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By
EWAN KENNEDY
18 August 2008
This little open-top car from BMW is a real blast from the past,
yet ultra-modern at the same time. Because the German designers
have gone for the best of both worlds.
The
use of a ragtop will appeal to those who like their convertibles
to stand out from the crowd. The biggest drawback of a folding
hardtop is that no-one knows it isn’t a fixed head coupe when
the roof is up. Which, sadly, for most of us is most of the time.
Another advantage of the soft-top is
that the A-pillar and front windscreen are relatively short,
providing a nice open-air feel that’s missing in similar
convertibles with hardtops. And there's something about the purity
of a soft-top that appeals to those who really like their
motoring. In the modern manner, the BMW roof can be raised or
lowered in 22 seconds, none of the old-style fiddling around with
clips and zips as in older ragtops. The roof can be operated at
speeds of up to 40km/h.
The A-pillar is reinforced for added
safety and there are roll-over bars built into the rear seat
headrests that extend rapidly in case of emergency.
Even
better is the use of rear-wheel drive, to some the old-fashioned
way of doing it, to others the only logical layout for a sporting
model. The BMW 1 Series is the only rear-wheel-drive car in the
small convertible market. This layout means the car is beautifully
balanced for superior road grip and a lovely feel through the seat
of the pants no matter how hard the car is pushed. The steering
response is almost instantaneous making it the sort of car that
will appeal to the keen driver.
The BMW 125i is powered by a 3.0-litre
straight-six engine that’s a joy to sit behind. While it
doesn’t have the huge torque offered by the 135i twin-turbo
unit, and is hampered by the added weight of a convertible over a
coupe, the 125’s engine provides enough power for all but the
revheads.
All 1 Series convertibles come with the choice of six-speed manual
or six-speed automatic transmission. Our test car was a 125i and
had the automatic. Being one of the six-cylinder models it had
steering-wheel mounted gear-shift paddles, the four-cylinder 120i
doesn’t get the paddles.
Low
exhaust emissions are a concern to all thinking people these days
and the minimal fuel consumption of this high-tech six-cylinder
unit goes a long way towards helping in this vital matter. Expect
the engine to use about seven to eight litres per hundred
kilometres in motorway running, about eight to nine litres per
hundred kilometres in moderate country driving, and not to go much
over 11 litres per hundred kilometres in heavy-duty commuting.
Manual gearboxes would probably trim this by about five per cent.
Front
seat space is quite good, though there's the inevitable narrowing
of the foot space due to the gearbox impinging on the width of the
floor. The back seat is strictly an emergency-only unit for
adults, though small children can be accommodated.
Boot
room is compromised by the differential below it, and the space
for the folding roof above. But within the limits of this space
the engineers have made good use of the area. It can be enlarged
by moving an internal cover upwards when the roof is in its closed
position.
Ride
comfort is generally very good and noise and vibration are well
controlled on all but the harshest of surfaces. The soft-top does
let in more sound that would a hardtop, but this isn’t too
noticeable and in any case a bit of noise is all part of the charm
of a car like this.
We also spent a bit of time behind the
wheel of a BMW 135i coupe, with the engine that’s arguably the
best in the world today. BMW engineers have excelled themselves in
designing this sensational 3.0-litre straight-six, bi-turbo
powerplant. It produces a stunning 225 kW. Torque kicks in
virtually instantly as the twin lightweight turbos rev up faster
than a single, heavier one. A hefty 400 Newton metres is offered
through a wide rev range and this engine is running at its torque
peak virtually all the time. This engine is a real delight to sit
behind, silky smooth and more than willing to rev.
Having that much engine in such a small
car means the 1 Series 135i Sport coupe can accelerate from rest
to 100 km/h in just 5.3 seconds. The BMW 1 Series coupe is on the
tight side in the back seat, but not as badly so as in the
convertible.
This
engine is also offered in the convertible, but we were unable to
sample it at this time. Maybe one day – the thought of a
soft-top with the roof down on a tough and twisting road with that
engine and a manual gearbox makes our revhead mouths’ water…
AT A
GLANCE
MODEL
RANGE
120i 2.0-litre two-door convertible - $52,900 (manual), $55,500
(automatic)
125i 3.0-litre two-door convertible - $63,400 (manual), $66,200
(automatic)
135i 3.0-litre two-door convertible - $78,400 (manual), $81,200
(automatic)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Air Conditioning: Standard in all models
CD Player: Standard in all models
Central Locking: Standard in all models
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Stability Control: Standard in all models
Traction Control: Standard in all models
SPECIFICATIONS
(BMW 125i 3.0-litre two-door convertible)
ENGINE:
Engine Capacity: 2.996 litres
Configuration: Six cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 10.7:1
Bore/Stroke: 85.0 mm x 88.0 mm
Maximum Power: 160 kW @ 6100 rpm
Maximum Torque: 270 Nm @ 4850 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Rear
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: Six-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 4.052:1
DIMENSIONS,
WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4360 mm
Wheelbase: 2660 mm
Width: 1748 mm
Height: 1411 mm
Turning Circle: 10.7 metres
Kerb Mass: 1510 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 53 litres
Towing Ability: N/A
SUSPENSION
AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Double pivot spring strut
Rear Suspension: HA5 dispersed double control arm
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Ventilated disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 6.9 seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Petrol 98RON
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 9.1L/100km
GREEN
VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 6/10
Air Pollution Rating: 6.5/10
STANDARD
WARRANTY:
Three years/unlimited km
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Marque Publishing Company
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