BMW: 1-Series News
#801
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by msl82
The Front is so Ugly. People are all over this because its BMW,
If this this car design was from Pontiac or Saturn, No one would care...
If this this car design was from Pontiac or Saturn, No one would care...
![Tongue](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif)
#802
styling on you
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Los Angeles, California
Age: 34
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Originally Posted by charliemike
If it was from Pontiac or Saturn and had a 300hp TT 6-cylinder and drove like a BMW, it would be as if Moses had come down from the mountain and you know it ![Tongue](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif)
![Tongue](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif)
![Tomato](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/tomato.gif)
#804
intelligentsia
Join Date: Nov 2003
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What pisses me off most about the 1 series is the engines are too big. With gas prices on the rise why not release a 120i? Like they have in Europe. I don't want a small body with a US speced engine. If I want a 2.8 liter or 3.5 liter Ill take a 3 series.
#806
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by SRK85
What pisses me off most about the 1 series is the engines are too big. With gas prices on the rise why not release a 120i?
![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
BMW just doesn't think that there's enough demand in the USDM for one
![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
If there were more competition in the affordable 2+2 RWD coupe market, BMW might have to change, but with only the RX-8, Mustang, and now the 128 being the only vehicles in the rwd 2+2 coupe under 30K category, I don't think that will change...
If hyundai's turbo 4 genesis coupe starts to pull buyers from the 128 sales, bmw might be forced to offer a cheaper alternative to the 30K 128, but I don't think the badge whores will be shopping at Hyundai dealerships anytime soon
![Snicker](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/emot-laugh.gif)
<=== Thinking that his next daily driver might be a 2+2 RWD coupe for under 30K.
#807
I rather buy hyundai Genesis Coupe than this Overpriced Bimmer. Genesis Coupe has better looking Exterior, AND INTERIOR. I hate how Bimmer always have the Same Interior across the 1 Series, 3 Series, 3 Coupe. And That design hasnt been changed since 80s....
#808
intelligentsia
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Originally Posted by Infamous425
because its almost as heavy as a 3 series and they tried the small engine thing in the US before and it failed
#809
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by SRK85
What pisses me off most about the 1 series is the engines are too big. With gas prices on the rise why not release a 120i? Like they have in Europe. I don't want a small body with a US speced engine. If I want a 2.8 liter or 3.5 liter Ill take a 3 series.
![Roll Eyes](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif)
The 123d in Germany has 204hp and gets 59mpg in whatever bizarro volumetric measurement a gallon is there.
Whatever that number is, it's a LOT ... Certainly better than what the 128i is going to get ... Despite 26hp less (and likely much more torque) the benefits of fuel economy are unquestionable.
Marketing is evil and so are their focus groups.
#812
Burn some dust here
Originally Posted by lscld
Now that the dealers finally have demos, has anyone ventured over to their local BMW dealer to drive this thing yet?
I wasn't able to drive the 135i because some woman was driving it...she came back and told her husband "Oh honey, it's really fast!!!"
![Doh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif)
It honestly has me second guessing my 335i order.
![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
#813
Senior Moderator
Road and Track's May 08 review of the 135i has an as tested price of $43,670!!!! That is squarely in the pricing range of the upmarket 335i. Honestly, I would be more inclined towards a used E46 M3 vert!!
![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
#814
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by F23A4
Road and Track's May 08 review of the 135i has an as tested price of $43,670!!!! That is squarely in the pricing range of the upmarket 335i. Honestly, I would be more inclined towards a used E46 M3 vert!! ![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
Residuals on the 1-series are better than the 3-series, so used prices on the 1-series are anticipated to be stong...
But it does create some interesting pricing scenarios. A stripped 335 is cheaper than a loaded 135, etc.
#816
Be Strong AND Courageous!
iTrader: (1)
Originally Posted by cob3683
Did on Saturday. I really thought the 128i was a blast to drive (for $33K). Handling is great. Interior quality was MUCH better than I thought it would be. Size is pretty good.
I wasn't able to drive the 135i because some woman was driving it...she came back and told her husband "Oh honey, it's really fast!!!"![Doh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif)
It honestly has me second guessing my 335i order.![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
I wasn't able to drive the 135i because some woman was driving it...she came back and told her husband "Oh honey, it's really fast!!!"
