When BMW's 1 Series made its North American debut in 2007, the Bavarian giants set out to prove that smaller can be better. As the baby of the Bimmer bunch, the 1 Series had a lot to prove – and prove it it did. While not the most practical of the lineup, the 128i and 135i offered a drive quality and road experience akin to BMW's funky MINI brand with a step up in luxury, build and power.
For the 2012 model year, BMW's 1 Series isn't going to see many changes (thankfully), except for one glaringly obvious one: in the U.S. and Canada, it still won't be offered in a 5-door hatch incarnation.
While some might poo-poo the look, keep in mind the main complaint associated with the 128i and 135i was the lack of any usable space in the back seats (amputee friends, anyone?). In the hatch model, the back seat gets a boost of room that'll mean your friends could enjoy the ride and maintain feeling in their legs. Oh well.
It may be small, but it still packs a serious punch on the road. Blissfully, the 2012 BMW 128i and 135i will still be equipped with BMW's inline-6, 3.0-litre powerhouse, with a TwinPower Turbo stuffed in the 135i for good measure. Horsepower and torque remain the same as last year's models, at 230 hp (128i) and 300 hp (135i), and 200 lb-ft (128i) and 300 lb-ft (135i) respectively.
What will be new is the 135i's automatic tranny. With a dual-clutch 7-speed system, the 135i will join the M3 and M5 transmission ranks, which makes this little number that much hotter. As this great-to-pilot transmission isn't available on the 128i, it has a bit of an exclusivity feel to it, and really why shouldn't it?
While EPA ratings have yet to be released, I'd say it's safe to assume they'll be similar to the previous gen's as the engines have remained the same as have the overall dimensions of the car.
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| Pricing on the 2012 1 Series models sits in the mid-$30,000 to just-below-$50,000 range (with the coupé 128i starting at $36,000 and the cabriolet 135i reaching the $48,700 MSRP mark) (Photo: BMW) |
For the 2012 model year, BMW's 1 Series isn't going to see many changes (thankfully), except for one glaringly obvious one: in the U.S. and Canada, it still won't be offered in a 5-door hatch incarnation.
While some might poo-poo the look, keep in mind the main complaint associated with the 128i and 135i was the lack of any usable space in the back seats (amputee friends, anyone?). In the hatch model, the back seat gets a boost of room that'll mean your friends could enjoy the ride and maintain feeling in their legs. Oh well.
It may be small, but it still packs a serious punch on the road. Blissfully, the 2012 BMW 128i and 135i will still be equipped with BMW's inline-6, 3.0-litre powerhouse, with a TwinPower Turbo stuffed in the 135i for good measure. Horsepower and torque remain the same as last year's models, at 230 hp (128i) and 300 hp (135i), and 200 lb-ft (128i) and 300 lb-ft (135i) respectively.
What will be new is the 135i's automatic tranny. With a dual-clutch 7-speed system, the 135i will join the M3 and M5 transmission ranks, which makes this little number that much hotter. As this great-to-pilot transmission isn't available on the 128i, it has a bit of an exclusivity feel to it, and really why shouldn't it?
While EPA ratings have yet to be released, I'd say it's safe to assume they'll be similar to the previous gen's as the engines have remained the same as have the overall dimensions of the car.
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| It may be small, but it still packs a serious punch on the road. (Photo: BMW) |