RE: BMW 135i First Drive

[Mr Whippy]

mackie1 said:

Erm, I don't think it has sequential turbos like the TT diesel, just 2 small ones driven by 3 cylinders each.

It seems to be a common mistake in the press. Top Gear mag got it wrong this month too.

Shock horror 'press' innacurate

Lovely car though, but as many have said the price is the only + point. It's not really a small light car.

Of all the current 'normal' BMW shapes I prefer the 4 door 3 series the most. So this engine in one of those, with an M3 rear axle please

Dave

[I WISH]

So we now have a car that looks like a warmed over Austin Maestro Coupe rather than just an Austin Maestro (you have to be a certain age I guess).

Yes ... I know they never actually made an Austin Maestro Coupe .... but believe me ... it would've looked even worse than even a Morris Marina Coupe.

Either way we're talking really styling here.

[Kawasicki]

This car is stupidly quick on the N'ring. It looked huge fun to drive too, though like most BMWs you would have to actually be driving it pretty quickly to find out, so that rules out most journalists.

It is a pity it doesn't have a lsd!

Looks ok to me. Are we sure we are comparing equal load conditions for both the 3 series and the 1 series?

shane

[scoobydo]

I don't think BMW are very confident about it holding it's value, I got a quote last wk on a new 135i and with bmw finance, after 3 years the ballon settlement figure is £10,800 or hand it back.

[mannik]

have to say ...really disappointing.
was even contemplating booking a test drive
But 1500kg, 36K and plain ugly from the side profile (unless the beer goggles are on..)


So...that'll be TVR Griffith 500HC (15K), a Clio Sport Trophy (8K) a Mondeo ST220 Estate (10K) and some cash over for tyres, servicing etc

[MGYoung]

can't believe how heavy it is. A porsche 928 weighed about the same and that was much bigger and had a 5.0 V8! Also heavier than my current Mondeo TDCi (1506 kg) and almost three times the weight of my Caterham (Circa 535kg).

[bobberz]

Just one more example of a good idea getting watered down between design and production phases.
Well at least it outperforms an E36 M3 in a straight line, although it merely matches the "lightweight" version(but it takes 66 more horsepower to do so).

[bigbadbikercats]

paulrhodes said:

30k buys you a lot of car. Not sure I'd want one that will depreciate like a stone.

I would. I just wouldn't want to be the first owner.

Seriously, if the resale values on this do nosedive the way some people here are suggesting it could be a stonking second-hand buy in 18 months or so!

--
JG

[darth_pies]

Hmmmm, well i honestly can't see much wrong with the way it looks. Maybe i've gone blind after looking at the (much worse) new 3 series coupe/M3 for too long?

Anyway, would somebody please explain what BMW's issue with LSD's is? Is it a cost thing, some sort of safety nonsense or just that they think 90% of car buyers given the choice would rather have 28 different settings on their climate control than a limited slip diff?

i.e. most punters have no idea what one is?

This Autocar/Chris Harris clip illustrates really well why BMW should have fitted a limited slipper:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/VideosWallpapers/Videos.a...  

[RobDickinson]

RX8 comes in 250kg's lighter , coms with an LSD and is about 10 grand cheaper than the equivelant spec 135i and will actualy seat 4 real people.

What a fat ugly little car.

[adycav]

L100NYY said:

Regardless of all the talk of weight, price, LSDs etc., just look at the f**king thing. People will poke fun at you as you drive past. Small children will cry. Dogs will howl. Etc.

And I'm actually quite fond of how most new BMWs look.

[Wadeski]

with an E36 M3 style boot spoiler, the right wheels, and lower suspension it might look quite tasty....imho.

in teh right colour, too.

[adycav]

Wadeski said:

with an E36 M3 style boot spoiler, the right wheels, and lower suspension it might look quite tasty....imho.

[Wadeski]

http://www.bmw-e82.com/gallery.php?id=16

looks better to me anyway!

[I WISH]

Nope .... sorry .... still looks like

...... and a black bonnet!!!??

... I've heard of retro ... but black bonnets were cheesy even on 60's rally cars.

Perhaps they did have the Maestro in mind all along!

[Della]

Why do BMW still limit their cars to 155mph? It's only a matter of time before every single car they sell will hit that figure.
Even the new VXR Vectra estate thing can hit 160mph!!!

[LathamJohnP]

Looks better in red:

http://www.bmw-e82.com/gallery.php?id=18 

John

[papercup]

drivin_me_nuts said:

....just waiting for the CSL version to come along.... BMW will be dafter than a daft thing not to release one.. CF roof, all the crud removed 200kg lighter and a more tuned engine...

Edited by drivin_me_nuts on Monday 5th November 13:32

i think the CSL may well be the last exciting car BMW ever make

everything is too complicated and heavy now to be involving; classic german car trait

[SJobson]

Della said:

Even the new VXR Vectra estate thing can hit 160mph!!!

Only in the same way that the 112bhp aerodynamic shape Astra GTE was quoted as being good for 126mph when it was launched in 1984, i.e. in the marketing department, not on the road

[Donut]

scoobydo said:

I don't think BMW are very confident about it holding it's value, I got a quote last wk on a new 135i and with bmw finance, after 3 years the ballon settlement figure is £10,800 or hand it back.

Thats a GFV of cica 35%...

Sounds OK to me seeing as the scheme is designed to give you a small return.