Window sticker pic taken at LA auto show

Gasp! They way I'd want mine is well over 40K!!!

M

That's a bargain...considering I bought mine (120i 3dr) for 38000 euros with all the extras.

WOW... i thought you'd get at least leather standard on the 135i with that sticker price.



Agreed... sucks for BMW.


It's called consumer gouging.

While it is definitely not the deal of the century, I think it is a good price. The only other cars I can think of roughly in the same performance bracket is the STI and Evo X and both cost around the same give or take couple of grands. To get a premium German car for the same price as those Japanese cars sounds like a good deal to me.

For another perspective, the US spec E36 M3 cost around $39000 and it had 240HP. Throw inflation over the last 10 years into the picture and 135 sounds like a steal compared to that.

I saw in a newspaper article that the Canadian dollar price will be $40,000 for the 135i. The 335 - albeit the 335xi with the premium package, tax, freight, etc - costs slightly more than $70,000 Cdn.

This 135i might not be "cheap" per se, but you get the Brembos and M-pack as standard. You also get the same engine as the flagship 3-series for 20-25% less money. My friend with the 335i coupe is none too pleased that a cheaper entry-level 1-series BMW will have the same engine as his 3-series top-of-the-line model. I'm less annoyed because my 3 is the 35xi. I'd be pissed if they make a 135xi coupe though.

Honestly 40k would be very descent. If for 45k you can get it well loaded with premium pack and a few techno bells & whistles that would be quite good. But if it starts @ 45k, then that will suck.

That price is a bargain in my opinion for 2 reasons.

1. My 'old' 2005 E46 ZHP 330ci based at over $40K before options. The 135 is an improvement in most categories, some significantly, read power and brakes, over that car and is available 3 years later and is more affordable. That's progress.

2. At the risk of sounding like a BMW marketing agent, what other NEW car at that price point will offer the expected level of driving dynamics and creature comforts? A G37? The G is even more overweight than the 1er and if it's anything like the last one which I had a lot of seat time in through a buddy that HAD one (pitched it for a 330ci ) it's no where near as refined (in terms of squeaks, rattles, and overall fit and finish) as bmw. Other than that I can't think of a single other good competitor.

US$35k seems insanely cheap compared to how much a 135 coupe will cost here in Aus. Base 1er (116i) hatch starts at AU$36k.
The 130i hatch starts at about AU$70k drive away, so the 135i plus being a coupe hence more expensive, will be around AU$90k at least.
That's a starting price of around US$80k.
If they were as cheap here as they are in the US, I'd be buying one without a second thought.

Just whining..