![Doh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif)
It honestly has me second guessing my 335i order.
![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
![Thumbs Up](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
#817
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by GreenMonster
But it does create some interesting pricing scenarios. A stripped 335 is cheaper than a loaded 135, etc.
Originally Posted by jackygor
It is cheaper to lease a 335i than a 135i as of right now...
Kind of make the choice a littler easier eh?
Kind of make the choice a littler easier eh?
![Agree](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/agree.gif)
#818
Safety Car
![Lightbulb](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/icons/icon3.gif)
BMW to use 4 Cylinder in 1 Series; Hybrid in 7 Series
In a recent interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, BMW CEO said that the brand will be using the four-cylinder engine it produces jointly with PSA in its BMW branded cars. According to a report, BMW had originally planned to use the four-cylinder engine only in its MINI lineup.
The future generation of BMW 1-Series will be using the four-cylinder engine.
Reithofer also briefly mentioned that the next-generation of the BMW 7-Series will be fitted with a hybrid engine. We expect more details when the full interview is released.
#819
Senior Moderator
Meh... they already use 4bangers in the 1-series in the ROW (rest of world)... Having a PSA 4 engine in a BMW isn't really that big of a deal...
Now, it would be real news if they said, that an 4 cylinder version of the 1-series would be available in the US (like the tii concept)... or 120d, etc...
Now, it would be real news if they said, that an 4 cylinder version of the 1-series would be available in the US (like the tii concept)... or 120d, etc...
#821
Wouldn't a 4-cylinder in such a heavy car produce sluggish performance? The 128i weighs 3250 lbs already, a lighter (if at all) 4-cylinder would lower weight to 3100 lbs at the very most I'm guessing. Not sure what kind of 4-cylinders BMW has but they better be packin
#822
Team Owner
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Originally Posted by I Go To Costco
Wouldn't a 4-cylinder in such a heavy car produce sluggish performance? The 128i weighs 3250 lbs already, a lighter (if at all) 4-cylinder would lower weight to 3100 lbs at the very most I'm guessing. Not sure what kind of 4-cylinders BMW has but they better be packin
![Whistle](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/whistle.gif)
#823
I shoot people
now a days, they can do wonders with a 4 banger... look at the STi
#825
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by Sly Raskal
I would imagine a 4 cylinder turbo motor would be perfect. ![Whistle](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/whistle.gif)
![Whistle](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/whistle.gif)
Perhaps somewhere between 175 - 200 bhp
and to192 - 215 lb-ft. torque.
#827
![Doh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif)
how could I forget... I tote around the "Mini Cooper S is the shit" flag every once in a while on AZ and I forgot about the 4-banger that it uses.
#828
The sizzle in the Steak
^^
I got you covered.
![Snicker](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/emot-laugh.gif)
#829
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
Well if they are in fact going to use the PSA motor from MINI, then we can expect to see the Cooper S engine in the 1 Series.
Perhaps somewhere between 175 - 200 bhp
and to192 - 215 lb-ft. torque.
Perhaps somewhere between 175 - 200 bhp
and to192 - 215 lb-ft. torque.
BMW has said in the past that it won't make the mistake it made with the old 318s which didn't sell well in the US...
#830
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by GreenMonster
But the article doesn't specifically say that the PSA motors are coming to the USA...
BMW has said in the past that it won't make the mistake it made with the old 318s which didn't sell well in the US...
BMW has said in the past that it won't make the mistake it made with the old 318s which didn't sell well in the US...
![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
#831
Race Director
Oh, no the sky is falling - BMW will use a 4 banger. ![Roll Eyes](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif)
Who cares how many cyls the car has - does the car have adequate performance and mileage? That should be the only criteria.
![Roll Eyes](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif)
Who cares how many cyls the car has - does the car have adequate performance and mileage? That should be the only criteria.
![Cool](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/cool.gif)
#832
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
1 Series in europe already runs a 4cyl.....where do you thing they are talking about? I think they are talking about NA....simple solution to upcoming MPG standards for BMW. ![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
Originally Posted by GreenMonster
Meh... they already use 4bangers in the 1-series in the ROW (rest of world)... Having a PSA 4 engine in a BMW isn't really that big of a deal...
