When Jeremy Clarkson isn't expounding on how wonderful the Jaguar XKR is or how horrible the G-Wiz is on Top Gear, he does much the same thing in the pages of the Times of London. In his most recent entry on those hallowed pages he takes on BMW's new 135i coupe. On the recent Top Gear Awards show Clarkson called Munich's other new small car the Mini Clubman a toilet and less desirable than a bag of dung. Maybe it's just hatchbacks from BMW that he doesn't like because he also hated the original 1-series hatch. Fortunately for the Bavarian engine gurus, the new 135i coupe does not suffer the same fate. The new shape and the twin turbo 3.0-liter inline six have transformed the 1-series in Clarkson's eyes. Aside from the absence of rear leg room, he calls this the best car BMW makes. We can hardly wait to try it out. Now about that price tag!
[Source: Times of London]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Avinash machado @ Dec 31st 2007 9:19AM
Most people read Clarkson's reviews for entertainment and do not really base their car buying decisions based on his opinions. While his car reviews are very funny and entertaining they are not meant to be taken seriously.
yvanmontoya @ Dec 31st 2007 10:01AM
While most of the times that might be true, I think this time he has a point.
A light, rear wheel drive, 306 BHP little car. There is nothing like this in the market.
Nevertheless, I tend to agree with Clarkson's opinions, most of the times on cars that other people or magazines consider stupid or pointless.
He may be biased to British cars, 'cause he is brit, so you are biased to the Corvette or the Viper or whatever other thing it may come out. But when something is good, it doesn't matter where it comes from, he will adore it.
He expresses very strong opinions, and I remark again, OPINIONS. You should take them as that.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 31st 2007 11:07AM
It's not light. It's only 150lbs lighter than a 3-series.
I'd be shocked if a WRX STi (which DOES have 300HP) isn't lighter.
Guenther @ Dec 31st 2007 11:34AM
at 1560kg (from various German literature) it weighs about 100# more than a 350Z Enthusiast- which you can take home today for about 29 grand, no waiting.
Scott @ Dec 31st 2007 1:20PM
@Guenther
The 350Z is a pure 2-seater. This simple fact eliminates it as competition in a lot of customer's minds.
I have a coupe myself and rarely use the rear seats, BUT I wouldn't have bought it if the rear seats didn't exist.
SOhp101 @ Dec 31st 2007 10:03AM
The 3 series may take up substantially more volume than the 1 series, but that doesn't change the fact that there is barely a 200 pound weight difference, and the 1 series is pig ugly compared to its older brother. I'll take a nearly base model 335i over a well equipped 135i any day of the week.
NewJerseyBMW @ Dec 31st 2007 10:25AM
I 2nd that. Unless they come out with a "clubman" based version of the 128i stripped down with all the performance goodies.
srivendel @ Dec 31st 2007 10:45AM
Did you mean Club Sport? The Clubman is a stretched Mini.
KnightRider @ Dec 31st 2007 3:11PM
I think its ugly. More importantly, it does'nt have a personality.
I dont see any reason why somebody would buy this instead of a 335 or lets say a mini cooper s. This thing will be a failure for sure.
Carguy @ Dec 31st 2007 10:24AM
Clarkson's opinion is probably the single most important one in all of the industry. There are others that matter, like Car and Driver, Car, and Consumer Reports, but those tend to be groups or editors that no one really knows. Clarkson, as a single human being, controls more market share than practically anyone. The entire world looks to him...
NewJerseyBMW @ Dec 31st 2007 10:26AM
Yes and %49 listen to Pat Goss's garage from Motorweek.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 31st 2007 11:09AM
True. An enormous number of people listen to Clarkson for their car info.
But... other than those actually in the UK, the rest of them are 19 year olds on the internet who don't have enough money to buy anything fancier than a Jetta anyway, so the actual impact of his reviews on sales is surely a lot less than it might seem.
