BMW 135i Coupe – not as pure as we thought?

BMW 135i Coupe

A brochure for the BMW 1-series coupe has been leaked out onto the internet, and it reveals to use some juicy details about the BMW 135i, which BMW wants to position as the new BMW for driving purists, something to replace the likes of the E30 M3.

We find out that the 135i Coupe has an unladen weight of 1,560kg, and the BMW 335i Coupe according to BMW Malaysia’s website has a weight of 1,505kg. Now that can’t be right. How can the 135i Coupe be heavier than the 335i Coupe?

Taking a look at the 135i Coupe’s brochure again, it appears that BMW UK calculates their weight differently by including a 90% tank filling, 68kg for driver, and 7kg for luggage. So we compare to the BMW UK figures for the BMW 335i Coupe and we get 1600kg for the manual, and 1615kg for the automatic.

That’s a mere 40kg difference between the 135i Coupe and the 335i Coupe, both manual versions and running the same 3.0 litre twin turbo engine. How will this attract the driving purists who want something light and “tossable”?

40kg is kinda like the weight of an underweight female passenger. The only thing the 135i has going for it is a shorter wheelbase and a smaller body. But maybe BMW has something else up it’s sleeves – no one has driven the 135i Coupe yet. Maybe it is better drive, some way, some how.

Source

Related Posts:
BMW 1-Series Coupe Specifications and Photos
BMW 1-Series Coupe engine offerings for European market
BMW 135i Coupe Stock Video
BMW 1-Series Coupe to use new inline-4 twin turbo diesel

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • longdongsilver (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 6:46 am

    I think it would be advisable for the driver to take a dump with laxatives in the morning before driveing the 135i for the weight advantage. Manufacturers would say anything to sell a car. Just my opinion. Advertising even suggests that we are using the same oil and fuel as formula 1 cars!! Muahahahahahaha!!! Oooops. Crapped in my pants…………

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  • 4G63T DSM (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 8:23 am

    Thats rather pointless if there is only 40kg difference between the 335 and 135.

    However, since this is the baby of the group, expect entry prices to be lower though. THis might have somethign to do with the weight. Blind guess will put some less use on more expensive/exotic light weight components.

    But most cars are now coming in with heavier kerbweights due to safety equipment and more refined NVH control….I wont think BMW will equip the 1 series by less than 6 airbags….and can impagine the amount of sound deadening that thing comes with.

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  • ab (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 8:51 am

    the weight for an E30 M3 is 1165kg, way lighter than the 135i. but with new brakes, engine, suspension, chassis……

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  • szw (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 10:23 am

    humans are so confusing at times.

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  • nizam80 (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 11:04 am

    Almost the same weight as the new 335i coupe?? BMW gotta be kidding me. Hmm… maybe the max. torque is higher??? But, paul just mentioned that its basically the same 3 litre twin turbocharged engine… Btw, any info on whether this car will ever be coming here?

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  • aesthari (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 11:30 am

    Downright confusing allright, I was thinking along the lines of 1360+ to 1480kg. 1500+kg is plain weird, cheaper price, hence cheaper and heavier materials probably?

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  • mrm (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 11:39 am

    Also noticed from the leaked brochure that the DIESEL models (120d and 123d) are lighter than 135i, @1450kg and 1495kg respectively.

    How come? I thought the magnesium alloy 3.0l twin turbo is supposed to be light.

    Now the diesel version has beaten the 135i in weight (123d got the same torque 400Nm but is 65kg lighter!!)

    What’s happening, BMW?

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  • mrm (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 12:20 pm

    come to think of it, it is “what could have been” or what can BMW have done to the 1-coupe that is the most interesting.

    Imagine this:

    M1CSL – carbon roof, lightweight body panels & glass, stripped out interior, lightweight magnesium alloys. Bring the weight down to 1100kg. Raised the twin turbo power to 350bhp with M-diff. Comes in white, blue or silver. should be good for 0-60 in 4 or 4.5 sec.

    Now that would be worthy successor to the original M3.

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  • kei9 (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 2:21 pm

    what the? i dun care if its pure or not…….