Now, it would be real news if they said, that an 4 cylinder version of the 1-series would be available in the US (like the tii concept)... or 120d, etc...
Now, it would be real news if they said, that an 4 cylinder version of the 1-series would be available in the US (like the tii concept)... or 120d, etc...
BMW has said it won't sell a 4 banger in the US until it can come up with a turbo solution... Maybe the PSA Cooper S motor is the solution...
That would make the 1-series compete with the Genesis 4 banger turbo coupe...
#833
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by GreenMonster
See top of page...
I guess they are talking about the US, but I don't like to make assumptions...
BMW has said it won't sell a 4 banger in the US until it can come up with a turbo solution... Maybe the PSA Cooper S motor is the solution...
That would make the 1-series compete with the Genesis 4 banger turbo coupe...
I guess they are talking about the US, but I don't like to make assumptions...
BMW has said it won't sell a 4 banger in the US until it can come up with a turbo solution... Maybe the PSA Cooper S motor is the solution...
That would make the 1-series compete with the Genesis 4 banger turbo coupe...
![Smile](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#834
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by GreenMonster
See top of page...
I guess they are talking about the US, but I don't like to make assumptions...
BMW has said it won't sell a 4 banger in the US until it can come up with a turbo solution... Maybe the PSA Cooper S motor is the solution...
That would make the 1-series compete with the Genesis 4 banger turbo coupe...
I guess they are talking about the US, but I don't like to make assumptions...
BMW has said it won't sell a 4 banger in the US until it can come up with a turbo solution... Maybe the PSA Cooper S motor is the solution...
That would make the 1-series compete with the Genesis 4 banger turbo coupe...
#837
Race Director
Originally Posted by Brandon24pdx
4-Cylinder BMW = FAIL. (At least is the US) Been tried already...if Americans want an economical car they don't got shopping for Bimmers generally.
Again, the # of cyl is irrelevant.
![2 Cents](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif)
#838
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Brandon24pdx
4-Cylinder BMW = FAIL. (At least is the US) Been tried already...if Americans want an economical car they don't got shopping for Bimmers generally.
US opinions about smaller cars have started to change lately... Ask anyone who's trying to sell a SUV.
#839
Full Test: 2008 BMW 128i Coupe
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..2.*
We Don't Need No Stinkin' Turbos
By Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor
Date posted: 08-05-2008
It's a perfect summer's day, and we're putting the 2008 BMW 128i Coupe through its paces in the hills above Montecito, just south of Santa Barbara. The sun is high in the sky and there's a light on-shore breeze as we blast down a narrow road lined with olive trees and dotted with magnificent Tuscan-style homes. Approaching a 90-degree left-hander, we come down hard on the brakes and then punch the throttle. As soon as we're through the corner, we're eager for the next one.
It's fun, this entry-level 1 Series. It makes us wonder what you really miss when you select this 2008 BMW 128i with its 230-horsepower 3.0-liter inline-6 engine instead of the twin-turbo 300-hp 135i.
Maybe not much. We've been driving BMWs since that first, tired old '76 2002 back in San Francisco (it had been converted into a tii and painted navy blue when we got it in 1993), and we've learned that a BMW has never really been about the numbers. A BMW is a pure driver's car, meant for roads like this on days like this.
By the Numbers
But if you must discuss numbers, the 2008 BMW 128i gives up some big ones to the 135i. Its normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-6 makes 230 hp at 6,500 rpm and 200 pound-feet of torque at 2,750 rpm. That's a deficit of 70 hp and 100 lb-ft, and you can definitely feel it every time you drive, since this test car weighs 3,198 pounds with its six-speed manual transmission, just 121 pounds less than a comparable 135i.
The 128i hits 60 mph in 5.9 seconds (5.7 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and reaches the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 96.5 mph. This is 0.9 second slower than the twin-turbo 1 Series to 60 mph and 1.0 second slower to the quarter-mile. But this hardly makes the 128i some kind of delivery van.
