- convertible 72,829
- Austin, TX
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- autoshopper.com
- convertible 72,829 gasoline black manual
2009 bmw 1 series review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. New bmw 128i coupes and convertibles. introductionwhen it arrived here in mid-2008, the bmw 1 series signaled the bavarian automaker's serious intent to deliver bmw-grade driving excitement in a smaller, less costly package. As if to show just how serious, initially only one model was available: the high-performance bmw 135i coupe, with 300 twin-turbocharged horsepower. for 2009 bmw has expanded the series, adding the bmw 128i, with 230 horsepower and nearly all of the same amenities, for $6450 less. The 1 series is meant to be a serious, sporty competitor to all the front-wheel-drive japanese, korean, and domestic cars in the entry luxury coupe class. Both come with a fully automatic fabric folding top. a sport package 1,300) for the 128i models includes sport suspension, sport seats, m-style steering wheel, shadowline trim, and wider tires on 17-inch rims. Wood trim is available on the 128i 500) and can be omitted from the 135i (for no charge). The 135i coupe and convertible offer variable-ratio active steering 1,550) and, new for 2009, a heated steering wheel 150). Both convertibles offer a rear-seat ski bag that loads through the trunk 175). Various cold weather packages 600-900) bundle some of the above-listed equipment, while premium packages 3,400-3,700) combine leather upholstery with power memory seats and other amenities. safety features that come standard on the 1 series include frontal airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags (coupe only), abs, electronic stability control, traction control, cornering brake control, and launch control for getting started on slippery surfaces. The brake lights include a panic-braking mode that lights up the entire lens extra bright whenever the brake pedal is stomped hard. A tire-pressure monitor is standard. The 135i comes with run-flat tires. walkaroundthe best thing about the exterior appearance of the bmw 1 series is that this time around, it looks like a real car, unlike the old 318tii which was a cheapened, cut-off version of the 3 series that attracted a small cult following but never sold well in the u. S. the 1 series proportions were more carefully considered and while it is definitely short in the poop compared to the larger 3 series, it looks good that way, thanks to the designers. It doesn't look cheap or cut off or bandaged. The 128i has a cleaner, albeit more conventional, full-width opening below the bumper, divided into three parts by two angled struts. The outboard sections are then sub-divided horizontally, with a fog light at the top and a small grille underneath. The bottom edge of the opening turns up at the ends, smile-like. at the rear, the 128i dispenses with the 135i's prominent spoiler, in favor of a more gentle lip integrated into the trunk lid. And the 128i's rear bumper is entirely body-color, lacking the black-out panel seen on the 135i. Drag coefficient actually improves, from 0. 33 to 0. 31 cd. put the top down on the new convertible models, and the flared shoulder line that's shared with the coupes seems to form a single surface that surrounds the interior, like the deck of a small boat. Just about everything inside is in the same location and looks and operates the same way. we found the front bucket seats very comfortable and supportive, with big side bolsters. The soft top takes up less trunk space than a convertible hard top would, which is partly why the design uses a soft top. Still, cargo room shrinks to just 8 cubic feet. interior room suffers a bit, too, although hardly enough for a real convertible enthusiast to notice. Front leg room is reduced by a quarter inch, and head room by three-quarters of an inch. The losses in rear seat room are a bit more consequential, where shoulder room contracts by nearly a foot. Leg room is reduced by three-quarters of an inch, and head room by little more than a hair (0. 1 inch). the optional leather upholstery for the convertible incorporates what bmw calls sun reflective technology, a special pigment which reflects both heat and ultraviolet rays. Bmw claims this technology can keep the surface of the seats 20 degrees f cooler than conventional leather under the same sun, while also helping the hides last longer. Additionally, the convertibles' automatic climate control system adds a top-down mode that reacts less to interior temperature and more to the exterior climate and sunlight. driving impressiondriving a 300-hp, 3400-pound rear-drive coupe built on a short-wheelbase chassis adds up to a great deal of driving enjoyment, especially when the engine's torque curve is absolutely flat from 1300 to 5000 rpm and the engine redlines at 7000 rpm. the 135i's 24-valve inline-6 packs two turbochargers and makes more than 100 hp per liter, which is considered engineering magic. Bmw says a manual-shift 135i will accelerate from rest to 60 mph in a mere 5. 1 seconds, which is not something that most cars in this projected price category can do. Top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph (or 149 mph with the sport package). Epa estimates are 17 mpg city/25mpg highway with the manual transmission; and 18/25 with the automatic. because the bmw 135i is essentially a scaled-down 335i, its ride, steering, and handling carry the same exemplary qualities as the larger car. Its smaller front steering tires are matched to the job of pointing the car while the fatter rear tires lay the power down in wonderfully linear fashion. The car's weight is distributed 52/48 on the front and rear tires. the 135i's brakes use massive six-piston calipers at the front and twin-piston calipers at the rear, with 13. 3-inch front discs and 12. 75-inch rear discs and a built-in brake drying and anti-fade feature. we fo. Climate Control✔ AM/FM✔ Bucket Seats✔ Cruise Control✔ Sport Package✔ Navigation System✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Alloy Wheels
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