Why so heavy??

[darvo]

Do anyone of you know why is this little car so damn heavy???
Its really small compared to the 3-series but almost if not the same weight....
I dont know but if bmw would have liked to reincarnate de 2002tii they would have made a more lighter car!

I hope they'll make some options to make or create a lighter car!

[Robert]

I think this topic has been discussed quite on a bit on the forum. A search will yield you more result than you can take in.

My personal quick take on this is since 1 series shares 60%+ of 3 series' components it's not hard to fathom the weight difference is minimal. According to BMW NA web site the 1 is 200 lbs lighter than the 3 and this is reaffirmed in the 0-60 times. The 1 is .2 seconds faster 0-60 and 0-100 despite the higher drag. 3 owners will like to point out it's only 44kg lighter from EU standards but the EU metric also shows the 1 being 0.2s faster 0-60 and 0-100. I really don't think being 88lbs lighter will give you the 0.2s advantage.

If you want a lighter car the sti, evo and elise may better suite your needs.

My 2 cents

[menotakoala]

Originally Posted by darvo

Do anyone of you know why is this little car so damn heavy???
Its really small compared to the 3-series but almost if not the same weight....
I dont know but if bmw would have liked to reincarnate de 2002tii they would have made a more lighter car!

I hope they'll make some options to make or create a lighter car!

The reason the 135i seems so heavy is that they have to brace the vehicle chassis to be able to handle all that power. And next comes body bracings to help in accidents. Still, 200 pounds is a fair amount of weight to make a difference in handling quite noticeable (well for me it is).

[ichiban]

Originally Posted by robert

I think this topic has been discussed quite on a bit on the forum. A search will yield you more result than you can take in.

My personal quick take on this is since 1 series shares 60%+ of 3 series' components it's not hard to fathom the weight difference is minimal. According to BMW NA web site the 1 is 200 lbs lighter than the 3 and this is reaffirmed in the 0-60 times. The 1 is .2 seconds faster 0-60 and 0-100 despite the higher drag. 3 owners will like to point out it's only 44kg lighter from EU standards but the EU metric also shows the 1 being 0.2s faster 0-60 and 0-100. I really don't think being 88lbs lighter will give you the 0.2s advantage.

If you want a lighter car the sti, evo and elise may better suite your needs.

My 2 cents

Everything from the engine, transmission to the rear axles came from the 3 series. More structural integration and bracing on the chassis. So after all that, all they can trim was 200 lbs. (EU adds driver and luggage, and US adds 10% fuel) so there's quite a bit of difference between the EU and US unladened weight.

Oh and as for the EVO and STi being lighter. Think again, the STi is 3300ish lbs and the EVO is 3500.

[Ryephile]

The weight is no surprise "this day and age", and that it's basically an E90 with a smaller trunk and rear seat. Interior volume doesn't make much impact on overall weight, so the fact the 1-er is a few hundred pounds lighter is a miracle in itself. Gone are the days of rolling death-traps like the Chrysler K-car and Austin Mini.

[mateo]

Originally Posted by robert

If you want a lighter car the sti, evo and elise may better suite your needs.

My 2 cents

All cars are heavy now.

Neither the EVO or the STI are light cars, and neither one of them is far off of the weight of the One coupe'.

The Elise is in a class or its own.

These days even a small 2 door Honda Civic weighs 3200+ pounds. Over the last many years, cars markers have made great improvments on overall build quality, and increased strength to new model passenger cells. Also because of increased euro pedestrian safety standards, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Because of IIHS car makers are building cars to new standards, to help save our lives, instead of failing us.

[Robert]

Wow. I didn't know the new STI weights 3500 lbs, but the new civic weights 2600-2700 lbs range though. I am pretty sure of this because I own an 07 right now.

[Evolved]

Originally Posted by mateo

All cars are heavy now.

Neither the EVO or the STI are light cars, and neither one of them is far off of the weight of the One coupe'.

The Elise is in a class or its own.

These days even a small 2 door Honda Civic weighs 3200+ pounds. Over the last many years, cars markers have made great improvments on overall build quality, and increased strength to new model passenger cells. Also because of increased euro pedestrian safety standards, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Because of IIHS car makers are building cars to new standards, to help save our lives, instead of failing us.

True but those two cars are AWD and that adds a lot of weight to a vehicle.

[larryn]

Please remember that the curb weight of the 135i is 3198lbs. So, if you're comparing the curb weight of the EVO and STi (which I think you are), there is a pretty large difference. BMWs published weights thus far have been unladen weight, which greatly differs from curb weight.


The Subaru site specifically states "curb weight" for the new STi as 3395lbs.. 200lbs more than the 135i's curb weight.

[BMWeber]

sorry but :biggrin:

[bats]

Originally Posted by larryn

Please remember that the curb weight of the 135i is 3198lbs. So, if you're comparing the curb weight of the EVO and STi (which I think you are), there is a pretty large difference. BMWs published weights thus far have been unladen weight, which greatly differs from curb weight.


The Subaru site specifically states "curb weight" for the new STi as 3395lbs.. 200lbs more than the 135i's curb weight.

Is that 3198 official? Haven't checked on the more recent threads about it.

But that puts very closely with the E36 M3 weight, and about 200 lbs less than the E46 M3. Comparing curb weights that is. Puts things into perspective.

[darvo]

Originally Posted by BMWeber

sorry but :biggrin:

Sorry wont happen again!

But thanks for answering to all of you....:thumbup:

[Dave]

Originally Posted by robert

Wow. I didn't know the new STI weights 3500 lbs, but the new civic weights 2600-2700 lbs range though. I am pretty sure of this because I own an 07 right now.

you should compare the crash test ratings of the civic and the pictures of the civic after a front end collison compared to the 135i or the 3 series. The bmw is much safer and high rated.