In terms of handling and braking numbers, the 128i holds its own, generating 0.84g on the skid pad and nailing the slalom at 69.1 mph. The brakes are powerful and the pedal is firm, and the Goodyear Eagle NCT 5 tires are good enough to bring the little coupe to a stop from 60 mph in a mere 113 feet.
But there's also another important number here. The 2008 BMW 128i is $6,000 cheaper than the 135i. That's a big number on the 128i's side of the performance ledger.
Seat of Your Pants Driving
If you want to know what makes the BMW 128i a real BMW, let's start with where the driver spends his time.
Pure and simple, the driver seat of this 128i is fantastic. It's a simple, eight-way, manually adjustable seat, part of a $1,200 Sport package that also includes the upgraded 17-inch wheels and performance rubber and sport suspension. Manually adjustable is a very good thing, because it means the seat is bolted directly to the body without an intervening layer of electronic doodads that thicken the cushions of the power-adjustable seat. So the inputs from the chassis are translated directly through your glutes.
The Bavarians also know from steering wheels, and this one has a rim that fills your palm without making you feel like you're holding some giant sausage. It also has audio controls, so you can select just the right track from the CD as your right foot summons a complementary bass line from the tailpipe.
Meanwhile, the six-speed manual transmission snicks through the gears with BMW's characteristic smoothness. And since this normally aspirated engine isn't supplemented by the turbo thrusters of the 135i, you have to shift aggressively to take full advantage of its 200 lb-ft of torque. Torque peak is reasonably low in the band at 2,750 rpm, but the 135i's 300 lb-ft feels pretty juicy in comparison because it comes in at just 1,400 rpm. Yet what seems like a power deficit in the 128i quickly becomes a satisfaction surplus, as the driving experience this engine delivers is ultimately more involving and rewarding because you need to work the throttle pedal and the shift lever.
Although this is an entry-level BMW, it has the same MacPherson struts in front and a multilink setup in back as the 3 Series, and the Sport package brings you 205/50R17 front and 225/45R17 rear Goodyear Eagle NCT 5 all-season tires, so it corners confidently and predictably. The 128i comes equipped with both stability control and BMW's Dynamic Traction Control as standard equipment, and the DTC can be turned off if you have a hankering to burn some Goodyear.
The 2008 BMW 128i is not the tail-wagger's dream car. While an M3 begs for tail-out powerslides, the 128i simply carves through corners the way a BMW always has, doing everything in its power to keep its driver on the road. Its near-perfect 51/49 percent weight distribution and 104.7-inch wheelbase make it responsive yet stable, so you don't have to resort to hooliganism to have a good time.
The Inside Story
BMW has always thought about the driver first and foremost, perhaps more so than any manufacturer. As a result, the 1 Series offers excellent sight lines all around, and all the controls fall easily to hand (a phrase that is actually descriptive in a car like this). The gauges are simply spot-on BMW, with a big fat speedo and an equally large tach.
Even so, it's hugely annoying in that the center stack's visual display vanishes should you be wearing polarized sunglasses; and when it's summer in the hills around Santa Barbara this is a distinct possibility. What is more glaring, however is that the main instrument display leaves no room for a temperature gauge, which is probably the best indicator of trouble under the hood that you can have.
As always, BMW has a read-out for instantaneous fuel economy, so we were entertained for a few seconds by the fact that it would register a paltry 12 mpg with our foot to the floor and then 74 mpg when we coasted a few seconds later. We were more interested in this car's EPA rating of 18 mpg city/28 mpg highway, marginally better than the 135i's 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway.
There isn't a lot of room for storage in the 1 Series, as the tiny glovebox seems to be designed to fit nothing more than the textbook-size (ah, those thorough Germans) owner's manual. There are a couple of small compartments in the center console, including a nifty little iPod pouch that comes as part of the optional $400 iPod/USB adapter. But there was no handy spot out in the open for something as simple as a phone and a set of keys.
There isn't a lot of room for storage in the backseat, either, as the seats are upright and offer minimal legroom of 32 inches. BMW thoughtfully separates the seats with a center storage console lest you attempt to squeeze more than two people back there in an homage to telephone booth stuff-a-thons of the 1950s.
