MSN UK review 135i 5/5

[jus711]

Link:http://cars.uk.msn.com/Reviews/artic...-page-number=1


BMW 1-Series Coupé (2007 onwards model)


October 21 2007

• What – BMW 135i Coupé
• Where – Gotland, Sweden
• Date – October 2007
• Price – £29,745
• Available – November 2007
• Key rivals – Audi S3, Audi TT, Alfa Romeo Brera

Summary
Expansion of 1-Series range sees two-door Coupé join the ranks - and immediately becomes the choice version of the lot.

• Likes: Styling, super engine, handling
• Dislikes: Cramped in rear, steering could be more detailed

• GALLERY: BMW 1-Series Coupé

First impressions


The 2002 was the sporting Coupé that made BMW famous. Today's 3-Series is as engaging as it is because of that crisp, compact classic. No wonder, then, that the launch conference hall of the 1-Series Coupé was full of them. For the new model is, according to BMW, the 2002, reborn. Has to be, really, in order to be distinct from the dearer, more upstanding 3-Series Coupé. This is the rabble-rouser, the loud, bold upstart to drag young-affluents away from their TTs and reignite some of that old-school BMW brashness. It's also the car that takes the 1-Series to the US. Americans, see, hate hatches.




To Sweden. And the stubby, chunky Coupé looks as good in the metal as it looked three-box and boring under the Frankfurt Motor Show lights (and in the first press shots). "Light never lies," says the Brit designer responsible for all 1-Series, Kevin Rice. Let there be, to reveal a complex shape, full of surprises, dominated by the strong shoulder line - cabin floating above, rear wheels bulging below. The front wheels are pushed forward, as if they've overtaken the car - no surprise, given the choice of 177bhp or 204bhp diesels they're shoved by. Or, the engine we tested, a 305bhp straight-six turbo.


Performance


1000rpm. Floor it. Immediately, the 135i responds and with vigour. Two small turbos, each feeding three cylinders, exploit natural resonances to yield 295lb/ft of torque from 1300rpm - and direct injection helps maintain it to 5000rpm. Astounding. With all that power too, you bet it's fast. Infinitesimal turbo lag means cocked trigger throttle response, that will drag you to 60mph in 5.3 seconds, and past slower traffic in an instant (you needn't bother with a gearchange; savour the smoothness right to the 7000rpm redline if you do). How BMW' has made a turbocharged engine so linear, so 'classic carburettor' precise, is as mystifying as the tailgate badge pretending that it's not a 3.0-litre.




It even sounds like a classic BMW. And the throbby straight-six wail is even better from outside, with an '80s 3-Series rasp to the black chrome twin exhausts (new trend alert) that's just a little naughty, ever so slightly bad boy. Speaking of which, the stubby six-sped gearchange controls a smoothly taut drivetrain, equipped with clever electronics that imitate, effectively, a rear diff. So you can deploy it all without an inside tyre smoking it away. Perfect for giving it a bootful and getting the tail out.


Ride and handling


The Coupé has a bodyshell stiffer than the hatch, and it's been tuned to offer a more fluid, confident feel. The lower centre of gravity yields better poise, and the 'hunkered down' sensation means you're reassured from the off. Crisply-responding steering has a tiny bit of straight-ahead stiction, but despite being short of feel too it proves weighty and accurate. On the track, understeer was apparent; surely BMW hasn't intentionally dialled it in - with narrower front tyres than rears, to dull the 135i for the US market? - but it's less of an issue on the road. The bite to small steering inputs, and the immediacy, is very impressive.




This is particularly apparent on that circuit BMW laid on for us. DSC off, I had the confidence to get the tail dramatically out under power within two laps; it's a playful but friendly machine, as precise as you wish, feeling every inch the oversteering '70s saloon car but with all the sophistication you expect 30 extra years to bring. Fear not the ride, either, despite 18-inch runflats. It's fittingly firm, given the M Sport sill kickplates, but the latest-generation Bridgestone runflats remove the harshness that afflicted past M Sport models. And, if it's all goes awry, brakes? Specific to 135i, 6-pot anchors (with embossed grey callipers) are sharp but imposing.


Interior


It's as per 1-Series hatch, so much improved by the facelift last year. In the rear, it's similarly tight, too, despite BMW reckoning it's a full four-seater. Ironically the saloon-like tail has yielded a boot bigger than the 'more practical' hatch - 370 litres is 20 litres up. A multitude of seat and dash trims gives over 200 interior permutations, though all have basics the M3 fails to get right: low-mounted seats and a steering wheel that's neither ridiculously thick nor squashy and spongy. Like the M3, the dial pack includes an oil temperature dial, for some sporting kudos.


