Quote:
Originally Posted by amdmaxx
is supersport coming for this generation or only next?
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That's my question, exactly. The story on the SuperSport is muddy at best. Most of the news I've seen on it comes from the folks at BMWBlog.com, most notably this post:
http://www.bmwblog.com/2009/01/04/bm...nched-in-2010/
This would seem to imply that the existing 135i will receive the SuperSports package before eventually being replaced by the "all new" 1 series in 2011.
If this is true, then I suspect we'll see a special model of the 135i with some of the BMW Performance parts (suspension, exhaust, most likely) fitted and delivered from the factory. This would be very consistent with previous BMW moves, when, for example, the outgoing E46 M3 had a special "Competition" package introduced in its last year, or the "High Performance" option (a.k.a. "ZHP") introduced for the E46 sedan and coupe before the new E90 came along.
Where things get confusing is that some reports claim that the SuperSports version of the 1 is going to receive a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. While BMW has indicated that they are likely to offer a turbo 4 in future models, I have a hard time believing that the existing 1 series chassis will receive this engine, even as a "special model." Engineering an entirely new motor into an outgoing car seems foolhardy at best, a waste of engineering talent at worst.