Body Image
A white car always brings to mind the rental-car fleet at some airport in the Midwest, but we'll admit that Alpine White works well on this 128i. Even so, the 1 Series is not a pretty car. It looks like a 3 Series that was rescued just a little too late from the junkyard crusher, having been squeezed at both ends until the roof bulged upward. At 171.1 inches long, it's only 10 inches shorter than the 328i coupe, a big difference in terms of proportion. It looks even stubbier because it's 2 inches taller than the 3 Series.
Considering its size, the 128i includes a very respectable trunk of 10 cubic feet, perfect for an overnight trip. The 50/50-split folding rear seat expands the trunk if you've got something large to carry, such as a flat-screen TV or a Van Gogh, and the seatback releases are conveniently located in the trunk.
Maybe we'll just get used to the 1 Series' shape over time, since it's not too overly stylized, and in true BMW form, everything has its purpose.
Cool Breezes
As we continue our midday drive past the yards where the billionaires romp, we consider the question.
Is it the right thing to spend an extra $6,000 for the forced induction of the 300-hp 135i and get some bragging rights in performance numbers, or does the 2008 BMW 128i Coupe provide all the charm, dynamic poise, driver involvement of a BMW of old, such as the great 2002 of the 1960s and 1970s?
In answer, we flick off the A/C, open the sunroof and windows, and breathe free.
By Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor
Date posted: 08-05-2008
It's a perfect summer's day, and we're putting the 2008 BMW 128i Coupe through its paces in the hills above Montecito, just south of Santa Barbara. The sun is high in the sky and there's a light on-shore breeze as we blast down a narrow road lined with olive trees and dotted with magnificent Tuscan-style homes. Approaching a 90-degree left-hander, we come down hard on the brakes and then punch the throttle. As soon as we're through the corner, we're eager for the next one.
It's fun, this entry-level 1 Series. It makes us wonder what you really miss when you select this 2008 BMW 128i with its 230-horsepower 3.0-liter inline-6 engine instead of the twin-turbo 300-hp 135i.
Maybe not much. We've been driving BMWs since that first, tired old '76 2002 back in San Francisco (it had been converted into a tii and painted navy blue when we got it in 1993), and we've learned that a BMW has never really been about the numbers. A BMW is a pure driver's car, meant for roads like this on days like this.
By the Numbers
But if you must discuss numbers, the 2008 BMW 128i gives up some big ones to the 135i. Its normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-6 makes 230 hp at 6,500 rpm and 200 pound-feet of torque at 2,750 rpm. That's a deficit of 70 hp and 100 lb-ft, and you can definitely feel it every time you drive, since this test car weighs 3,198 pounds with its six-speed manual transmission, just 121 pounds less than a comparable 135i.
The 128i hits 60 mph in 5.9 seconds (5.7 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and reaches the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 96.5 mph. This is 0.9 second slower than the twin-turbo 1 Series to 60 mph and 1.0 second slower to the quarter-mile. But this hardly makes the 128i some kind of delivery van.
In terms of handling and braking numbers, the 128i holds its own, generating 0.84g on the skid pad and nailing the slalom at 69.1 mph. The brakes are powerful and the pedal is firm, and the Goodyear Eagle NCT 5 tires are good enough to bring the little coupe to a stop from 60 mph in a mere 113 feet.
But there's also another important number here. The 2008 BMW 128i is $6,000 cheaper than the 135i. That's a big number on the 128i's side of the performance ledger.
Seat of Your Pants Driving
If you want to know what makes the BMW 128i a real BMW, let's start with where the driver spends his time.
Pure and simple, the driver seat of this 128i is fantastic. It's a simple, eight-way, manually adjustable seat, part of a $1,200 Sport package that also includes the upgraded 17-inch wheels and performance rubber and sport suspension. Manually adjustable is a very good thing, because it means the seat is bolted directly to the body without an intervening layer of electronic doodads that thicken the cushions of the power-adjustable seat. So the inputs from the chassis are translated directly through your glutes.
The Bavarians also know from steering wheels, and this one has a rim that fills your palm without making you feel like you're holding some giant sausage. It also has audio controls, so you can select just the right track from the CD as your right foot summons a complementary bass line from the tailpipe.
