I first heard about the 1 Series while on a business trip to Munich in 2003. At that time BMW was just introducing the current 5 Series, and had not yet released the debut of 6 Series and X3. I was only shown an artist’s sketch at the time but I knew right then this car would be a winner.
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The first thing you notice about the 1 Series is its appearance. This car is really attractive and definitely sporty. (I’m not sure if this car is for the young and sporty or those who want to BE young and sporty!) The 1 Series certainly seems to appeal to all ages and genders. The 1 Series had its Canadian debut this March, and since then the clients who have purchased this vehicle have been as varied as the automobiles they’ve traded in for it: we’ve seen everything from a VW Golf to a Porsche Boxter being traded in for the new 1 Series we even took in a 6 Series for a 1 Series! Those trades say a lot about this car.
It has all the quality and finish you would expect from any BMW, and at a price point that starts at $33,900 for the 128i Coupe and $39,900 for the 128i Cabriolet, it definitely offers value. My first test drive in the 1 Series was the 135i Coupe. This is the same twin turbo 300 Horsepower engine you see in the 3 Series and 5 Series. My test drive vehicle was equipped with the M Sport package and 6 speed manual transmission. The 135i gave me the feeling I was driving an M Series! It’s tight and incredibly fast, and when I stopped at a Starbucks it instantly drew a crowd—clearly, it’s a showstopper too! The 135i was such a great ride, I had to remind myself that this car was priced under $45,000.
It went from zero to 100 km in just 5.4 seconds; compare that to the new V8 414 horsepower M3 Coupe at 4.8 seconds, and you soon understand this car moves. Next, I drove the 128i Cabriolet; it has a very elegant design and shares many similar features as the 1 Series Coupes. Again, the vehicle’s quality, attention to detail and level of standard equipment is amazing considering its base price point is only $39,900. I really enjoyed this car and with 230 Horsepower and 200lb-ft of torque it accelerates from zero to 100km in a mere 6.7 seconds. My guess is there will soon be many more Brian Jessel BMW plate frames on these cars. The year of the 1 has arrived-Let the evolution begin!
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