Also the comfort of the bmw is not even comparable to sub 3000lb cars....it has a much quieter and smoother ride due to better sound insulation and better and heavier suspension.

If you have ever riden or owned an evo both are substantially lighter and the early model evos that were closer to the 3000 mark like the evo 8 gsr
actually had issues with weight saving products like very thin windows and windshields, which cracked during the winter.

I will take a few hundred pounds and comfort over a underweight and unsafe civic that gives me a headache to ride in.

also a diet for most drivers is better than putting your car on a diet instead of compromising your safety and comfort.

[BForbes]

Originally Posted by mateo

These days even a small 2 door Honda Civic weighs 3200+ pounds.

What are you talking about?? A Honda Civic is about 2800lbs.

[imported_Will_325i]

The lightest weight can come from a chassis specifically desgined for that model. I've heard it said that when a chassis platform is stretched for another vehicle it's too weak; and when it's shortened (as in the case of the 1-series being based off a 3) it's too heavy. The optimum design for the weight/stiffness/safety tradeoff requires a design from scratch, but that is not cost-efficient given low market demand for low-weight.

[juniormint]

does anyone know the weight of a E46 M3, Im trying to compare the 2

[xracer2999]

Originally Posted by izzodesh

you should compare the crash test ratings of the civic and the pictures of the civic after a front end collison compared to the 135i or the 3 series. The bmw is much safer and high rated.

Also the comfort of the bmw is not even comparable to sub 3000lb cars....it has a much quieter and smoother ride due to better sound insulation and better and heavier suspension.

If you have ever riden or owned an evo both are substantially lighter and the early model evos that were closer to the 3000 mark like the evo 8 gsr
actually had issues with weight saving products like very thin windows and windshields, which cracked during the winter.

I will take a few hundred pounds and comfort over a underweight and unsafe civic that gives me a headache to ride in.

also a diet for most drivers is better than putting your car on a diet instead of compromising your safety and comfort.

Please get your sources right before u comment on anything. A 2007 honda civic has a 5 star frontal crash test rating whereas a bmw 3 series has 4 star.

here are the links of both of them(safecar.gov) :
http://www.safercar.gov/Cars/4024.html
http://www.safercar.gov/Cars/3987.html

A car is expensive does not mean it is much safer...

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by JuniorMint

does anyone know the weight of a E46 M3, Im trying to compare the 2

A little over 3400 lbs. for an E46 M3

[Robert]

Originally Posted by izzodesh

you should compare the crash test ratings of the civic and the pictures of the civic after a front end collison compared to the 135i or the 3 series. The bmw is much safer and high rated.

Actually the new civic has the best crash ratings IIHS can give. A even bigger shocker is the new 5 series fail to achieve the highest rating. The old intuition that bigger is better don't always hold true now. The Japanese have caught up.

E60: 5 series
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=831

06+ Civic:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=603

Also the comfort of the bmw is not even comparable to sub 3000lb cars....it has a much quieter and smoother ride due to better sound insulation and better and heavier suspension.

I will take a few hundred pounds and comfort over a underweight and unsafe civic that gives me a headache to ride in.

True but I think majority here wants a more sports focused car. I could have gone out today and bought a 335i if smoothness and ride compliant are top priorities. I want to take my 135i to the track and mass is the biggest killjoy for fun.

also a diet for most drivers is better than putting your car on a diet instead of compromising your safety and comfort.

Not an option for me since I only weight 135lbs. I am trying to lose another 10 lbs so I can dip below 15% body fat but it's hard work.

[larryn]

Originally Posted by bats

Is that 3198 official? Haven't checked on the more recent threads about it.

But that puts very closely with the E36 M3 weight, and about 200 lbs less than the E46 M3. Comparing curb weights that is. Puts things into perspective.

BMW doesn't publish curb weights. So, no, it's not official, but it's a simple calculation.

If you take the BMW published unladen weight of 1536kg, which translates to 3386.3lbs, then you subtract the 85kg (for the driver and luggage) to get to the US Curb Weight, the car weighs 3198lbs.

Both unladen and curb weights include a full tank of gas... Unladen weight also includes a driver and luggage, which I subtracted.

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by larryn

BMW doesn't publish curb weights. So, no, it's not official, but it's a simple calculation.

If you take the BMW published unladen weight of 1536kg, which translates to 3386.3lbs, then you subtract the 85kg (for the driver and luggage) to get to the US Curb Weight, the car weighs 3198lbs.

Both unladen and curb weights include a full tank of gas... Unladen weight also includes a driver and luggage, which I subtracted.

I think many of you are failing to realize that this car is NOT that much smaller than the 3 series, and almost identicle to the E46.... with 75hp more...!

[Evolved]

Originally Posted by izzodesh

you should compare the crash test ratings of the civic and the pictures of the civic after a front end collison compared to the 135i or the 3 series. The bmw is much safer and high rated.

Also the comfort of the bmw is not even comparable to sub 3000lb cars....it has a much quieter and smoother ride due to better sound insulation and better and heavier suspension.

If you have ever riden or owned an evo both are substantially lighter and the early model evos that were closer to the 3000 mark like the evo 8 gsr
actually had issues with weight saving products like very thin windows and windshields, which cracked during the winter.

I will take a few hundred pounds and comfort over a underweight and unsafe civic that gives me a headache to ride in.

also a diet for most drivers is better than putting your car on a diet instead of compromising your safety and comfort.

Evo VIII's weight in around 3300 pounds, and I've never heard of window issues.