In a way, this surprises us since in his review, he mentions how much he enjoyed the 135i Coupe model, a vehicle that is very similar to the convertible. design, dynamics and performance of that car are nearly identical with the convertible model, hence our confusion, but let’s take a look at what Jeremy had to say.

“Joy’s not really a German thing, I suppose. We do joy. The Americans do joy. The Italians do joy, even though they never laugh. Germans, though? They’re rather better at precision and accuracy and following orders. Which is why I can’t quite understand what went wrong with the new convertible version of the 135i.

It is featured right at the start of the “joy” commercial. The driver is an old man in a hat who is smiling enormously, presumably because he’s just caught a glimpse in the rear-view mirror of his comedy moustache. Certainly, it’s not because of the car.

I like the hard-top 135 very much. In a road test on these pages, I said it harked back to the big engine/small car philosophy that crystalised the BMW range back in the early Eighties. I even gave it five stars, and so I was looking forward to driving its convertible sister.

The 3-litre engine’s unchanged and it’s still great. You have one little turbo that gets you going and then another enormous turbo that kicks in if you really need some clout to overtake. The result is better economy allied to a seamless, relentless, muscular stream of power that’s never exciting or zingy, but always there, ready to arm wrestle its way into your consciousness.

However, the convertible is 254lb heavier than the coupé and that iron lard makes its presence felt every time you put your foot down. This car is as zesty as Stonehenge.

Of course, you’d imagine that with 254lb of strengthening material, it would at least be rigid and strong. But no. All the time the steering wheel is wobbling and vibrating, and sometimes you can actually feel the flex that is sort of inevitable when the front and the back are joined together by only the floor and a bit of Millets canvas.

I don’t doubt that, in extremis, the 135 will handle nicely. And we know it’s quite fast. But there is no excitement here. Not even a crumb of joy.”

Full Article Continued

Our close friends and long time supporters of our blog, Julius and his team at WheelSTO, have an exciting project to share with us: a BMW 135i Coupe which went through a series of modifications. As always, we will let them share the story behind the Project 135i.

We picked up our 135i in September 2008. We instantly fell in love with its gorgeous looks, well designed interior, powerful motor, and more importantly the way it made the driver feel completely in control. We chose Black Sapphire Metallic as it’s a beautiful spin on the standard black. Understated and looks brilliant in the sunlight. The car came with the beautiful Coral Red interior as well. As soon as we got it back to the shop we knew we were in for a really good experience.

We drove the car stock, and really enjoyed BMW’s masterpiece. Being WSTO and car enthusiasts, it didn’t stay stock for long. Within 1 week we had our Bastuck 2×85mm exhaust system, Bastuck y-pipe, and Riss Racing downpipe installed on the car. It surprisingly opened up the feeling of the engine, and gave it a great deep powerful sound. Even with a cat-less downpipe, the sound was not “too loud”, and it’s almost silent inside the cabin while cruising. But push the pedal on the right closer to the floor, and almost as if the engine knows what you want, the turbo’s spool and a glorious sound fills your ears. After we were done making our ears happy, we moved onto our eyes.

3D Design makes quality aero products coming straight from Japan. We opted for the front lip spoiler and rear trunk lip. The front lip is understated, and flows very well with the stock body lines. The trunk lip spolier, swoops up finishing the flow of the already rounded trunk lid.

The addition of BMW performance shadow line grilles finished off the exterior. Next we needed to work on the stance of the car. Thanks to some H&R sport springs, lowering us 1.8″ up front and 1.2″ out back, it brought us closer to the ground and set there car where it should be from the factory. Two months after we picked up the car it looked and sounded great!

As good as it looked, we of course, were not done. We knew we needed some wheels. Here at WheelSTO, your premium wheel depot, we needed something that would stand out. Our good friends at Klassen Leichtmetallrader had just what we needed. We opted for their 5.1, which offered a classic and sporty design. The 3 piece construction meant that we could pick out the perfect offset, and get the largest lip possible. We went with 19×8.5 +40 in front and 19×9.5 +48 in back. The spokes were finished in their liquid black, and completed with a liquid smoke lip. Wrapped them in some super sticky Toyo Proxes T1R sized, 225/35-19 and 255/30-19. Combined with the nice drop this really set our car apart from the rest. Our wheel fitment was perfect and to this day we have yet to experience any rubbing.

