German Car Forum

This looks much better than the 5-door version, IMO. The 1-Series design does look better as a 3-door IMHO. Here's a chop I did sometime ago of a 1-Series coupe.

Nice work mate

BMW Source Confirms GTI-Killing 135i For U.S. Market

BMW officials confirmed to WINDING ROAD at a corporate event this week that the BMW 1-series will come to our market, and sooner than we originally thought. While official company statements have said the 1-series will be here “within two years,” a source within the company said that’s an overstatement. On the contrary, the 1-series will be announced for our market before the end of 2007. It seems at the moment that the announcement will come this year and sales should start early in 2008.

Perhaps even bigger than this news is the fact that the 1-series will debut in our market with the company’s fabulous new twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-6. This is the engine found in the new BMW 335i coupe and convertible, featuring piezo direct injection and not a whiff of turbo lag. Also coming to our market will be the company’s newest naturally-aspirated 3.0-liter inline-6.

1-series cars in our market will be two-door versions only. It’s important that we stress the word “versions” when describing the 1-series in our market, as our source confirmed there are up to 15 different concepts in Munich under discussion. For the U.S. market, the company would like to get a quick read on the viability of the car’s acceptance and then deploy one or two more models based on the same idea. In other words, the 135i and 130i could launch in two-door hatchback forms and soon thereafter we’re likely to see a two-door convertible and two-door sedan with a proper trunk.

This is the point where you’re likely to say: “Okay, a small two-door BMW sedan with powerful engines. Do I smell a 2002 revival?”

Yes, you do.

But you’ll smell it in form, only, not in engine size. A four-cylinder BMW is not scheduled for our market until, according to our source, BMW “does a proper turbocharged four-cylinder engine.” Until that time, we’re likely to see 1-series models in our market with sixes only. Pricing for the car will have to fall smack dab between the 3-series and MINI. The pricing differential in the two six-cylinder engines described above is $5,000 dollars, so expect that same ratio for the 1-series models.

Source: Winding Road

The 135i will sell like hot cakes! I can't even imagine how great of a drive this car would be. Do it BMW!

Is winding road the same magazine that faked those Corvette shots?

Dunno but it sure does sound a bit weird since we've only heard many sources saying the 1 series won't be sold in the NA market. Maybe the BMW officials were talking about the 2er and these guys just don't have a clue.

Yes they are. Hurts their credibility but I hope they are right in this case. 335s have been tested by American car magazines 0-60 in less than 5 seconds. I'd imagine the 135 would be even faster.

I honestly don't get the point of a 135i! Unless if there will be no M1. I mean think about it...if the 335i has 0-100km/hr in less than 5secs...then the 135i should be faster than a Ferrari F430...with about 4 seconds 0-to-100km/hr dash!!!

And then if they launch the M1...what 0-100km/hr will it have? Faster than the Ferrari and close to an F1 car??

So what is the point of a 135i...when the 130i is brilliantly fast?

I doubt if there will be an M1, I think the 135i will be the top line in the 1 series.

The 135i is now headed for US.

http://www../2007/01/...for-us-market/

BMW will bring a high-performance version of the three-door 1-Series hatchback to the United States sooner than expected, company officials have said.


The German automaker will import the 265 horsepower 130i and the yet-to-be-announced 306 horsepower 135i to the United States, according to Winding Road magazine

That's a pretty cool PS you did there Christian. When did you do that?.. and using what program?

For some reason I think I've seen that pic before...

Here's a chop of a 1er 3dr I did during the GCZ days. I did it in Windows Paintbrush.. but as you can see apart from the obvious change of 1 less door I also lowered the car a bit and put on some BMW Individual wheels.



* Sorry for the low quality images guys. The original pic was much bigger in size and also better quality, but a year or so ago Photobucket had some hack-in or something so they were only able to save peoples images at much smaller size. The pic above is a bit enlarged from the original, so that's why it's kinda blurry and grainy. Below is a link to the small sized image saved in my Photobucket account.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...c/M1side-a.bmp

..

SSSSSIIIIICCCCCKKKKK!

Thanks, Beemer Boi!

Autoweek is reporting that we'll get the 130i and an upcoming, yet to be announced 135i 3-doors here in the U.S. market sooner than expected. Going to be a hoot do drive with 300hp!

M

If the 135 is a reality the key will be how they price it.

I have still no answer why 130i does not have the hpi engine.

If september has another engine update i cancel my 130i order next week.

I used Adobe Photoshop 7.0 for the editing work.

I also posted this image on Carspin.net, maybe you saw it there or someone ripped it and posted it on other forums.

Yeh... I think I may have browsed by your pic when I was looking for 1er 3dr spy pics or something like that.

From the looks of it, it seems like the only change you made was to airbrush out the rear door line. Any other changes?

You're Welcome mate!

That has to be one of the best looking chops that I've done so far!

For your clue into how the Coupe and Cabrio will differ from the hatchbacks .
look at the head on shots where you can see that BMW have added a ledge underneath the lamps in the Coupe and Cabrio models. The edge of the will follow through like the headlamps of the 3er Coupe and Cabrio and will curve upwards. And the twin-grille will be less flat with a more pronounced shape recalling the design of the CS1 Concept.

scott any news of an M version from the coupe.

There are people here I'm sure who'd buy a 2dr 135i, no doubt. It would work very well as a special car for BMW enthusiast. People who cannot necessarily afford a 3er and don't want a Mini for reasons of space and or image.

I seriously hope there will be one. It would be a terrible shame if BMW stopped making high performance Inline 6 engines. I want to see a next gen version with around 370 hp in the M2

people who cannot afford a 3er most certainly cannot affor a 135i deutsch
it's pricing would be on apr with a 325 and maybe more
but the 135i or 235 i in the future will be nche cars if they are created, as far as isee 135 and M2, for peopel who don't want big cars, but love burning rubber and humiliating audi RS4's and merc C63's
performance of a 300+hp RWD hatch would be extreme, i wouldn't mind owning one

Even almost after a week...I still cannot find any pics of the 2+2 interior in the 3dr.

Any help people?

I know EnI...maybe they are keeping it as a surprise...but I am hoping that we will see some pics...