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  • proton.GL.. (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 3:34 pm

    probally want to preserve the solid ride,
    or power to weight ratio is huge already, for road application,

    and its cuty smallish of the old 3 series shorter wheelbase would be fun playing with corners and turn, rather than big 3,

    just an assumption

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  • BanyakMasukWorkshop (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 3:58 pm

    for a start paul, the wheelbase is shorter in the 1series. 2660mm vs 2760mm for the 335i.

    track is also narrower on the 135i, fronts are 1484mm vs 1500mm

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  • proton.GL.. (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 4:20 pm

    banyakmasukworkshop,

    front track difference is only 16mm, i wouldnt say 1 series less stable than 3 if track width is count regardless suspension or C.G.
    but the wheelbase 100mm difference is does makes a difference in directional stability (longer batter) but the the shorter W. base turns quicker,

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  • alpha0201 (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 4:53 pm

    It still doesn’t explain why there are only 40kg differences between the two models. Unless the 135i uses less aluminium in their construction…

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  • Iknowstuff (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 5:24 pm

    You can’t possibly know how a car feels like by looking at the brochure can you? You can imagine and speculate but when you want to throw some doubt at the 1-series coupe as being a true driver’s/purist car, technical specifications are not indicative at all…

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  • LittleFire85 (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 6:42 pm

    If i not mistaken the turbo diesel engine only have 4-cylinder with twin turbo.. Nowadays turbo engines also full magnesium or alluminium, so in teory diesel engine also light, compare to six-cylinder twin turbo engines..

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  • alpha0201 (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 6:48 pm

    its not a 135d, but a 135i

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  • nmh (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 7:35 pm

    hohoho…tats too fat, i mean too heavy. Heavier than a camry man. I expect bout 1200kg or less. Big trouble….pls do sumthin BMW

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  • mystvearn (Member) on Jul 23, 2007 at 8:43 pm

    maybe they should make a road test with one car having a extra overwieght by 40kgs and see which is better:P

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  • cbljkkj (Member) on Jul 24, 2007 at 12:03 am

    The extra weight weight could be due to the strengthening of the chassis and other materials.

    Unlike the 335i which was created for people who just wanted to cruise around and looking pretty, it is a big probability that the 135i was designed for the performance enthusiast in mind and therefore had to have a much stronger chassis for more abuse.

    My 2 cents.

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  • ingolstadt (Member) on Jul 24, 2007 at 12:19 am

    THIS IS UGLY. 1 series is a true idiot’s car. nuff said. no matter how capable it is, the concept of a 1 series BMW and the looks is just plain IDIOTIC.

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  • 4G63T DSM (Member) on Jul 24, 2007 at 7:54 am

    Ingolstadt;
    woooaa…thats a little harsh dont you think?

    While I agree that the 1 series never looked quite right (expecially in the 4 door hatchback form), I for one would rather drive an fugly car that drove good than a car that looks good but drives like crap.

    I mean, I guess the same would apply to most car enthusiats with some sporting pretentions….. we would rather drive cars that feels nice to drive than just to look at.

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  • mrm (Member) on Jul 24, 2007 at 7:56 am

    ingolstadt,

    chris bangle’s design are definitely not among the best. but to say a 1-series is an idiot’s car is a bit unfair.

    fair enough, let Audi takes the beauty stakes.

    but credit also goes to BMW for making the ultimate driving machine, if not with the 135i M-Sport, at least with the E30 M3 in the past.

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  • armandd (Member) on Jul 24, 2007 at 2:47 pm

    1506kg..!?? that’s ridiculous! greater weight = bigger brakes = increased FC = poor handling etc etc..

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  • GAL (Member) on Sep 02, 2007 at 5:51 pm

    Figuring the weight of the 135i at 1560Kg, and the 335i at 1600Kg, according to their brochures, and that is what we are going by if giving the 135i the 1560Kg measurement,that means there is a 40Kg differnce in favor of the 135i. Taking the factoring of Kg to pounds 2.2 per each kg, that equals an 88 pound advantage to the 135i. Now the question being, is that increase from 1460 that they were giving ,to 1560 representative of the convertible 135i that will be coming out. I could see the increase in weight do to the body being reenforced for the to make the convertible structurally safe. Only time will tell, but clearly the 135i still has a 88 pound advantage over the 335i.

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  • GAL (Member) on Sep 02, 2007 at 6:02 pm

    After looking at the (UK) BMW site I really think someone made a mistake on the weight, because the 130i 3 dr weighs 1460Kg, and looking at the 5 Dr 130M,it weighs 1460 Kg. I really don’t see how a 5 dr. could weigh less than a coupe model, using same engine and transmission, the only difference would be the twin turbos, I don’t know enough about the 130M to know if it is turbo charged. SORRY!!!

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  • GAL (Member) on Sep 02, 2007 at 6:27 pm

    If you look at the brochure again you will notice a big diffence between the width of the front of the car and the rear. Front being 1934, and the rear 1748, I really don’t think there is that big of difference in size between the front and rear widths. On the 335i the overall width is the same, however the difference between the middle of the front tires is 1500 and 1513 for the rear. are they saying that the 135i is wider than the 335i. I don’t really think so, not by seeing them sit side by side. They look close to the same width?????

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