With the top lowered on the 2011 BMW 135i convertible one evening last week, Jan and I enjoyed an exceptional view of the setting sun’s orange/pink light bouncing off the clouds as we headed north out of the city.
The relatively small 1 series has been part of the U.S. car scene for a couple of years. It’s 10 inches shorter in overall length than the long-popular Bimmer 3 series.
We were leaving a gathering at the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association; the open house timed the primary election watch event with an opportunity to show off recent improvements in interior aesthetics and electronic upgrades at its William D. Barrow Building at Speer and Grant.
The 135i’s drop-top is of the traditional soft variety, like that of the recently introduced Audi A5 convertible. The rival Audi TT and Infiniti G37 use retractable hardtops, as do the BMW 3 series convertibles.
Lurking beneath the hood of “the little BMW” is a combination that can, when called upon, jar a driver to the keenest of senses. The two-door’s 306-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6-cylinder engine is mated to a 7-speed double-clutch automatic transmission with paddle-shifting capability.
On another drive in a rural setting, I tested the “launch control” feature of the power package. With my left foot on the brake, and with the dynamic traction control and sport control activated, I moved the shifter into manual mode, floored the accelerator, released the brake and the car shot off down the road like it was rocket-powered.
The BMW’s rear-wheel-drive handling is impressive; a little more choppy than the 3 series, though with very minimal cowl shake. It uses a five-link independent rear suspension and front and rear stabilizer bars with its sport setup. In normal mode, the automatic transmission shifts quickly and smoothly, and the engine operates quietly.
When you multiply the 135i’s small 14-gallon fuel tank by its average-at-best EPA rating of 18-25, the result is a fairly short driving range.
Red leather seats and gray poplar wood trim enhanced the interior. Even with its reduced measurements, the convertible wasn’t noticeably squeezed for space, at least in the front seating area. It seemed much the same as the 3 series, though, as with other convertibles, rear-seat riders are at the mercy of those sitting ahead (“push the front seat forward, please”). Trunk capacity is only 8 cubic feet.
A cheaper 128i convertible is equipped with a 230-hp, 3.0-liter 6-cylinder and 6-speed manual transmission.
The double-clutch transmission added $1,575 to price of the 135i and boosted its sticker to $47,400. Heated sport seats headed other options, along with sport steering wheel with shifting paddles, cruise control, 18-inch alloy wheels and retractable headlight washers.
The automatic power-folding soft top contains a heated glass rear window. A 10-speaker harman/kardon stereo is standard.
The convertible is built in Leipzig, Germany.
Notes from e-mail
Q: Read your article, Bud, about the guy trading his Cadillac for a Sonata. Was he sober? I drive a Cadillac DTS, GMC Sierra and Pontiac Solstice GXP turbo roadster. The DTS is a beautiful driving, comfortable, safe automobile. I’ve been driving GM cars and trucks for 45 years; never owned one I didn’t like. I’ve always believed in quality; you get what you pay for. If you want quality, buy Cadillac, Buick or Lincoln. Built in America by American companies. – D.A.
A: Much of what you say is in agreement with my thinking, Dennis, as anyone who knows me would tell you. Still, it is my responsibility to report the automotive trends in my columns.
Q: Bud, I drove a Jeep Wrangler four-door recently and noticed that the driver’s door wouldn’t stay in place when opened, it either swung way out or tended to almost close. Otherwise, I found the Jeep to my liking. – S.S.
A: That’s because those doors are removable, Stan. You wouldn’t want a Wrangler without removable doors, would you?
Q: Were there some gold-plated add-ons to the Acura TL you wrote about recently, Bud, for $44,000. I owned a TL several years ago that I bought for $30,000. Have they gone up that much in price? – H.B.
A: It must have been several, several years ago, Harold, or perhaps it was near-new when you purchased it. If you take away the all-wheel drive, navigation, surround-sound audio, rearview camera and leather-sport seats, the TL will drop in price to the mid- to upper $30s.
2011 BMW 135i convertible
$47,400
(price as tested)
MPG City 18 Highway 25
Vehicle type: Luxury entry-level convertible
Wheelbase: 104.7 inches
Length/Width/Height: 171.7/72.1/55.8 inches
Weight: 3,704 pounds
Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-6
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Fuel mileage: 24.2 mpg
Fuel tank: 14 gallons
Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles basic
Competitors: Audi TT, Infiniti G37, Ford Mustang
Built at: Leipzig, Germany
THE STICKER
$40,305 base
$1,950 Power seat, lumbar, digital compass mirror
$1,575 7-speed double-clutch transmission
$1,100 18-inch wheels, sport seats
$500 Heated seats
$875 Destination
PLUSES
Twin-turbo and double-clutch
Red leather seats
Handling
MINUSES
18-25 EPA range
Little trunk space
