We took the all-new 2008 BMW 135i Coupe out on the Gotland Ring in Gotland, Sweden and were quite impressed by the light-weight (3,373 lbs) sports coupe. The BMW 135i Coupe is powered by a 3.0-liter straight-six with Twin Turbo technology and second-generation direct injection (High Precision Injection). The High Precision Injection cuts fuel consumption by ~10 percent but the max output from the engine is still noteworthy: 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft torque at 1,300-5,000 rpm. The 135i does 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds but is limited to a top speed of 155mph.
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This member of the 1 Series family comes with standard M Sports Suspension and a high-performance brake system incorporating six-piston fixed calipers on the front axle and two-piston fixed calipers at the rear. If you deactivate DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) and DTC (Dynamic Traction Control), an electronically controlled differential lock function in the DSC-off mode still ensures optimum traction, with appropriate brake force being applied on the inner drive wheel possibly spinning in a tight bend. This feature enhances the coupe’s traction and pulling force on the road without any negative effect on its steering behavior.
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The look of the 135i Coupe is also fitting for the track. The 135i boasts the only chrome-plated bars in the BMW-signature kidney grille. The extra large, central air intake of the front dam and the side air intakes accentuate the sporty and wide front end. Also standard on the 135i Coupe is the optimized M aerodynamics package and the modified M Sports Package. M light-alloy wheels are featured, 7.5/18 measuring 215/40 R18 in front and 8.5/18 measuring 245/35 R18 in the rear.
Check out the video of our publisher, Charlie Romero, on the Gotland Ring in the manual 6-speed 135i.
http://video.roadfly.com/flvplayer.swf
You can also watch the 2008 BMW 135i Coupe Track Video on YouTube.
You can discuss the upcoming 1 Series in the BMW 1 Series Forums.
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