Economy and safety


This is a 30.7mpg, 305bhp car that, next year, will cost £8 to hit London's Congestion zone yet still hit 62mph in 5.3secs. BMW's admirable Efficient Dynamics at play. Instead of spending on a niche hybrid, it's put the money into reducing the CO2 of cars we actually all buy, and should be congratulated for it. As for safety, the stiffer structure of the Coupé may help crash integrity, as will six standard airbags, but the very well-sorted DSC stability control should also keep them at bay. As will, if you turn it off, the Coupé's fluidly benign, well-sorted handling.


The MSN Cars verdict: 5/5
We went from being cool on the 1-Series Coupé, to seeing it transformed before our eyes on the road, to discovering it lives up to this promise from behind the wheel. Below £30k for the super-fast 135i - and £21k for the volume 120d? Really, BMW admits it's without direct rival. Even so, queues have got to be forming...


Ratings out of five: BMW 135i Coupé
Performance
*****
Ride & handling
****
Interior
****
Safety

****

Price
****
Practicality
**
Fuel economy
****
MSN Cars verdict
*****


Need to know
Petrol engine
3.0-litre, twin-turbo
Disel engines
2.0 turbo, 2.0 twin-turbo
Power (bhp)
177-306
Torque (lb/ft)
258-295
0-62 (secs)
7.6-5.3
Top speed (mph)
142-155
Combined mpg
30.7-58.9
C02 emissions (g/km)/tax (%)
128/18 - 220/31

[dna550]

Great post. Thanks Jus711.

Finally, a review of the 1 Coupe by an Enthusiast!!

[atr_hugo]

Answers a bit of the steering question too! (I'll take weighty and accurate - even with less than ideal feel - gotta be better then the electric rack in the Chevy Cobalt Hertz saddled me with last week - sloppy AND lacking in feel ; -).

[ChrisK]

Finally the reviews are streaming in!

[larryn]

Nice to see these reviews. It's not my determining buying factor, but it sure helps to nice a nice average of all of these driving impressions.

Anybody else find that the author's name might have gotten him a difficult time through grade school?

Yet another review that compares this car to the Alfa Brera. If only they offered that car in the States (heck, in North America, for that matter). It's darned close to Sex on Wheels. It might not go quite as fast as the 135, it certainly makes up for it in looks and driving position. Take a look: http://www.brera.alfaromeo.com/

[larryn]

Sorry for the second post, but this deserved to be in a separate post. One of the most important quotes from the article:

"Speaking of which, the stubby six-sped gearchange controls a smoothly taut drivetrain, equipped with clever electronics that imitate, effectively, a rear diff. So you can deploy it all without an inside tyre smoking it away. Perfect for giving it a bootful and getting the tail out."

[BForbes]

Wow. There is just no denying this damn car is blisteringly fast. Every review has said it. :biggrin: Go BMW!

[ParkerC]

He mentions the six-pot brakes

No mention of extra oil cooler though...

Parker

[Driv3r]

Originally Posted by ParkerC

He mentions the six-pot brakes

No mention of extra oil cooler though...

Parker

he probably rather didn't get sport package to test or he doesn't know about it...all we know is that it was on the official BMW release

[dna550]

Originally Posted by atr_hugo

I'll take weighty and accurate - even with less than ideal feel.

Get those run-flats off the 1 Coupe and put on some sticky summer tires on and steering-feel will improve -- might even be less "weighty."

[semaj]

On the track, understeer was apparent; surely BMW hasn't intentionally dialled it in - with narrower front tyres than rears, to dull the 135i for the US market? - but it's less of an issue on the road. The bite to small steering inputs, and the immediacy, is very impressive.

Someone school me on this...

So in order to counter understeer and to achieve a closer to neutral handling position, one should put the same sized tires on the front and rear?

Is the only purpose for a staggard wheel set up to look mean while intentionally inducing some understeer to keep the lawyers happy? If not, what are the advantages? Why do I see many modded cars with a staggard wheel set up; but with stiffer rear sways and coil overs? Shouldn't they just fix the tires first to be equal?

[redwood]

Originally Posted by semaj

Is the only purpose for a staggard wheel set up to look mean while intentionally inducing some understeer to keep the lawyers happy? If not, what are the advantages? Why do I see many modded cars with a staggard wheel set up; but with stiffer rear sways and coil overs? Shouldn't they just fix the tires first to be equal?

Yes, the staggered set up is to keep lawyers happy, though with the advanced stability control available now, I wish they would go away from that. Yes, they should fix the tires to be equal, though on many cars, the front just doesn't have the room to equal the big tires that can be put in back.

[atr_hugo]

Originally Posted by semaj

Someone school me on this...

