April 02, 2008
The 2008 BMW 135i
Fellas, I hope you're sitting down.
**Starting at $34,900 MSRP
**3.0-liter, turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine
**300 horsepower
**Rear-wheel drive
**25 mpg hwy
0 to 60mhp in 4.7 seconds, fellas, 4.7!!!
Road and Track has an awesome review of the BMW 135i. Get the data panel information here. This vehicle is listed at $35,000-ish.
Selecting 1st gear, you'll notice that the throws are fairly short, the clutch takeup linear with fairly light effort. The dohc inline-6 is a twin-turbo and it spools up rapidly. Peak torque arrives at just 1400 revs, which gives the car lightning-quick reflexes off the line. The 135i revs freely to redline, and in testing it hit 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. The quarter mile was covered in 13.4 sec. at a speed of 104.0 mph.
The 135i is a driver's car, a "gotta have" car. The question, though, is at what price. The Euro has not been so kind to the dollar and that's reflected in the 135i's base price of $34,900. Throw on a premium package that includes the glove-soft Boston leather and you're in the neighborhood of $39,000. Add navigation and you've zoomed past 40 large, which puts it solidly in the larger and more comfortable 3 Series territory. So the question is — do you want comfort and size, or do you want to drive?
Wow, wow, wow, wow!!! This is great!! Thoughts (for those who know what it means to sit behind the wheel of the ultimate driving machine)?
This is an amazing automobile.....sad thing is.....you (or I....or most people) would have to detrimently leverage themselves to get one. I just watched the documentary "Maxed Out"...very interesting....except when the demonized lenders....and didn't comment on personal responsibility whatsoever....
However...I am compelled to call Wells Fargo to see what kind of loan I can get............dang it.....beautiful, beautiful, marketing campaigns!!!!!!! Dang you!!!!!!!!! :)
Posted by: Frese at April 2, 2008 01:56 PMI have a love/hate relationship with BMW. Watching European car shows like Top Gear has given me a greater appreciation for vehicles like the BMWs. However, my problem with these vehicles is the way North Americans treat them. I know very few people here who buy them because of the quality of the car. They buy them merely as a status symbol. I need to get past that, I know, but it makes it hard for me to get excited about or appreciate a car like a BMW for what its worth.
Posted by: Jake Belder at April 2, 2008 03:03 PMI was thinking of getting one for graduation as they seem so cool. Instead I have decided to keep my money as in the crazy world of tech startups it helps to have a cushion.
This car might break my love affair with the 911 and she is cheaper too. Now I am still not a fan of the Bangle flairs. Some reason they seem to make it look bloated, but some of the concepts I have seen give me hope that Chris has had a change of heart in his fashioning of the BMW core design.
Look forward to riding in one of these in the future as I am sure some of my friends will get one.
Jack you are spot on about buying BMW for the status. My father thought so strongly about this that he would not buy anyone in my family a 3-series. Though I think the f-150 I end up with at first was more then the 3 I was looking at. Man do I miss that truck.
As of now I will enjoy the 97 Acura RL my father gave me and pray it keeps running (161,000).
Like Frese why is it the only way most , even the merely rich, can buy one of these things of beauty is leverage themselves? Leverage for fast depreciating asset rarely makes good financial sense, unless that asset is going to make you money.
Carl, no it's not a color at all actually. It represents gas mileage.
Posted by: Anthony at April 2, 2008 07:37 PMAnthony, you need to go to the BMW website and sign up for the BMW experience. They came to St. Louis about 3 years ago. They take over a giant parking lot and create a slalom course, participants get to rag out BMWs and the competition with F1 drivers directing you on how to drive a BMW the way it should be driven: fast and hard. I was fortunate enough to partake, it was amazing and completely free. BMW is the best of auto engineering.
Posted by: Archie at April 2, 2008 07:39 PMIn addition. My first car was a 1984 BMW 318i, bought of $3500. It had 153,000 miles on it and it finally tuckered out around 300,000. They are great cars. American's don't know what BMW's are for because we commute, we don't tour. BMW's are ulitmately meant for the winding roads and straight aways. The mechanic who worked on my first car insisted that I take my old beemer out and let the thing rip or the car would get depressed. Don't get stuck on the status issue. Also, purchase used, it saves money and you still get to own a BMW.
Posted by: Archie at April 2, 2008 07:45 PMSweet - after I get done paying off student loans I'm going to put myself back into debt with one of these things.
Posted by: tusc0n raider at April 3, 2008 01:39 PMMine. I want this. haha
What made my heart palpitate, wasn't just the engine size, the beauty, the horsepower...it was "rear-wheel drive." Sigh. So much fun.
Yeah, dramaturge, you got it right. I can't even really consider a car to be a real car unless it is rear-wheel drive.
Posted by: Jake Belder at April 4, 2008 08:54 AMIf BMW would stop making parts in Burma I'd feel a whole lot better about their vehicles; otherwise, they're probably the best tourer available.
Posted by: Jason at April 4, 2008 08:58 AMThe way to go on a BMW is to get a newer used one. I got an '03 530 w/ sport package last summer for under $25k...it is generally considered one of the best cars ever made. Let me know when you are in ATL, Anthony, and I will give you a ride.
Posted by: Will Hinton at April 6, 2008 05:38 PM