Base price: $34,900
As Tested: $46,700
300 horsepower
3.0L DOHC turbocharged
V6 automatic
6-speed paddle shift
18 city / 26 highway
More info:
www.bmwusa.com
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Feeling a little jealous, 3 series owners? Not that BMW's previous entry-level series isn't a sharply styled machine, but the all-new 128i and 135i are flat-out stunning. The metallic blue paint job on our tester enhanced its bold, wedged-shaped, aerodynamic body lines. A sporty front air intake, a nearly vertical BMW grill (a nod to the BMW 2002, which lends its DNA to the 135i coupe) and 18-inch star spoke alloys add up to a design coup. Maybe the ubiquitous 3 series is just a victim of its own success, and we're just ready for a change. Still, we have to say the 1 series is the better-looking little sister.
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Our tricked out tester came with a laundry list of options that add up to a sporty, luxurious ride. They also add up like a shopping bill at Gucci. The sports package ($1,100 for sport seats and sport steering wheel with paddle shifters), premium package (a steep $3,300 for power front seats, auto-dimming mirrors and other amenities), nav system ($2,100) and STEPTRONIC transmission ($1,250) jacked our tester's sticker to more than 5K over the base 335i coupe. Inner beauty isn't cheap.
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Driving this car is like mainlining a Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink -- minus the shaky hands. The stats -- 300 horsepower, 150 mph top speed, 0-60 in 5.2 seconds (per BMW) -- don't do the 135i justice. On a track day, the 135i blew away other coupes and sports sedans in or near its class with its incredibly smooth, deceptively fast power delivery. Acceleration is instant and consistent, and cruising a straight at 130 miles per hour felt like a Sunday drive. The Beemer's alphabet soup of stability enhancements like dynamic stability control (DSC) and dynamic torsion control (DTC) instilled confidence at speed through the curves. The only downside: Knowing what the 135i could do made our later city drives feel tame by comparison. If only we were lucky enough to be so spoiled by every car.
-- by Sam Jemielity
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