Next place that needed attention was of course the engine bay. We got some extra power from the addition of an AFE dual cone intake. It gave the car a nice tone and some extra power up top. The good guys over at Synapse Engineering helped us increase the life of our lovely turbo’s with their charge pipe and blow off valve kit. The best upgrade we did was a new tune from L.E.T. Motorsports (Eurocharged). The upgraded boost and fuel/timing maps turned the car into a rocket. Merging onto the freeway is now a fun process thanks to our engine modifications.

We love the OEM interior but thought it needed some little performance oriented additions. Some simple upgrades from 3D design gave us just what we needed. 3D design pedal covers, as well as their dead pedal cover gave us more grip on the pedals and a sporty look. Sitting next to those we place a set of 3D design floor mats to keep the carpet free from the dust and dirt of daily driving.

We are far from done with our 135i and love it more and more each day. Keep checking our blog for more information and beautiful pictures from Johan, as we transform our 1er from a grocery getter to a really fast grocery getter!

Many BMW owners, tuning and modding shops had and still have fun modifying the standard features and convert the Coupe into an iconic racecar. The white painted 135i Coupe featured in our article belongs to David S., a long time reader of our blog and an even bigger BMW fan. The tuned up 135i made its debut this year at the 24 hour race at Nurburgring and was praised by the press and the community present at the event.

Together with his friends, David S. created a 135i Motorsport kit that turns the 135i Coupe into a real race car. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the changes implemented by them:

Engine

The standard 326 horsepower has been increased to 360 ponies coming out of  the award-winning N54, but all of this with a hefty price: 2,400 euros.

Bodywork

As with any respectable racing car, the exterior design elements revolve around the use of fiber carbon, starting with the M3 E92 style hood, trunk, front-bumper and doors.

Suspension/Wheels

The 135i Motorsport runs on 18″ wheels and uses the Intrax Suspension 4-way(around 5,500 euros).

Interior

Again, plenty of carbon fiber parts, a performance steering wheel, sifter and of course, the beautiful Recaro Pole Position seats.(1,550 euros each)

For complete pricing, details or more photos, feel free to visit Motorsport24.de (English Translation)

Thanks for the tip David!

You always help us with stories, tips and wonderful comments, so it is only fair that we would give something back, from time to time. The “BMW Of The Week” series is a way for us to express our gratitude by featuring some lucky cars in our weekly post, a car that will be seen by hundreds of thousands of readers every month.

The Flickr BMWBLOG Group gives us  plenty of choices when it comes to choosing the weekly bimmer, but those choices can be very difficult. Some cars stand out with their tuning jobs, others with mods and extraordinary photography. In some cases, the car itself needs to “pampering” and can be simply stunning.

Well, today we’re going back to the 1 Series – last week we saw a modded 135i Coupe that belongs to Mohammad, one of our long time readers – and we’re bringing you another stunning 1 Series Coupe.

The beautiful 135i Coupe belongs to Mark Jardine and the license plate says it all: he is a true “1Addict”. As usual, words cannot describe it best, so we’ll let the photos do the talk.

Thanks for the shots Mark!

At this moment, there are almost 400 photos of your own bimmers and it’s growing every day. Our goal is to reach 1,000 within the next few months and eventually create the largest BMW photo gallery.

So let’s recap a little bit what we’ve done in the past. Week 1 winner trophy was awarded to not one, but three bimmers: 1987 E24 M6, 1992 E36 325iS and 1974 BMW 2002. In the second week, the award went to the previous generation E83 Z4 Roadster with some of the best scenery photos we have seen so far. Third week and the most controversial one, was all about this “funky” modded E36 BMW which went a bit over the top.

So…….the week four award for the most interesting BMW goes to…..Mohammed, one of our longest time readers here at BMWBLOG. Mohammed’s 135i Coupe is one of those bimmers that just stands out. Of course, the suspension upgrades help also, giving the car an even more aggressive stance, not that it ever needed.

