Nottingham Evening Post, Mar 4, 2011
F pushed to name BMW's most convincing sports car, many would walk past the mighty M5, ignore the powerhouse M3, pause briefly to admire the Z4 and end up at the baby of the range, the 1 Series Coupe. With a selection of fantastic engines and the draw of an awesomely capable M model at the top end, the two-door 1 Series demonstrates once again that light is right. BMW isn't really used to lukewarm responses. The car maker is accustomed to wallowing in plaudits. So when the majority verdict on its 1 Series Coupe seemed to be "What's the point?" it knew it had a choice: education, modification or obfuscation. What transpired was a combination of all three.
At the time of its launch in 2007, it seemed that here was a car that did nothing as well as the hatchback, cost more and looked a little ungainly. But in reserving only the best engines for the Coupe, BMW began planting the seed that this was something special; a cut above the garden variety hatch. While we were wondering whether this was just marketing smoke and mirrors, BMW pulled the wraps off the stunning 1 Series M Coupe and cemented the Coupe's reputation as the driver's choice in BMW's line up. At about the same time, a series of subtle updates were announced for the less ballistic 1 Series Coupe models aimed at knocking nascent opposition for six. You'll find no weed-whacker engines in the 1 Series Coupe line up. BMW has dropped the entry-level power plants and left just the stars. That means diesel buyers will gravitate towards the astonishing 123d while petrol customers won't be able to resist the twin-turbo 135i.
The 123d makes 204bhp, gets to 60mph in 6.8 seconds yet will still average over 55mpg. Choose the 306bhp 135i and it's a real pocket rocket, requiring five seconds to get to 60mph en route to a limited 155mph top end. 135i customers also get BMW's electronic differential lock which slows the spinning inside rear wheel to enhance vehicle traction when accelerating hard out of corners or tight bends. The 1 Series M Coupe flagship has the chops to back up its aggressively squat, wide- arched stance. With that familiar twin-turbo six under the bonnet tweaked to develop 340bhp and with enough about it to guarantee zero to 60mph in just 4.7 seconds, it's quicker around the Nurburgring Nordschleife than the previous generation E46 BMW M3.
The latest 1 Series Coupe gets a revised front bumper with redesigned fog lights and halogen headlights. Buyers of ES, SE and Sport models also get the Aero Curtain feature. This routes air through two ducts in the front apron and jets it out of the wheelarch, shrouding the front wheels, reducing drag and improving efficiency. Beneath the boot lid, which is drawn up into a subtle spoiler, the space is measured at 370 litres, that's 20 litres up on the hatch and there's a 60:40 split rear seat. The interior will hold few surprises for BMW owners. The quality materials and solid construction always impress and it's this general classiness that makes it feel special rather than any stand-out detailing. BMW has responded to criticisms about 1 Series Coupe pricing, not by reducing them but by throwing more equipment at the cars.
Entry-level models get 16-inch alloy wheels, dynamic stability control, halogen headlights and MP3 playback capability. Go for a Sport model and you'll get 17-inch star-spoke alloys and multi- function leather steering wheel. As with all of the premium brands, you have to offset high initial asking prices with lower depreciation. Since most cars of this type are bought on leases, this process will be done for you. All 1 Series Coupe models benefit from BMW's EfficientDynamics programme that makes them easily greener and more fuel efficient than their rivals. Plus there's an Auto Start-Stop system that cuts the engine in urban traffic when the gear is deselected.
Copyright c Northcliffe Newspapers Group Limited 2011
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment