German Car Forum

What a crap review.

2008 BMW 135i Review

By Justin Berkowitz
April 11, 2008 - 9,877 Views

History is bunk. Although a select few sporting cars have become legends– the Jaguar XK120, early Mustangs and Porsche 911s– their modern equivalents offer superior driving dynamics in every performance metric you can name. And greater reliability. And safety. But it is their "soul" that resonates: that unique combination of iconoclastic style and man - machine zeitgeist. So when enthusiasts started comparing the new 135i to Bimmer's venerable 2002, sight unseen, expectations were sky high. The reality is more like a fat guy limbo dancing under a pole raised six feet off the ground.

My paranoid-delusional theory: BMW intentionally botched the 135i. The new car has the same engine as the 335i, meets the same American crash requirements, and satisfies the [marketing] need for four seats. If executed properly, the chances that the 1-Series would have eaten the 3-Series cash cow's breakfast, lunch and dinner. So The Boys from Bavaria took a 3-Series, screwed it up a bit, and said "here is your entry level car."



Even a simple glance tells you that BMW doesn't believe in reincarnation. The 2002's huge greenhouse dominated its exterior design; the airy cockpit made the car feel a lot smaller than its dimensions indicated. The 135i is the exact opposite. The new car's beltline rides absurdly high; an accurate indication of submariner visibility from the driver's seat. The front end is contempo BMW, but the headlights are more cubist X3 than sleek 7-Series. The trunk looks like it's taller than it is deep.

In fact, the overall exterior looks like someone stuck a 3-Series coupe in a trash compactor. Yes, the 135i continues Chris Bangle's axles of power flame-surfaced design theme, and some elements are distinctly appealing. The base of the rear pillar has a lovely retro curve to it. But there is nothing iconic or beautiful about the 135i. It's a rolling caricature of a virtually identical car.

The 135i's interior offers a welcome return to basics. Bargain hunters will be pleased that the materials deployed throughout the 135i's cabin are virtually identical (in quality) to those found in the 3-Series. The 135i's dash design is considerably better. The center stack is oriented toward the driver– a BMW interior hallmark I've missed in the years since BMW realized the orthodontists leasing their cars didn't give a damn.

The 135i's front seats are horrendous; they get negative five stars. Each. We're talking inverse side bolstering; you sit on top of a leatherette covered hill. Continuing a less noble BMW tradition, righting this ergonomic wrong costs you big bucks. It's $1500 for leather and another grand for sport seats– which come with Shadowline Exterior Trim, an M-Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel, Increased Top Speed Limit and all-caps spelling.

The 135i's back chairs will not accommodate anyone: you, me, children, smaller children, junior members of The Lollipop Guild, or Jay Shoemaker's chihuahua. Not that it matters. The front seats are mounted so close together you can't reach into the back seat. The rear accommodations are barefly sufficient for a decent-sized backpack, never mind a homo sapien.

Thanks to its 300 horsepower turbocharged inline six, the 135i is a Flüssigkeitsrakete. Ramming the tach needle into the redline is as addictive as a cherry bomb to a juvenile delinquent. Zero to sixty takes just 5.1 seconds (says BMW) — and time well spent it is too. Red-blooded drivers are left wanting more gears, more space and a higher speed limit (see: above) to thrash the daylights out of this mighty mill. It's too bad the rest of the car is just luggage.

Pistonheads have focused on the 135i's weight– and for good reason. The 135i tips the scales at 3373lbs. And boy, does it feel like it. When BMW and Edmunds described the 135i as the 2002's successor, they must have been talking about the 2002 model year 330i. The 135i's overall driving impression is "piano like." By this I mean it drives as if there's a piano strapped to the roof.

The 135i's steering is unnecessarily heavy, even artificially so; helming the 135i is a ton of work (literally). The 135i's manual transmission is typical of latter day Bimmers. It engages with rubbery imprecision and the clutch is a two-footer. And while the 335i has an excellent ZF automatic transmission, the 135i does not. The smaller car's French-made six-speed auto is jerkier and more dim-witted than its big brother's cog swapper.

p0037603.JPGWith the 135i, BMW had its cake and ate it too. Maybe that's why the 135i is so fat. Anyway, I guess BMW couldn't offer an affordable, beautiful, spirited entry level car below the 3-Series, but not have "a" car that's below the 3-Series. Rather than "make it fun" or "make it practical," BMW built a slightly smaller, marginally less expensive, much less attractive 3-Series. How great is that?

*****/*****

Link: 2008 BMW 135i Review | The Truth About Cars

Why do they bother to give it three stars? By this review it should have no more than one.

Actually, he gave it -10 points for the seats, LOL. That's obviously exaggeration (the standard seats won't feel like you're sitting on a hill unless you're 10 years old or you're the proverbial 98-lb weakling), so it does raise questions about the rest of the article. Maybe he is a 98-lb weakling because this is one of the first reviews (if not the only) in which the steering is criticized for being too heavy. Never heard about the heavy clutch, or a rubbery/imprecise shifter either. The 135i automatic is also a ZF transmission.
The rear seats not accomodating for children or even smaller children? Haha. Plenty of reviews have said even 6-footers can fit back there so long as the front passengers are accomodating. I've sat in the back of one with the driver's seat set to my position and was quite comfortable. The 135i actually has more overall rear seat space than the 3-Series coupe.

And wow, the comments on that site. Pure ignorance. The epitome of the "bigger is better" attitude in America.
I don't recall BMW ever saying the 135i is the reincarnation of the 2002. Sadly, people can't differentiate between inspiration and reincarnation. This includes the author of this review, who even admits he "had really high hopes for this car." He even sounded surprised at the way the looks of the 135i disappointed him, even though pictures of the 135i have been circulating for how many months now? Even right when the 135i was announced, there were already artists renderings that clearly depicted something very similar to the current car. Common sense would dictate it should look a lot like the 1-Series that had been available in Europe for years. Not a 3-Series coupe, let alone something as ancient as a 2002.

TTAC has always been useless about cars really. That Robert Faraggo is a bloody disgrace. He tries too hard to be witty and, but ends up looking like a complete berk.

Guibo,

Are you sure that "the 135i automatic is also a ZF transmission"? that's what I thought and hope is the case. Could you confirm this? what does BMW literature say? any difference in auto transmission (for 135) for euro and usa?

thx.

This is a first (or at least a rare) negative review... compared to countless positive ones.

So this is kinda meaningless unless more negative reviews pop up.

"BMW 1 Series
Expressively sporty: On the way with the new BMW 1 Series Coupé. This is why here, ZF is supplying the manual transmission as well as the quick shifting automatic 6-speed transmission. The shift system and the converter complete the ZF drive. At the chassis end, you will find components, engine mounts, twin-tube dampers, spring struts, as well as steering columns and steering pumps."
ZF Friedrichshafen AG / Press

"The standard 6-speed transmission is precise, an optional 6-speed automatic sport transmission from ZF can be ordered."
http://www.germancarforum.com/1-serie...rst-drive.html

None of the BMW literature that I've seen indicates either way, nor have I heard of differences between US vs Euro specs.

On a lot of other forums (not just Autolies), there are so many MORONS who claim that this car is the downfall of BMW because it is an "economy car with a big engine".

I want to know what these dipsh*ts are smoking.

Bad crack, delivered to them by our crack dealer - aka The Artist.

Seeing all those haters really makes me want the 135i Coupe to whoop some a$$.

Which it already does.

It definitely does.

I am really liking the 135i Coupe!

My fav Bimmer