We won’t reveal all the details about this 135i Coupe since we will give it an entire article very soon, showing the visual differences prior and after the upgrades.

In the mean time, enjoy the photos and please head over to our Flickr BMWBLOG Group and add some more.

“Is 300 hp too much power for a compact, four-passenger sport coupe? Back in 1974, singer Barry White softly spoke the timeless line, “I’ve heard people say that too much of anything is not good for you, baby.”

Although White, of course, was referring to the love of a woman, nearly everyone who got behind the wheel of our Four Seasons 2008 BMW 135i coupe had similar thoughts about the twin-turbo six under its hood: was it simply too much for this little car?”

Before you jump into their lengthy article, here are some of the overall stats posted by them:

RUNNING COSTS

Mileage
20,683 miles
Warranty
4-yr/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper
4-yr/50,000-mile maintenance
4-yr/unlimited-mile roadside assistance
12-yr/unlimited-mile corrosion
Scheduled maintenance
15,548 mi: $0
Warranty repairs
5696 mi: Replace low-pressure fuel pump, per service bulletin
Out-of-pocket
16,909 mi: Purchase, mount, and balance four Pirelli SottoZero run-flat winter tires, $956Recalls
None
Fuel consumption
EPA city/hwy/combined
17/25/20 mpg
Observed 21 mpg
Cost per mile
(Fuel, service, winter tires) $0.20
($0.77 including depreciation)

Continue reading 2008 BMW 135i Coupe Review

As BMW mentions on their Performance Accessories page, the exhaust system invigorates engine output by allowing engine by-products to exit the vehicle more efficiently. Performance is being slightly increased as well, up to 5 horsepower at 6,000 RPM.

But probably the most exciting thing about this BMW Performance Exhaust is the sound, that “roaring”, deep sound that makes our skin crawl. While the original exhaust already “screams of power”, the upgraded Performance system takes it a bit further.

Click here to view the embedded video.

BMW North America advertises the Performance Exhaust System as $1,095, but the final price may vary based on installation costs and taxes. As we mentioned earlier, all the Performance Accessories are automatically covered under the original warranty or 2-years/24,000 miles.

Thanks for the video Mohammed!

On the other hand, the Lancer EVO is powered by a 291 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine and has the same amount of torque, 300 lb-ft. Both cars weigh around 3,500 lbs, with the 135i Coupe being slightly “skinnier”.

So, the specs are fairly close to each other, but let’ see how they handle on track.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Eisenmann 82/83 exhaust system seen in the video and photos below is priced at around $1,800, but according to many 1 Series fans, it is absolutely worth it. I haven’t had the chance to test it, but after seeing the video below, I have no choice but to join Nate and his team for a ride.

Beside the cool look, the Eisenmann exhaust sound is phenomenal, proving once again that the BMW 1 Series Coupe belongs to the true bimmer fans.

I would tell you more about the exhaust, but I would rather let you enjoy the great video, and wait about three minutes in and you will have another surprise. You’ll see why we like the “IND dudes”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Photo gallery after the jump

So, when I saw the article on Car and Driver, comparing the BMW 135i to the Nissan 370Z, Mazda RX-8 and Pontiac Solstice GXP, I knew I would take the time to read it.

Besides prices in the low- to mid-$30,000s, what’s the common thread? Sport. As in “sports coupes cum sports cars.” Granted, that’s an elastic category, but regardless of their differences, all have a little race car baked in. More than a little, usually.

Body styles aside, attitude and agility color all the players in this foursome. To what degree—that’s what we went to Southern California to find out.

The 135i seems at a glance to be the least compatible member of this troupe, a formal coupe with only tenuous claim to the title “sports car.” But it has 300 horsepower under its hood, we haven’t found other suitable showdown opponents, and besides, it’s a BMW.

The two other challengers are easier to categorize. Both wear the sports-car mantle comfortably, as two-seaters that are updates on earlier designs. Nissan’s 370Z represents an extensive makeover: updated chassis, new dimensions, new sheetmetal, and new engine. The Pontiac Solstice GXP has acquired a roof, fulfilling the promise of the coupe concept that debuted seven years ago.

