BMW 1 Series Coupe: 135i Blasts Into Action

Motoring Channel Staff - 29/June/2007

London, England — Following a raft of spy photos from the 'Ring in Germany and endless speculation about what could be one of the best-handling Beemers to ever hit the asphalt, BMW has released official information and photography for the promising 1 Series Coupe.

Four models will be built, two diesel and two petrol, and at this stage BMW Australia has announced only one model will be coming Down Under, in the form of the range-topping 135i. It has been given an 'early 2008' release date.

The Coupe will be different to the 1 Series hatch in the same way that the 3 Series Coupe is a sportier model than the 3 Series sedan. Angled more towards performance, the endless testing the compact coupe has been subjected to at the Nürburgring in Germany will ensure the vehicle is both rewarding to drive and blistering quick.

Featuring a rear-wheel drive layout and 50:50 weight distribution, performance nuts and car enthusiasts will be waiting with baited breath for the new vehicle's arrival. It made it's first 'official' public appearance at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany.

BMW has outlined two petrol models in the new range, which will be launched in Europe in November and North America in the second quarter of 2008:

128i - 3.0-litre 6-cylinder petrol engine
135i - 3.0-litre 6-cylinder twin turbo petrol engine

As mentioned only the 135i will be coming to Australia, but there will be diesel models for some markets such as Europe, including the 120d and 123d, which will provide improved fuel economy over their 3.0-litre gasoline-powered cousins.

Everyone in the office is very excited about the prospect of this short-wheel based coupe and the performance potential it heralds - particularly when it is powered by the new twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol engine from the 335i Coupe.

The new 135i Coupe will have bahn-storming performance for a car so small, claimed to destroy the zero to 100km/h benchmark time in just 5.3 seconds, almost as quick as the highly lauded Porsche Cayman S. 

The 135i Coupe is powered by a front-mounted 3.0-litre engine that gets a boost from a pair of turbochargers to produce 225kW (306hp), which is transferred to the rear wheels in a traditional sports car layout. The engine also features air-to-air intercooling, and develops an impressive 400Nm @ 1400rpm, which will give the diminutive car an incredible mid-range surge.

Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h (155mph) as are all BMW production cars and the premature press release also confirms that both the 135i and 128i will get on-demand engine coolant pumps. These improve fuel economy and "reduce parasitic losses for increased output".

The 128i model will powered by a naturally aspirated version of the 3.0-litre straight six, making 170kW (230hp) and 270Nm of torque. It is a slightly de-tuned version of the engine powering the 130i hatch, which we road tested here.

Two diesel models will also be offered in the 1 Series Coupe line-up, including the 123d. This is likely to be powered by a twin-turbo 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel and develop a very handy 152kW (204hp) and will take roughly 7.0 seconds to reach 100km/h. The base model 120d will generate about 132kW (177hp) and will be the most fuel efficient 1 Series coupe in the range.

Providing scorching performance in a compact form is one thing, but to attract customers to what will likely be pricey models will take more than just twin turbochargers. As such, the new models are unmistakably BMW, but the front end pales in comparison to the 3 Series Coupe, which benefitted from an entirely new design when compared to the 3 Series saloon.

It's compact dimensions add intrigue, and it looks interesting from the side and the rear, but the front end with its flowing headlight shape may offend some people's sense of vehicular style.

According to the BMW press release, the 1 Series Coupe has a "powerful and muscular body". Together with the trademark Hofmeister kink and the bulging wheel arches, the small vehicle has very short front overhangs like most BMWs giving it an aggressive stance. The 135i Coupe models will also benefit from a standard 'M' aerodynamic kit, tying the car closer to the ground.

Xenon headlights with the adaptive headlight feature and cornering lights are standard on the 135i model, and will optional on other grades.

Rear end styling for the 1 Series Coupe begins with L-shaped brake light clusters (which will include LEDs to boost visibility/coolness) above which sits an integrated deck lid spoiler with a subtle curve. All of the photos are of the 135i with the 'M' aerodynamic kit, which also adds things like the grey section of the lower rear apron, and an enlarged front air dam underneath the twin kidney grille at the front.

Other features that the 'M' sports package adds include M logo door sill trims, an M leather sport steering wheel and an M logo footrest for the driver's left foot, and even things like new roof lining and aluminium interior accents. With more aggressive throttle mapping for quicker response, the M sports package also adds a high-performance brake package, which brings 6-piston fixed calipers at the front and twin-piston fixed calipers at the rear to the table.

The 135i model will come standard with attractive 18-inch alloy wheels, no doubt shod with grippy tyres, and other models will get 17-inch rims. The suspension consists of independent suspension at all four corners, with a lightweight aluminium double-joint axle at the front and a five-link steel axle at the rear. The 135i model with its M aero package will get upgraded sports suspension to suit its performance bent.

Driving aids will be included, such as dynamic stability control and dynamic traction control - both of which can be completely disabled. In addition, ABS, automatic stability control and cornering brake control make the cut and active steering with be an option, which counter steers the car to prevent it from losing control on low friction or wet roads.

Typical BMW levels of luxury will be found inside the new 1 Series Coupe, including leatherette (pleather?) or rich Boston leather. The iDrive control system is an option, as are sports seats with pronounced side bolsters, and the compact coupe also features useful extras like an auxiliary input jack and a USB port for direct control of an PC or Mac based MP3 player. BMW also mentions that twinsub woofers are located in the vehicle floor, but it's not clear if these are optional or standard equipment.

We do know that all 1 Series Coupes will come standard with "no less than six airbags" and "crash-optimised seats with specially padded headrests and backrests significantly reducing the risk of injury in an impact from the rear". ISOFIX fastenings for child seats will also be standard features.

The new BMW 1 Series Coupe was launched at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and BMW drew comparisons with the 1960s BMW 2002 to add a bit of historic meaning to the new model.

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- BMW 130i M Sport (Road Test)
- BMW 120i (Road Test)
- BMW 3 Series Coupe (2007)
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- BMW 3 Series Convertible (2007)
- BMW M6 Edition Race by Hamann (2006)
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