Car and Driver's NEW Video of the 135i

[Smokey]

Here is a link to Car and Driver's new video of the 135i on the track. Accept my apology if it has already been posted


http://link.brightcove.com/services/...tid1279694193w

[steinkek]

Sweet good find. I have not seen it yet.'



So "idrive" What exactly is it then??

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by Smokey

Here is a link to Car and Driver's new video of the 135i on the track. Accept my apology if it has already been posted


http://link.brightcove.com/services/...tid1279694193w

thanks

[Race 1]

nice

[boostin]

best review i've seen yet. is it me, or does the 135i look BETTER in this video than in any picture thats been published yet? pictures make it look REALLY short whereas in the vid, it looked like a good length. i'll have to see it in person.

-Chris

[joelk]

that's new to me. thnx for posting!

[EmUc]

Thanks for posting.

"The car pushes like an absolute nightmare"

[Icecold135i]

Great find thanks for posting. It does look good in the video, althought I was surprised to see how tall it really was when he was standing in front of it in the beginning. The roof line nearly comes up to his shoulders. Also, all this talk about pushing and front plowing has me worried...but im thinking that it wont be anything noticeable on the street...at least I hope!:iono:

[Jonny D]

So, is it going to be a 2008 or '09?

[BtheMoneW]

Originally Posted by boosted

best review i've seen yet. is it me, or does the 135i look BETTER in this video than in any picture thats been published yet? pictures make it look REALLY short whereas in the vid, it looked like a good length. i'll have to see it in person.

-Chris

I was thinking the exact same thing :thumbup:

[Robert]

Originally Posted by Jonny D

So, is it going to be a 2008 or '09?

MY2008

Do you guys think the short wheel base makes the 135i harder to swing the rear around? Or it's purely suspension and wheel's fault.

[semaj]

Originally Posted by robert

MY2008

Do you guys think the short wheel base makes the 135i harder to swing the rear around? Or it's purely suspension and wheel's fault.

I could be wrong, but I believe having a non staggered wheel set up along with a larger and stiffer rear sway bar would help bring the rear around quite nicely. :headbang:

[MOTO69JOE]

So the idrive thing...the 135i comes with idrive standard and nav being a add on.

[Advevo]

If i see that movie i get tears in my eyes when i see the front tires sqeeling in understeer. I drive a 130i myself. And it s not like that in standard configuration. 135i engine is a heavy engine in front of a small coupe.

I would rather see the 130i engine with some power hike 300hp easy done by M. than a heavy 6 cil turbo engine. The more movies i see on track of the 135i i am less convinced about it s handling.

[Oregon]

Originally Posted by BB///M3

Thanks for posting.

"The car pushes like an absolute nightmare"

A re-occurring theme. Aftermarket goodies may rectify the condition.

[atr_hugo]

Nose weight was one of the items I was concerned about. I asked Bryan@mwerks in a PM if it pushed as badly as a last gen Audi TT and he said it wasn't as bad as a FWD push. I really want to see a full test with skidpad and slalom numbers to understand a bit more about this car.

Acceleration and braking seem to be covered, the handling (at the limits) is what we're seeing issues with in the reviews.

Hopefully, BMW hasn't created a 'dumbbell' with a huge chunk of weight ahead of the front axle centerline and an equally big chunk of weight behind the rear axle centerline. That'll give you a car that's real stable in a straight line but doesn't want to rotate. The more mass you get low and between the axle centerlines, the better off you are (and the ideal CG is 2" below the surface of the road ; -).

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by BB///M3

Thanks for posting.

"The car pushes like an absolute nightmare"

Not so to me.....
This becoming a reoccurring theme in the write ups.
IDK what else I'd go to, but I'm not a happy camper right now.

[BForbes]

Originally Posted by MOTO69JOE

So the idrive thing...the 135i comes with idrive standard and nav being a add on.

Yeah, can someone clear this up.

[darknightohio]

From what I understand, you only get idrive if you get nav.

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by atr_hugo

Nose weight was one of the items I was concerned about. I asked Bryan@mwerks in a PM if it pushed as badly as a last gen Audi TT and he said it wasn't as bad as a FWD push. I really want to see a full test with skidpad and slalom numbers to understand a bit more about this car.

Acceleration and braking seem to be covered, the handling (at the limits) is what we're seeing issues with in the reviews.

Hopefully, BMW hasn't created a 'dumbbell' with a huge chunk of weight ahead of the front axle centerline and an equally big chunk of weight behind the rear axle centerline. That'll give you a car that's real stable in a straight line but doesn't want to rotate. The more mass you get low and between the axle centerlines, the better off you are (and the ideal CG is 2" below the surface of the road ; -).

I would doubt it but anything is possible. I would just struggle to imagine how they would come up with such a problem when the 1 hatch has been pretty neutral through the corners. I would have to bet that these understeer complaints are a definite designed characteristic into the suspension. Throw on some more camber at the front and away you go.

[grant]

Originally Posted by MPower

I would have to bet that these understeer complaints are a definite designed characteristic into the suspension. Throw on some more camber at the front and away you go.

I certainly hope it's that simple. It's possible to design a suspension that sustains understeer even with a camber change - hope that's not the case here. Wonder if BMW is purposely building the 135i for the masses, so the enthusiasts have to pay more for the Tii (which may have a much more sporting cornering attitude)?

[EmUc]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

Not so to me.....
This becoming a reoccurring theme in the write ups.
IDK what else I'd go to, but I'm not a happy camper right now.

Yea I was laughing as if to say "figures". Because it's very very expected. Took my stock M3 to a couple of driving schools and I thought it understeered like crazy. All modern cars do this since their designs are dictated by lawyers not engineers. I understand there are mods to fix it but I'm hardly an expert.