Read the full article here: Car and Driver

With that being said, I am pretty sure that his sources gave him some details on which direction BMW will go with their new design, so even thought the final product will not be identical, I wouldn’t be surprised if many design elements from his rendering will be reflected onto the production vehicle.

What do we know about the 135i SuperSport?

We know that BMW will be more adventurous with their new 1 Series, moving away from the “safe design” we see right now. We know that BMW needs to offer a new car for its enthusiasts, something that will replace the so-missed M1. With them moving towards smaller, more efficient cars, it is only wise to develop a super sporty car based on a 1 Series platform.

The 1 Series SuperSport will differentiate from the regular BMW 135i with the Performance Package, by adding upgraded performance parts. The Supersport will be limited to the Coupe body style and it will use lightweight materials, such as Carbon Fiber Roof, hood or bootlid, lightweight glass. Upgraded suspensions and brakes will give the impression and feel of an M car, but without the M badge.

With the current BMW vehicles getting heavier and larger with each generation, BMW is looking into sacrificing certain cabin comfort equipment, with the clear goal of reducing the car’s general weight.

And this brings us to the engine discussion. With the BMW 120i and 135i being considered the ideal candidates for a SuperSport model, then the four-cylinder twin-turbo engine comes back in play. We learned early last year that a 4 cyl twin-turbo engine is in works and BMW is trying to push that engine to its limit. Last I heard, the engine was outputting 240 hp, but we could expect more from the final product.

Obviously, the BMW 135i SuperSports will be powered by a tuned up version of the many times award winning 6 cylinder twin-turbo engine.

Who would BMW target with the SuperSport model?

The BMW 1 Series Coupe is a very popular choice among young enthusiasts migrating from the MINI brand or even from the competitors, such as Mercedes CLC. Young professionals that can’t yet afford an M3 or M5, would fit the demographic. Basically, any BMW fans “falling” into the gap between a 135i Coupe and an M3, would become potential buyers.

Returning to the original question: what if the BMW SuperSports will look like this, will you dig it?

[Photo Source: Autobild ]

Once I received these photos in the email, I knew that I have to share them with you. The black BMW 135i Coupe along with a great Nikon camera make together a nice desktop wallpaper or even…a BMW ad.

If you have been a long time reader on our blog, you might remember that I was and still am a big fan of the new BMW 135i Coupe model, that was launched earlier this year.

The BMW 135i Coupe was one of the most anticipated bimmers in the past few years and the buzz before the launch reached impressive levels. As soon as the car came out, we took it for a test drive, ignoring the not so friendly Chicago weather.

Josh, our editor, decided to test the 135i Coupe in the beautiful sunny North Carolina and he put the car to some intensive testing.

The Black Sapphire Metallic is a great color on the 1 Series, but it comes with a hefty price: keeping it clean at all time. The car’s owner in these photos, SF_VR6 from e90post, seems to be doing a great job detailing the car and to spoil us even more, he snapped a shot of the Porsche Cayman S sitting next to the bimmer.

Thanks for the tip Michael!

Today Hartge announced a new tuning program for the 135i, increasing hp to 345hp and torque to 354lb-ft. They claim 0-62mph is 0.5s faster.

They also have a new aerokit complete with front spoiler lip, roof spoiler, lip for boot lid, rear diffuser and side sills. Interior offerings include 3-spoke leather steering wheel with silver (or black) carbon inserts, illuminated gear knob, alcantara gater and handbrake handle in combinations of leather and aluminium.

Article By Jason from Porsche-Report.

The strongest 135i’s points were the always amazing BMW handling, the impressive 5.2 seconds straight line and of course, the sporty exterior design.

I remember back in September ‘07, that one of your most popular articles was about a comparison between the 135i and Subaru’s WRX STI. Several advantages were listed but since the 135i Coupe was not released at that time, everything was based on rumors and initial tests. I have also always wanted to put the 135i head-to-head against the Lancer Evo, but I didn’t feel that they belong in the same class. Well, apprently Consumer Reports thouhgt they do, so we will let them have at it in just a few moments.

