Merc1

Before its unveiling at the Frankfurt show in September, the 1 Series coupe had been one of the most talked-about new models from BMW in quite a while. And with good reason. Here's a car promising a leaner and more agile driving experience than the larger, more expensive 3 Series coupe, a car we hold in high esteem.

Further heightening expectations for the new baby BMW was the news that it would use Munich's superb twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter gasoline engine in top-of-the-line 135i guise. With 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, the inline six-cylinder packs the sort of punch you'd expect from a small V8--this in a car running BMW's traditional longitudinal-front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Can you blame us for counting the days until we could drive it?

Before we start our drive, it is worth pointing out that this is not the first 1 Series model. The hatchback went on sale in Europe in 2004. That car was never considered for sale here, BMW deciding that the coupe and the upcoming convertible were better propositions for the United States.

BMW doesn't see the 1 Series as a cheaper alternative to the 3. Rather, it is trying to pitch its new two-door as a premium alternative to the front-wheel-drive hatchbacks sold here each year. It will be offered only with six-cylinder engines here, giving it what BMW hopes is a performance advantage over its rivals.

The car should be fast enough to compete, that's for sure: 62 mph (100 km/h) arrives in 5.2 seconds, and the 50-to-75-mph fourth-gear split takes 5.1 seconds. For perspective, the new 4.0-liter-, 420-hp-V8-powered M3 requires 4.8 seconds and 5.0 seconds to hit the same marks. It might be small in stature, but the 135i is darn quick in a straight line.

Using a longitudinal engine and rear-wheel drive is a departure in the hatch class dominated by transverse engines and front-wheel drive. BMW is convinced that buyers will accept the rear-drive packaging confinements when they discover how well the 1 Series coupe drives. We have to say we agree. The layout dictates the car's proportions, giving it a long hood, sweptback silhouette and short overhangs. The taut-surfaced styling in front is shared with the 1 Series hatchback. At 171.7 inches long, 76.1 inches wide and 56.0 inches high, the car is 8.7 inches shorter, 2.0 inches narrower and 1.1 inch taller than the 3 Series coupe.

There are no major surprises inside. For cost reasons, the 1 Series coupe shares its dashboard, instruments, switchgear and trim with the hatchback. BMW insists it can accommodate four adults in comfort. We beg to differ, the meaning of either "adult" or "comfort" being in question. The front seats are wide and boast sufficient cushioning in the backrest to hold your body in place when lateral forces build. But with a transmission tunnel running through the cabin and a wheelbase four inches shorter than the 3 Series coupe's at 104.7 inches, the rear seats are cramped. They are fine for short journeys, but with legroom at a premium, we wouldn't want to spend too long in back. It's best to think of it as a 2+2 with reasonable (12 cubic feet) trunk space. The rear seats split and fold, but the car lacks the accommodation of more space-efficient front-drive rivals.

When it launches here in March, there will be two 1 Series models to choose from. The low-end model is the 128i, running a 3.0-liter inline-six producing 228 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. It's the range-topping 135i, though, that BMW let us steer first. After the disappointment of its last foray into the compact-car ranks with the 318ti back in 1995, it is clear why BMW is pushing performance rather than economy. Just in case you're wondering, though, it claims its newcomer will return a combined city/ highway average of more than 25 mpg, thanks in part to a standard brake-regeneration system that disconnects the generator under acceleration, using energy won under braking to top up the battery.

On the move, we're struck by the 135i's engine. The peak torque arriving at just 1300 rpm dominates proceedings, endowing the car with flexibility, responsiveness and urgency. Ambling along with traffic around town in fourth gear, the revs hovering at about 2000 rpm, is as intrinsic to the engine's multifaceted character as its ability to spin to the 7000-rpm cutout on the open road. This wide delivery of power makes the 135i easy to drive and so confidence-inspiring that you instantly feel at home.

The refinement is superb by class standards, as is the precise and reassuring action of the clutch on versions running the standard six-speed manual gearbox. There will be an optional six-speed automatic available in North America, but we'd stick with the manual. It mates seamlessly to the engine, with a well-sprung action across the gates and short throws making gear changes a pleasure. What's more, it's all accompanied by a delicious snarl from the engine.

The chassis lives up to the drivetrain's performance. A day spent along the varied roads on the scenic Swedish island of Gotland leaves us with no doubt that this car sets new dynamic standards for the class. BMW has given the 1 Series coupe the same rear-wheel-drive underpinnings as its three-year-old 1 Series hatchback--sharing much with the latest 3 Series. With comparatively wide tracks (57.9 inches front, 58.9 inches rear), it proves rock-solid at highway speeds.

The steering, wooden around the straight-ahead position where the electronic pump is disconnected as part of the fuel-saving measures engineered into the car, weights up in fast corners. Body movements are progressive, with roll angles kept well in check by firm damping. For anyone who has spent much time in a 3 Series coupe, it all feels rather familiar. The major difference is that the more compact dimensions allow you to place it with great confidence in corners. On standard 215/40 (front) and 245/35 (rear) profile tires on 18-inch rims, grip is never in doubt, the front end pushing ever so slightly with the merest whiff of understeer when it is hustled hard over challenging sections of blacktop.

We don't think we're going too far out on a limb to suggest that the 1 Series coupe is the most complete car in its class as far as performance and dynamics are concerned. Yes, it lacks the practicality of many of its rivals, and at more than $35,000 in 135i guise, it certainly won't be cheap. But in the end, the driving enjoyment it serves up is hard to resist.


SPECS

ON SALE: March 2008

BASE PRICE: $35,675

DRIVETRAIN: 3.0-liter, 306-hp, 295-lb-ft I6; rwd, six-speed manual

CURB WEIGHT: 3300 lb (est)

0-62 MPH: 5.2 sec (mfr)

FUEL ECONOMY: 25 mpg (est)


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M

bmer

The car has it flaws, no car is perfect but it's nice that the general impression on the 1 Series Coupe in the car magazines has been very positive.

shonguiz

Just wonder if the car looks that muscular IRL.

Guibo

Not quite. It does look squat and chunky IRL, as if its mass is centered and low. But that picture is taken with telephoto, so distorts the proportions, bringing out the front fender bulge and wheel disproportionately.
The top picture is kinda weird, like it's got a blown shock in front or something.