So in order to counter understeer and to achieve a closer to neutral handling position, one should put the same sized tires on the front and rear?

There's a bunch of different ways to do that - tire pressures and section widths are a couple of them; camber, spring rates sway bar changes are another set.

Here's something to peek at - but understand there's no endorsement that this is totally accurate. There are some racers in this community who should speak up about this also.

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/kitcar/kb.php?aid=196

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by semaj

Someone school me on this...

So in order to counter understeer and to achieve a closer to neutral handling position, one should put the same sized tires on the front and rear?

It depends. Generally, though, by staggering the tire widths, you shift the balance of the handling. By adding more grip (because of larger tread) to the rear tires, it effectively makes it more likely to understeer. But this is an isolated situation, meaning "all other things being equal". Proper suspension and chassis tuning can make a car do anything regardless of the tire widths.

With a car of this size and power, the wider rear tires are, IMO, necessary to get all the power to the road without the rears smoking themselves to oblivion. Also understand that generally, a narrower, thiner tire will send more feel through the steering wheel. So, in the case of the 135i, the staggered tire sizes were almost a foregone conclusion: wide rears to get the power down; narrower fronts to maximize steering feel.

[atr_hugo]

Originally Posted by MPower

With a car of this size and power, the wider rear tires are, IMO, necessary to get all the power to the road without the rears smoking themselves to oblivion. Also understand that generally, a narrower, thiner tire will send more feel through the steering wheel. So, in the case of the 135i, the staggered tire sizes were almost a foregone conclusion: wide rears to get the power down; narrower fronts to maximize steering feel.

What about a 225/40R18 front? Should reduce the perceived understeer. Especially since that seems to be the smallest size available for some folks preference of Michelin PS2s. How will the difference in rotations per mile effect the tires (currently the 215/40 and 245/35 revolve at the same rate - a 225/40 will revolve at a different rate than the rear if it's left at 245/35)?

[bradford]

Originally Posted by atr_hugo

What about a 225/40R18 front?

I have a feeling the addition of aftermarket ARBs or a higher rear spring rate will be necessary since we're talking about a 300+hp/330+tq car with RWD.

Personally, I'm going to shoehorn as much meat as I can get in the back in order to get the power down, then jam as much meat as I can get in the front to get the balance as close to neutral as possible. THEN, and only then, can I start tuning the chassis with an ARB or spring rate change.

I just think that simply upping the contact patch in the front and leaving the rear stock is going to leave a lot on the table in terms of potential traction. Not to mention the lack thereof once a piggyback ECU and exhaust are added...

[robertm]

Originally Posted by bradford

I have a feeling the addition of aftermarket ARBs or a higher rear spring rate will be necessary since we're talking about a 300+hp/330+tq car with RWD.

Personally, I'm going to shoehorn as much meat as I can get in the back in order to get the power down, then jam as much meat as I can get in the front to get the balance as close to neutral as possible. THEN, and only then, can I start tuning the chassis with an ARB or spring rate change.

I just think that simply upping the contact patch in the front and leaving the rear stock is going to leave a lot on the table in terms of potential traction. Not to mention the lack thereof once a piggyback ECU and exhaust are added...

Oh man, just reading that makes me excited. I agree, more tire is going to be a necessity. The problem with this dam car is its going to be impossible to resist the urge to mod it out :w00t:

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by bradford

I just think that simply upping the contact patch in the front and leaving the rear stock is going to leave a lot on the table in terms of potential traction. Not to mention the lack thereof once a piggyback ECU and exhaust are added...

It will be interesting to see how much rubber we can get in the back of this car. I would hope for nothing less than 265s but the stock photos make it seem like there isnt a huge amount of room back there.

[bradford]

It does look tight. BMW did a nice job of making the car look aggressive out of the box with the wheel offset nearly maxed out...



I think 265s will be doable. Hopefully there's enough clearance on the inside for suspension componentry and some big fatty tires. We'll have to see what the fender rolling situation is as well...

[larryn]

265's might be pushing it, depending on the tire manufacturer (though I hope not). I have acess to a really nice roller that I have no problem using. I gave my 'ti about an extra inch of room, and it looks totally stock, unless you park it next to another e36.

Btw, In that pic, take a look at the dish on the rear wheel. That's a really nice wheel.

[bradford]

Originally Posted by larryn

take a look at the dish on the rear wheel. That's a really nice wheel.

Yeah I like the stock wheels a lot too. Hopefully they're not too heavy and fairly strong.

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by bradford

Yeah I like the stock wheels a lot too. Hopefully they're not too heavy and fairly strong.

I would probably guess around 26-28 pounds per wheel. But that's just a guess.