But before I will let you read the quite long report, which btw, gives out some detailed technical information, I would love to hear your opinion on this. Would you rather take one of the other cars before the 135i?

Consumer Reports Press Release via MarketWatch

While I do agree with him on several points, I also feel the need to mention that the BMW 135i can be as fun as you make it to be. The car has potential, but it “follows” your driving style.

Anyway, it’s a great short review and I had fun reading it.

I keep hearing from others how good our 2008 BMW 135i is, so this weekend I did my best to ignore its red-orange paint, eternally stunned expression and squishy seats. For the first 30 miles of errand-running, this was pretty easy: This car is quick. Not in an explosive, must-go-to-redline sort of way, but in an I-can’t-believe-I’m-going-that-fast-because-it’s-just-so-smooth kind of way.

But after I realized how easily I could make myself into the most beloved motorist on the freeway in the 135i, I got bored with it.

It doesn’t ride well and feels much less refined than a 3 Series: When it hits an expansion joint, the 1 feels kind of squooshy as its springs compress, but then it rebounds more harshly than I think it should. The steering disappoints me, too. The ratio doesn’t seem quick enough for the small, elfin BMW, and there’s not much feel. I realize my observations contradict earlier things we’ve written about this car, so you should feel free to disagree with me on all points.

Full review here

I start with the Mini because technically it has been around longer. When I worked as a car salesman, we had a beautiful cream colored 2004 Mini Cooper S with black racing stripes. It even had the rather nice 6-speed manual tranny too. Any time that I had to go and do something for the dealership, the Cooper S was the car I immediately got the keys for. I loved it. If you know me I’m not much on front-wheel drive cars, but Mini’s I love, I love them more than many rear-wheel drive cars. A Cooper to me holds so true to the value of less is more, while at the same time being a true BMW. Drive one; you will understand then what I’ve been saying to you.

The Mini Cooper S has a semi-wallet caring price of $21,200. Be careful though, because the options list is long and can get rather pricey in the end. Outside of Porsche’s, I have never ever built another car online that has more options and accessories to make the car individually yours. They might as well add in a free logo on the roof of the car that says “this car is mine and made by me!” The one I just happened to build landed me in hot water at $37,746. Forego some of the radical options –I pretty much fully loaded the car- and you have a reasonable $25-32K car.

Remember though, while you are building the Mini, that it can handle more than most. If you are into the performance abilities of your car, and not just straight line speed, you have one of the best all-round performers in the world. When equipped with the optional limited slip differential you can toss the Cooper S around like it’s a go-kart that is geared more towards adults. Let me put it this way to you. A friend of mine who has a beautiful Z3 M Roadster with about 360hp and 360lb-ft of torque rated at the rear wheels, is an Autocross guy. He wins quite a bit and knows how to drive his ride. He told me once that if a stock Mini Cooper S shows up at an Auto-X, he is taking second. That is pretty epic in my book. Epic in the sense that a small turbocharged car making all of 172hp and 177lb-ft of torque can take a Z3 M Roadster weighing similar weights around short courses like Autocrosses.

The BMW 135i is a rather different car on the other hand. It is similar in the principle of the Mini, that less is in fact more, but it happens to be an even faster and better all-round performer. For more money though. The price to get into the 135 world is a Mini Cooper S loaded price of $34,900. That happens to be just shy of $3,000 less than my fully packaged Mini. Let us not forget that with the 135i you get a lot more space and a monumental amount of performance that is easily rivaling older M3’s, M5’s and current Porsche’s. The 135i, like the Mini, will jump up in price quick, as shown by almost fully loaded build of $45,595. That is expensive, but then again, you do get near exotic sports car performance from something that is just bigger than a shoe box.

The 135i has proven itself to be faster than its bigger 335i brethren. It is also obviously much faster than the Cooper S, with a 0-60 time of 4.7s versus a 6.2s 0-60, roughly that of a 328i.