Meanwhile, the six-speed manual transmission snicks through the gears with BMW's characteristic smoothness. And since this normally aspirated engine isn't supplemented by the turbo thrusters of the 135i, you have to shift aggressively to take full advantage of its 200 lb-ft of torque. Torque peak is reasonably low in the band at 2,750 rpm, but the 135i's 300 lb-ft feels pretty juicy in comparison because it comes in at just 1,400 rpm. Yet what seems like a power deficit in the 128i quickly becomes a satisfaction surplus, as the driving experience this engine delivers is ultimately more involving and rewarding because you need to work the throttle pedal and the shift lever.
Although this is an entry-level BMW, it has the same MacPherson struts in front and a multilink setup in back as the 3 Series, and the Sport package brings you 205/50R17 front and 225/45R17 rear Goodyear Eagle NCT 5 all-season tires, so it corners confidently and predictably. The 128i comes equipped with both stability control and BMW's Dynamic Traction Control as standard equipment, and the DTC can be turned off if you have a hankering to burn some Goodyear.
The 2008 BMW 128i is not the tail-wagger's dream car. While an M3 begs for tail-out powerslides, the 128i simply carves through corners the way a BMW always has, doing everything in its power to keep its driver on the road. Its near-perfect 51/49 percent weight distribution and 104.7-inch wheelbase make it responsive yet stable, so you don't have to resort to hooliganism to have a good time.
The Inside Story
BMW has always thought about the driver first and foremost, perhaps more so than any manufacturer. As a result, the 1 Series offers excellent sight lines all around, and all the controls fall easily to hand (a phrase that is actually descriptive in a car like this). The gauges are simply spot-on BMW, with a big fat speedo and an equally large tach.
Even so, it's hugely annoying in that the center stack's visual display vanishes should you be wearing polarized sunglasses; and when it's summer in the hills around Santa Barbara this is a distinct possibility. What is more glaring, however is that the main instrument display leaves no room for a temperature gauge, which is probably the best indicator of trouble under the hood that you can have.
As always, BMW has a read-out for instantaneous fuel economy, so we were entertained for a few seconds by the fact that it would register a paltry 12 mpg with our foot to the floor and then 74 mpg when we coasted a few seconds later. We were more interested in this car's EPA rating of 18 mpg city/28 mpg highway, marginally better than the 135i's 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway.
There isn't a lot of room for storage in the 1 Series, as the tiny glovebox seems to be designed to fit nothing more than the textbook-size (ah, those thorough Germans) owner's manual. There are a couple of small compartments in the center console, including a nifty little iPod pouch that comes as part of the optional $400 iPod/USB adapter. But there was no handy spot out in the open for something as simple as a phone and a set of keys.
There isn't a lot of room for storage in the backseat, either, as the seats are upright and offer minimal legroom of 32 inches. BMW thoughtfully separates the seats with a center storage console lest you attempt to squeeze more than two people back there in an homage to telephone booth stuff-a-thons of the 1950s.
Body Image
A white car always brings to mind the rental-car fleet at some airport in the Midwest, but we'll admit that Alpine White works well on this 128i. Even so, the 1 Series is not a pretty car. It looks like a 3 Series that was rescued just a little too late from the junkyard crusher, having been squeezed at both ends until the roof bulged upward. At 171.1 inches long, it's only 10 inches shorter than the 328i coupe, a big difference in terms of proportion. It looks even stubbier because it's 2 inches taller than the 3 Series.
Considering its size, the 128i includes a very respectable trunk of 10 cubic feet, perfect for an overnight trip. The 50/50-split folding rear seat expands the trunk if you've got something large to carry, such as a flat-screen TV or a Van Gogh, and the seatback releases are conveniently located in the trunk.
Maybe we'll just get used to the 1 Series' shape over time, since it's not too overly stylized, and in true BMW form, everything has its purpose.
Cool Breezes
As we continue our midday drive past the yards where the billionaires romp, we consider the question.
Is it the right thing to spend an extra $6,000 for the forced induction of the 300-hp 135i and get some bragging rights in performance numbers, or does the 2008 BMW 128i Coupe provide all the charm, dynamic poise, driver involvement of a BMW of old, such as the great 2002 of the 1960s and 1970s?
In answer, we flick off the A/C, open the sunroof and windows, and breathe free.