BMW 1-Series gets the 'M' treatment - sort of
WorldCarFans has spy photos of the much-anticipated new BMW 135ti, a turbocharged six-cylinder version of the European market hatchback. Just don't call it an M1.Seen testing over a year ago at the Nurburgring, the hot 1-Series has been eagerly awaited by BMW fans looking for a less-expensive hot rod than the M3.
With horsepower from the turbo-six rumored to be anywhere from 306 hp to 330 hp, BMW's pocket rocket should have no trouble dealing with its competition, which includes the VW Golf R32, Ford Focus ST and Audi A3 3.2 V6 Quattro. The company already produces a race-only version of the 1-Series (the 120d), so perhaps a 135 racecar is in the not-to-distant future?
Apparently 'M1' badging was out of the question - BMW didn't want to dilute the image of the '70s M1 supercar.
[Source: WorldCarFans]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Alex 5:41PM (8/16/2006)
Are they bringing it to the US?! This could be the answer to my prayers for a smaller and lighter Bimmer.
In fact, I'd even be happier with a lighter 4-cylinder model, perhaps a turbo...
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JON 5:55PM (8/16/2006)
Allright!When's it gonna be here in a 2 door coupe (ala reborn 2002) version.
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Cap'n 6:01PM (8/16/2006)
I'd hate to be rear ended in that.
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Ted 6:55PM (8/16/2006)
Pleas please PLEASE bring this thing to the US!!! That's my next Co car the second it drops off the boat!
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naggs 7:31PM (8/16/2006)
where is the coupe that they promised us about 5 years ago? screw the 4 cylinders, just bring an NA 6 in a 135 coupe asap
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Edmund Dantes 9:37PM (8/16/2006)
Apparently 'M1' badging was out of the question - BMW didn't want to dilute the image of the '70s M1 supercar.
GM should take notice that BMW doesn't just throw the M badge on anything. GM has diluted the SS logo throwing it on everything, included an 173 hp Cobalt and a Chevy Malibu SS that has 20 less hp than the new Camry.
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bgdc 10:12PM (8/16/2006)
Dammit they need to bring that car here. I loathe my e90 330i for being soft and plain jane in hard driving. The 135i would certainly fix the power problem. Of course it's still a good 400 lbs too heavy...
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rwdmtparkingonly 10:10AM (8/17/2006)
Cannibalization is the issue. BMW marketing is smart enough to know that a lot of 1-series sales in this country will be lost 3-series sales, which have higher margins. Hopefully cars like the Audi A3 and Volvo V3, along with any fixed roof Kappa variants that GM might be kind enough to make, will force BMW's hand in bringing over the 1-series. Losing 3-series sales to the 1-series would be bad, but loosing 3-series sales to other companies would be worse.
The Z4 M Coupe is E55,900 in Germany and the 130i is E32,750. Either BMW is going to have to but a really big margin on the 135i's turbo engine or this thing seems like it will cannibalize a lot of Z4 M coupe sales. It's probably the move to a V8 for the M3 that makes BMW feel that they can make this car at all.
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m 10:43AM (8/17/2006)
#6 the chevy cobalt ss has 205 hp, which is alot for a small car,but the malibu ss is underpowered
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G. Snyder 11:00AM (8/17/2006)
#8 RE: Canabalization
In what way will a 135i canabalize Z4M sales? Different cars with different markets. Are you saying this based on size? Performance? There is more to performance than straight line acceleration too. They are different types of cars. I think this is bunk.
BMW is simply nervous about premium hatchbacks in the US. The old 318ti tanked (maybe because it was ass ugly and looked like a 3 after an accident).
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rwdmtparkingonly 12:56PM (8/17/2006)
Snyder, they aren’t different cars, the 135i and Z4 M Coupe are two door hatchbacks with E46 based platforms and suspensions and I6 engines making HP in the low 300 hundreds. The ti had an outdated trailing link rear suspension, but the 1-series has the trapezoidal-link rear axle from the 3 series. The 135i even throws in an emergecy rear seat.
Despite both being BMWs they may have different markets; guess which ones market is enthusiasts looking for a sleeper and which ones market is desparate housewives. The 1-series might even have a design advantage in Germany, where people go for sleepers to the extent of stripping badges off of larger displacement variants.
The ti didn’t tank, it sold pretty well for a something that was based on already federalized engines and transmissions and that was already on sale in another LHD market, but it probably stole a lot of sales from the $5K higher 318i and 318is.
BMW is a business, and right now they believe that holding certain cars and engines back from the US market will allow them to maximize profits by preventing the canabalization of sales of more upmarket, higher margin vehicles. I have no problem with BMW maximizing profit, but I look forward to other companies developing well tuned small cars, especially with rwd, that will force BMW to expand its US rage or face losing sales to other companies, not just to their less expensive products.
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Edmund Dantes 9:11PM (8/17/2006)
#9, check out chevy's website. You can order an SS trim Cobalt without the supercharged engine, which only turns out 173hp or so.
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