There are the similarities of both vehicles being BMW making both cars, and phenomenally, if I may say so. The 135i is the performance bargain depending on what you are going to do with it, while the Mini is the performance bargain depending on what you are doing with it also. They come from a clear cut mold from past cars that have been updated to the 21^st Century. With that said, they are both radically different. They both appeal to an opposite audience. The Mini can be more of the young boy racers fantasy, or first real performance car, while the BMW is the mature young adults BMW. Both are throwbacks, and both offer perfection in so many ways.

Now it comes down to which one you would rather have. Size is of course a rather significant difference with the trunk of the 135i being 10.0 cubic feet where as the Mini has a rear hatch that provides only 5.7 cubic feet with the rear seats up. With the seats down though, it does provide 24 cubic feet worth of space. Not bad for such a tiny car. Either way you go you won’t have a lot of back seat riders anyway, so chuck that into the extra storage compartment. I guess I now have to tell you which one I would rather have. It’s a hard choice. The Mini gets better gas mileage at 34 highway and 26 city, while the 1er only gets 17 city and 25 highway. That is crucial in today’s gas war…   I guess I’ll take… Both! Hey, I didn’t say money was a factor.

Article by Josh from RawAutos.com

Thanks to Car and Driver for the great Mini Cooper S photo.

The build sheets are below in thumbnail form for both cars.

Edmunds has an interesting test video of the close competition of the E46 BMW M3 against the new 135i and 335i. The 135i and 335i share the same engine which is an all new 3.0-liter inline 6 cylinder twin turbo producing 300 horsepower. Although the 0-60 times were totally off for Edmund’s M3 test, it is apparent that the M3 has an edge over both the 135i and 335i. Many times the test drivers get it all wrong and sometimes the get it right such as where the Automotive Addicts Blog posted the 135i running a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds. The test goes on to show that the M3 had the better track time while the 135i and 335i are still decent performers that deserve a serious look by all serious automotive enthusiasts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Advevo, a member of 1addicts.com has posted some photos of his new BMW 135i modified with some parts from the Performance catalog. The 135i model in the picture has received the aero kit parts along with a different set of wheels. 

The owner was probably set back about $3000-$4000, but in my opinion, it was well worth it.

Btw, did I tell you how much I love the White Alpine on the 1 Series?

Here is a summary of their BMW 135i Performance Engine Software:

The Dinan Performance Engine Software safely increases turbo-boost pressure from the stock 8.8 to 13.2 psi, along with properly retuned fuel mixtures, ignition timing and full map rescaling.The Dinan Performance Engine Software safely increases turbo-boost pressure from the stock 8.8 to 13.2 psi, along with properly retuned fuel mixtures, ignition timing and full map rescaling. In fact, over 2000 engine management functions have been recalibrated, offering substantial increases in power output while maintaining the civility and reliability expected of a Dinan performance product.

Remapped Water Pump Speeds. In an effort to more effectively control oil and water temperatures, the Dinan software actually increases water pump speeds as boost pressure increases.

Boost Pressure Control. Increased boost pressure exceeds the turbochargers’ design limitations at higher rpm, potentially shortening their lifespan. Dinan addresses this issue by tapering the boost gradually at higher engine speeds. This approach also addresses the fact that with increased boost at higher rpm the turbocharger temperatures would exceed the intercooler’s ability to cool the intake charge, resulting in a loss of power and compromising the long-term durability of the engine. The tapered boost keeps temperatures within the design limitations so as to optimize output and ensure engine reliability with the added boost pressure.

The results of Dinan’s tuning are nothing short of breathtaking, with the added boost and related recalibration producing maximum output of 384 horsepower at 5700 rpm and 421 lb-ft torque at 4300 rpm. All of this additional power is available from Dinan’s software alone, which is easily downloaded by your Authorized Dinan Dealer in about an hour. 

You can read more on their website: BMW 135i Performance Engine Software

Us, the folks in the States, really don't have many places where we can speed, therefore, I am always more interested on how a car handles in compare to others and how fun of a drive it actually is. 

Well, let me just say this: the BMW 135i has NOT let me down. Now let's go over some details.

