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.

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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.

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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