ll be just 500 miles away then, and I’ll see the car somewhere in January, if lucky.
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The Amish are renowned for their restrained appearance, and a well crafted simplicity. Loath to emulate what they view as the discordant modern world, they have shunned any affect of modernity. Amish building and furniture making is highly praised but the superficial simplicity of styling belies a well conceived and carefully constructed core.

Two simple lines define the exterior of the 1 series. The beltline runs from the tip of the front fenders all the way through the rear decklid. Higher than the beltline of the 3 series, it tends to emphasize the vertical, when the 1er is actually only marginally taller than the 3 series.

The other prominent line is the curve that runs just above the rockers on each side of the car. With a bit of a sway towards the front – it ‘pinches’ the apparent size of the wheelbase. At 104 inches the 1 series has a fairly long wheelbase and only four inches shorter than the 3 series, but that lower line does a good job disguising it. Read the rest of this entry »

Starting with March 2010, the BMW 135i Coupe and Convertible models will be powered for the first time by the inline six cylinder gasoline engine combining TwinPower Turbo with High Precision Injection and Valvetronic.

The new engine, codename N55, made its debut in the BMW 535i GT and it will be seen across the BMW line-up, starting with the facelifted 3 Series Coupe and Convertible. The engine comes matted to the new seven gear double clutch transmission with sports automatic.

The Twin-Scroll engine continues to produce 306 horsepower and takes the Coupe from 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds and the convertible in 5.5 seconds. These performance figures are not, however, taking a toll on the fuel consumption and the official numbers show 8.5 liter per 100 km respectively 8.6 liter per 100 km.

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At the Detroit Auto Show 2010, BMW brought out an existing upgraded model, destined for the enthusiasts in the BMW community. The 2010 BMW 135i Coupe makes a transition from the several times award winning N54 six-cylinder twin-turbo engine to the newer, more efficient and equally powerful, N55.

The N55 powerplant uses the the innovation of twin-scroll technology and the integration of VALVETRONIC throttle-less intake technology.

This new engine promises even better throttle response and even more fuel efficiency. Thanks to VALVETRONIC, VANOS, and the twin-scroll turbocharger housing, peak torque is reached 100rpm earlier than with the previous engine, and engine boost response is improved across the entire engine speed range.

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BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy continues with the 2011 135i Coupe and Convertible models which feature the company’s latest twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six cylinder engine. Both models will feature the 7-speed Double-Clutch Transmission (DCT) as an option.

The new six-cylinder (N55 designation) develops maximum output of 300 hp at 5,800 rpm, with peak torque of 300 lb-ft available all the way from 1,200–5,000 rpm. This is the same level of performance as the current 3.0-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder but with the innovation of twin-scroll technology and the integration of VALVETRONIC throttle-less intake technology, this new engine promises even better throttle response and even more fuel efficiency. Thanks to VALVETRONIC, VANOS, and the twin-scroll turbocharger housing, peak torque is reached 100rpm earlier than with the previous engine, and engine boost response is improved across the entire engine speed range.

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Project 135i by WheelSTO returns with a new iteration, dubbed v1.2 and it is looking better than ever. Let’s give them the change to tell us more about their ongoing project.

Last June we revealed our very own Project 1 (v1.2). It was wearing an array of parts that suited the 135i well. We received many compliments on what we had done, however we were not finished.

Our attention first went to the rear of the car. Bastuck had released a prototype US-spec quad exhaust system for the 135i. We still call it prototype as we feel the fitment is a little off for the US Spec cars with the charcoal canister. We did a little customization on our end to make the fit flawless and look like it was built in Bavaria. We are working with Bastuck to remedy the situation. The quad system just like the dual is a full cat-back system (aft of secondary cats) and utilizes Bastuck‘s own non resonated y-pipe. We opted for the non-resonated version for 2 reasons; less restriction and so we could hear the engine sing. This exhaust really lets the turbo engine sound come through. Slightly more rumble, a bit louder, and a little more “open sound” made for music to our ears.

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We return with another interesting review from Down Under where our aussie fellas over at Brisbane Times tested the BMW 118d Hatchback. Even though they name the 118d, BMW’s most fuel efficient car, the truth is that the “2008 World Green Car of the Year” was recently “demoted” to the ….second most fuel efficient bimmer. BMW’s 116d Hatchback, another model not available in the U.S. market, has become the EfficientDynamics flagship.

But without any further ado, let’s find out more about the car and BMW’s plans in Australia:

“118d hatchback takes fuel economy battle to hybrids but is even better to drive. We also sample twin-turbo diesel versions of the 1-Series hatch and convertible coming to Australia at the end of the year.

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