Visibly designed for the American market, the centre console features two small cup holders for cans of soft drink. A third detachable and larger cup holder is mounted to the side of the console on the passenger side. Useful, yes, because it can hold larger containers, but it does prove to be a drawback for the passengers, who often bump their leg against it.
The trunk has a decently sized opening, considering the compactness of the car, as well as more useful volume than the competition, the 370Z, TT, Genesis and RX-8. What’s more, thanks to the folding rear seat backs, it is expandable. This car is perfect for a couple with wanderlust. And when the kid’s tag along, well… it’s time for the X3 again.
A superb cruiser
With its fantastic ergonomics, the cabin delivers undeniable driving pleasure. Said driving pleasure is confirmed as soon as you hit a narrow, winding road.
The power steering offers just the right amount of assistance, which varies according to the car’s speed and is surgical in its precision. You better keep an eye on your speedometer, is all I can say!
And the transmission is just as great. The clutch is easy to measure out and makes for fun shifting, especially since the six short gears (shorter than the 128i’s 6) are perfectly synchronized. The optional automatic transmission would undoubtedly prove more enjoyable if you mainly take your 135i for a cruise downtown. However, if you regularly zip down winding country roads it would be simply sacrilegious to eschew the manual transmission.
The stiff suspension is perfectly suited to a car with sporty intentions, in principle at least. The 18-inch wheels shod in low-profile performance tires also fit the athletic profile. A jaunt down a baby bum smooth highway will confirm this. But on backwoods roads that make it a point of honour to collect as many bumps and potholes as possible, the 135i doesn’t necessarily offer the desired level of comfort, at least for those who don’t have a steering wheel in their hands. Indeed, the driver’s enthusiasm on such roads is almost enough to make him or her forget about the almost bone-jarring discomfort of the passengers.
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| The steering wheel has a nice grip and contributes to the considerable driving pleasure. |
The trunk has a decently sized opening, considering the compactness of the car, as well as more useful volume than the competition, the 370Z, TT, Genesis and RX-8. What’s more, thanks to the folding rear seat backs, it is expandable. This car is perfect for a couple with wanderlust. And when the kid’s tag along, well… it’s time for the X3 again.
A superb cruiser
With its fantastic ergonomics, the cabin delivers undeniable driving pleasure. Said driving pleasure is confirmed as soon as you hit a narrow, winding road.
The power steering offers just the right amount of assistance, which varies according to the car’s speed and is surgical in its precision. You better keep an eye on your speedometer, is all I can say!
And the transmission is just as great. The clutch is easy to measure out and makes for fun shifting, especially since the six short gears (shorter than the 128i’s 6) are perfectly synchronized. The optional automatic transmission would undoubtedly prove more enjoyable if you mainly take your 135i for a cruise downtown. However, if you regularly zip down winding country roads it would be simply sacrilegious to eschew the manual transmission.
The stiff suspension is perfectly suited to a car with sporty intentions, in principle at least. The 18-inch wheels shod in low-profile performance tires also fit the athletic profile. A jaunt down a baby bum smooth highway will confirm this. But on backwoods roads that make it a point of honour to collect as many bumps and potholes as possible, the 135i doesn’t necessarily offer the desired level of comfort, at least for those who don’t have a steering wheel in their hands. Indeed, the driver’s enthusiasm on such roads is almost enough to make him or her forget about the almost bone-jarring discomfort of the passengers.
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| This 3.0-litre twin-turbo kicks out over 300 ponies and 300 ft-lb of torque! |