Our dear friend Irv Robinson, from edBMW.com and Motorwerks BMW, has allowed us to take the 135i for a spin. The car we drove was an automatic Black Saphire 135i, fairly loaded, Premium Package, Sport Package and with the beautiful Coral Red Boston leather. The MSRP was $42,325, slightly more expensive that my 335i. 

Interior 

Even though, I have seen the 1-series interior many times, including at the Chicago Auto Show back in February,  I was still surprised how simple and classy the finishes are. As I have mentioned before, with small exceptions, the dashboard and the sound unit are the same as the ones found in the 3-series. The extra little things that make the 135i stand out, are the M elements that add something unique to the car. 

The leather is up to pair with BMW's standards and the Red Coral Boston is truly an amazing color. I have seen the Superman combo(Montego Blue/Coral Red) and while I found the combination to be very interesting, I would rather have the Red Coral contrasting with a black exterior paint. 

The sport seats are great and I definitely recommend everyone to purchase the Sport Package. Even though there were not many curvy roads along our test drive path, the seats offered good support and they comfortably wrap around the driver. 

There is not a lot of space in back, so it's almost better to consider the 135i as having a 2+2 seating arrangement. I am 6"2 and I decided to ride in the back for a little bit and see for myself how comfortable it will feel. If you're above 6" and you will ride in the back for more than an hour, I can definitely tell you that it will feel a bit uncomfortable.

Overall, the 1's interior is excellent. Not only does it have a nice feel, it looks great too. All BMWs share a similar interior design theme. Ok, maybe not the M6

I'm sure you have read tons of reports on the 1 series interior and have seen many photos as well, so we will just move on to more important things.

Exterior

I have to say from the start that I am not a big fan of the Black Saphire, maybe because we reside in the Midwest and our winters are tough on the cars. As you can see from the photos, the black exterior does not compliment the 135i's dynamic elements. BMW managed to compress all the styling cues – kidney grilles, purposeful front end, and edgy cutlines — into a neat package. Another interesting aspect is that the 135i comes standard with functional M-style aero panels. 

I was also in love with the fact that the 135is have black tipped twin exhaust pipe while the 128is use bright chrome.  Also, the 135 has an additional lip spoiler extra rear end downforce.

As far as the exterior paint options, I still believe that the Alpine White and Sedona Red will be the most popular colors on the 1-series. 

Looking at the car as a whole, it resembles the E46 3-series models, but up to a point.  There are still very different "beasts". 

On the road

Here is the part I have been waiting for. As I have mentioned in the beginning of this revie, the 135i has not let me down. It was everything I expected and more. Even though it has the same engine as its bigger sibling, the 335i, the fact that it is about 200 lbs lighter, it definitely makes a difference in the way it handles and in terms of speed as well. According to people that have test drove the cars on the track, the 0-60 time on 135i is about 0.2-0.3 smaller than on the 335i. To me, the 135i just felt faster. I drove my 335i right before I jumped into the 135i, just so I can make a fair comparison. And nonetheless, the 135i was defintely faster. I wish I could have test driven a 1er with a stick shift, but the paddle shifters were fun also. 

We managed to find a less populated road with a fairly long straight line, so we were able to push this baby a little bit. We went up to almost 120mph and the engine sound was just breathtaking. Initially the brakes feel too sharp, but after a mile or so you adapt your driving style and everything falls into place. The ride is perfectly judged; firm but not too stiff, just..somewhere in between. At the end of this article, I will post some Youtube videos that will help you visualize better what I have just said. 

Bottom line, the BMW 135i is a fun ride and this is coming from someone that is in love with his 335i and always believed that it's one of the most fun bimmers to drive around, but the 135i has just managed to change my mind. Would I give up my 3er for the it? It depends, if the legroom wasn't such a squeeze, then I would have probably be in a 135i right now. But I guess, while we're getting older, the comfort beats the thrill  

Instead of inventing clever phrases for the ending, let’s just say the BMW 135i is incredible driving fun. If you have not had a chance to drive one, take a ride to your local BMW dealers and afterwards, let me know what you think.