The 135i - A Cult Car in The Making ?

[Qunadry]

Who cares if it becomes a cult car or not. I bought mine because it was much more fun to drive than my 2007 335i. It makes me happy!

[IZAGLO]

i have young and old entusiasts almost weekly gawking and making positive comments on my Sedonna Red 135i...even those 20 something STI guy's. Don't get me wrong the STI and the EVO are nice cars...i have owned my share of JDM godiedsand just sold my 300 hp+ Speed3 that was faster than a stock STI for the 1.....like the STI and EVO...and indeed it is quite interesting to me when 'older" BMW owners compliment me on the 1, even when they are driving the 7 series behemouths!!

[Garduna]

Originally Posted by Sylon

The Impreza/WRX/STi is more likely a cult car. Just like the Evo, the Mini, and the Jeep Wrangler. Its easy to tell because with those cars, not waving at another is considered disrespectful. Driving my Subaru, I even got waves from Evo owners. Definitely a strong community following with these cars.

Not so much with the 1 series. A lot of people in the States (and even most of the Americans here in Germany) buy the 1 series because its the cheapest way to get a BMW. Most of them buy the 128i, or even the 328i if they have a family. They buy them just to so they can say they have a BMW, its more of an image thing rather than for the driving experience.

I'm just saying the 1 series doesnt have the same kind of following as the other "cult" cars out there. The WRX and Evo's are pushing it, but they are a lot more of one than the 1 series.

+1 on that. Tho the only difference is the whole 135 and 128 comparison. I've seen equal number of both in Toronto.

[rsjean]

Originally Posted by maxnix

In the late Sixties and early Seventies (pre 320) every BMW driver flashed his headlights at an oncoming BMW.

So does that mean that EVERY BMW owner was an enthusiast?

BTW a lot were still doing this, including me, when I had my E28.

[BMW86]

Originally Posted by mephiska

My WRX on the other hand, yeah, in 2002 when the car was still new to the US, you waved when you saw another one. After 3 years on and Subaru sold over 150-200k of the things here, many of which were bought in the Bay Area, people stopped waving because the car was just so common. You got tired of waving all the time. Then you just waved or nodded at other drivers who'd clearly modified theirs. You see another WRX with rims and lowered, you might give him/her a nod. If its stock you can can usually tell that the other driver didn't buy the car for the same reasons I did and didn't have that same attachment to it.

+1

Originally Posted by Phased

As has always been the case for BMW's they aren't a cult car from the start. Rich Yuppies buy them initially and then they trickle down as they age. So yes, the WRX is currently more of a cult car. The 135i will definitely be more of a cult car in 15 years than any specific generation of the WRX or Evo. A true cult car? Perhaps. We'll have to see whether poor douchebags continue buying lease return 3 series or if they buy the 1 series in a couple years.

+ 1

Originally Posted by timhatimay

I think the poor resale, lesser initial cost, and performance potential will make this a future cult car. After a few years when they are cheap, its possible they will be bought up in favor of more expensive BMWs, or equivalently priced evos, wrxs, etc. Especially with the progress being made with power potential from the N54. I think with work the chassis, can also be a good performer (look at Berk!). Since M's always seem like cult cars, but usually hold their value, the 135i will be an attractive alternative for more power and great performance.

Supras were similar in stock form (although that was years ago), but it was their potential that made them a cult car later. I think its rare enough, and not as appealing to the "image" buyer...I get asked all the time, why I didn't just get a 3 series?! Maybe it won't be the next rx7, galant vr-4, supra, etc, but I think it will eventually achieve cult status.

+ 1


Some really good points here. I think you have to look at it this way.
3.0 litre 6 cylinder 306hp 225kw 400nm twin turbo. What's not to like?

Plus the car is so detuned from factory the engine handles extra power so well. This engine is a modders dream. There's already a few aftermarket options for mods, ie exhaust, intake, tune, etc to customise our 135i. The car came in at such a bargain price that it will only take a few years before it becomes more accessible to anyone.

I imagine there will be a few 135i's completely riced with custom paint jobs and BOV becoming stock standard when this car is 8+ years old. Eventually, in 10-15 years I see this car as being no different than what a 10-15 year old supra is today in terms of potential for huge power. Except, I see the 135i being a lot better in stock form than your stock supra.

It will be interesting to see the progression of this car over the years, this model will definitely be well known. To find out if the '135i' truly is a cult car we need to know what the successor is like, and most importantly it's specs. It will need to remain turbo imo.

[MFIZZLENYC]

I would say Nope...

A 2002 is a cult classic... with time and a miraculous disappearance of the large amount of produced 135s... yeah it could one day... also the original series 1 of the 1 will be worth more...

SO SAYS MFIZZLEDOMOUS!!!!!

[bluejaypanther]

I've run into a few 135i's on the road and none of them have by driven by anyone I could ever confuse for an enthusiast. Just disinterested, aloof, luxury-car drivers who seem uncomfortable at the sight of someone else driving their status symbol, and seem intent on avoiding eye contact, so they don't have to acknowledge that they share something in common with someone else.

I'm talking in generalities here, but I get the feeling like these folks bought the bigger engine because they view horsepower as an indicator of prestige, rather than a metric of performance.

[CarCzar128i]

Originally Posted by maxnix

In the late Sixties and early Seventies (pre 320) every BMW driver flashed his headlights at an oncoming BMW. They were much rarer then and the predominant cars were American junk with big engines, no brakes, solid rear axles, and lifetime of 50K if you were lucky.

I never got the memo about flashing matching cars. I thought a flashed headlight meant either a) Warning oncoming traffic about a speed trap, or b) "Hey, it's dark and your headlights aren't on!"