babypuppi: [10] 2012 Bmw 135i At Today Issue

Monday, December 31, 2018

[10] 2012 Bmw 135i At Today Issue

Give us leather upholstery any day. It’s easy to clean, is almost always paired with seat heaters, and we hate cows. (OK, we don’t really hate cows. Well, we hate the rude ones.) Nowadays, extended leather packages can be selected to cover the dashboard, infotainment controllers, and more, and Porsche buyers can even get their vent slats covered in the stuff. And so we welcome this minor bit of news: buyers of the BMW 1-series now will be able to opt for leather seats at no charge. It’s true, all 2011 1-series models can be fitted with the totally gratis Value package—previously offered on the 2009 5-series and 328i/xi—which not only adds cowhide seat coverings, but iPod integration, too.

Changes Under the Surface

OK, perhaps we’re harping on the leather thing too much. The biggest news for the 1-series concerns its mechanicals: Like the 2011 X6 xDrive35i and 335i, the 135i coupe and convertible will get BMW’s new N55 3.0-liter single-turbo inline-six. The engine replaces the old N54 3.0-liter twin-turbo six, and BMW claims it offers both greater efficiency and reduced emissions while delivering the same 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. We’ve yet to see any fuel-economy numbers for the 2011 135i models, but the current coupe is rated at 17 mpg city and 25 highway. The 2010 135i ragtop returns the same city mileage but ekes out an extra mpg on the highway.

Both 135i body styles are dropping their conventional six-speed automatic in favor of BMW’s new seven-speed dual-clutch DCT automated manual transmission. The new gearbox will cost $200 more than the $1375 optional automatic, but it should make the coupe and convertible even quicker. All 128i models will retain the conventional six-speed automatic.

The 2011 1-series goes on sale in April with the Value pack and the new engine and transmission. A few other minor changes have been made to the smallest Bimmer, too, likely as enticements to move inventory before the new 1-series makes its debut for 2012. A Convenience package bundles prior stand-alone options into one discounted package; 128i coupe and convertible customers selecting the package will get an alarm system, keyless entry and ignition, rear parking sensors, and xenon headlights for $1650, or 500 bucks less than buying all of that junk separately. 135i coupe and convertible buyers get the same package sans the xenons—they’re already standard—for $1000, saving $250. Both models add a heated steering wheel to the Cold Weather pack, which now runs $150 more, at $750, and a Harman/Kardon stereo ($875) replaces the old unbranded premium “Hi-Fi” stereo option.

Base prices remain unchanged from 2010, with the 128i coupe and convertible running $30,025 and $35,075, respectively, and the 135i coupe and convertible priced at $36,925 and $41,225.

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