Guenther @ Dec 31st 2007 11:21AM
NJBMW- I think I might have slipped a disk while laughing uncontrollably. I suppose we have to remember that Motorweek is PBS.
viggo @ Dec 31st 2007 10:25AM
Can't count the times I've read that the x35i uses one small and one larger turbo. That's accurate for the x35d, x35i uses two small turbos, nothing else.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 31st 2007 11:13AM
People have just plain lost their minds over this engine. BMW puts a turbo on a car and the world is so agog they can't even keep their facts straight.
You'll hear it's "compact", "lag-free", "efficient" and all the technical errors too.
Perception is reality, and Iif BMW are smart, they'll make a smaller turbo engine (like the VAG 2.0T) and get it out there post haste. Capitalize on the mania and sell a crapload of cars.
Gooch @ Dec 31st 2007 11:01AM
Carguy, where are your stats to back that up? Or are you just spouting an opinion, much like what Clarkson is so good at? Over the years, I've found that the opinions I can trust more than anyone else's are Car & Driver's. But that's just for me.
That said, if Clarkson's schtick works for you, cool. But don't mistake the popularity of his show and columns with influence or importance. I really don't think the car manufacturers quiver in their boots wondering if Clarkson will trash their latest effort. Even C&D and Automobile magazine sometimes inflate their "importance."
ckm @ Dec 31st 2007 4:07PM
TopGear has somewhere between 300 million and 450 million viewers worldwide and it's aired in a dozen countries. Car and Driver has a circulation of 1.3. million, most of it in the US. There is no comparison.
TopGear is THE most influential car media in world, period. Nothing even comes close. It's so important that car manufactures of all sizes go out of their way to insure good reviews on TG (cf. VW and the Tourag). And it influences even non-car people as the show appeals to a very broad audience.
And Clarkson is the guy who came up with the concept and writes the show.
When I was at a GM event 4 years ago, people in line for the Pontiac GTO were all talking about Clarkson's review of the Holden Monaro. No one even mentioned any other reviews. If you are a manufacturer (or an interested enthusiast), it would be insane to ignore what he has to say.
Gooch @ Jan 2nd 2008 7:50AM
Nice job on the stats, but really, there is no way to accurately "gauge" Clarkson's -- or any other media's -- influence on car companies and what they do. When a top executive from a car company comes out and says "We tuned this suspension just so Clarkson would like it," or something to that effect, I will believe it.
For instance, I cannot fathom that the execs at BMW or Porsche are even remotely worried about what Clarkson says about their companies' cars. He didn't like the hatch version of the 1-Series -- it still sold beyond BMW's expectations. He didn't particularly like the Cayenne -- it's Porsche's strongest seller. Some car manufacturers have images so strong even criticism from Clarkson will do little to dilute their sales -- and sales are what its all about.
The only types of cars I can see the manufacturers worry about what the critics say are the halo and sports cars. Those are not the cars that earn the manufacturers their money, and I don't think they are quaking in their boots over what a blowhard like Clarkson or the goobers over at Car and Driver are saying, as long as their moneymakers are selling.
Xii @ Jan 27th 2008 8:13PM
Gooch at the same time...you can not completely throw away the influence that Clarkson and top gear have on the car industry. Take the 350z for instance the first drive top gear was so dissapointed with it they wouldn't allow the Stig to drive it. Nissan getting a little embarressed said that they were working on improvements and sure enough a improved model was given to top gear to lap their track.
Another instance can be seen in the fact that Koenigsegg now adds a rear spoiler to all their cars to provide more downforce because top gear simply suggested it.
Car companies definitly care about what top gear thinks, bugauti was nervous as hell when they raced the jet in a two mile race so they sent two cars....(not exactly sure what that would do lol but you get the point).
Top gear knows the feel of sports cars and that is what i take their advice for. The overall thrill that comes from a car is what they know the best.
3seriesisking @ Dec 31st 2007 11:49AM
Wow. I'm amazed. This is awesome.