BMW 1 series. Cheerful Bavarian

BMW 1 series. Price: 1,309,000 RUB. On sale: since March 2008.

2008 BMW 1 series
© Photo: BMW

The Bavarians decided to return to their roots and released a coupe based on the first series. The car turned out to be lively, maneuverable and, surprisingly, truly spirited. A little lightness and playfulness certainly won't hurt stern German cars.

In a huge metropolis, often called the world's car market, a handsome predator was born. The offspring of the ancient Bavarian dynasty was proudly named — Coupe of the first series. Compared to other city dwellers, our hero does not stand out in size. Its body length is 4360 mm, width — 1748 mm, height — 1423 mm. However, it runs briskly. The coupe reaches a hundred on the speedometer in 5.3 seconds. If you pursue it tirelessly, the needle will reach 250 km/h. In principle, the beast can rush faster, but it doesn't need to: the brain commands the wheel-paws not to overdo it.

Usually, a small BMW doesn't run away from anyone, because it is itself a hunter — tiny, but a real predator. For the frantic agility with which it dashes along the asphalt, one should thank a not-so-small heart with a volume of three liters. Instead of the usual ventricles, there are six cylinders arranged in a row. Thanks to such filling, the coupe can pull a herd of 306 horses. In other words, small but mighty…

This is how a story about the BMW 1 Series coupe would sound in the retelling of Nikolai Drozdov. The comparison with a nimble hunter animal suggests itself — this image perfectly describes the Bavarian newcomer. When the first series just debuted on the market a few years ago, skeptics asked in unison: is this a real BMW? Time, as usual, put everything in its place. Now no one doubts the aristocratic origin of the German baby. But the final point in the disputes was made by the appearance of the coupe version, or rather — the hottest variant with the index 135i.

2008 BMW 1 series
© Photo: BMW

2008 BMW 1 series
© Photo: BMW

We studied the appearance of the new product on the harsh Swedish island of Gotland, where huge boulders are scattered in abundance — a memory of the Ice Age. This place is ideal for a test drive for two reasons. Firstly, there are almost no cars on the island. Secondly, a full-fledged auto testing ground called "Gotlandring" was built there.

So, let's begin. I sit behind the wheel. On the right is a colleague, also not of the most miniature build. Let's be honest: we journalists are large people. But the interior, made according to the 2+2 scheme, does not seem cramped. Only occasionally my elbow meets my comrade's hand, which, however, can add piquancy to the trip if a pretty girl is sitting nearby. In addition to standard settings, the driver's seat is adjustable in height, so a person of any build can sit comfortably.

We did not risk mastering the rear row — the chance of getting stuck is too great. A coupe is a coupe. No sane driver expects spaciousness from such a car. For example, you can throw a bag with tennis rackets in the back. If you need to transport something more bulky, there is a small but isolated from the cabin trunk. Its volume expands due to the rear seats folding in a 60:40 ratio. It's nice that this is not an option, but standard equipment. The lack of space typical of all coupes is partly compensated by the glove box and card pockets in the doors.

The 140-kilometer route along the deserted roads of the island presented no surprises. First, you should be especially careful: in terms of power, the first series coupe has no equal in the compact class. Slightly overpress the gas pedal — and the fir trees along the highway merge into a green stripe. At the same time, the five-second acceleration to a hundred is an excellent workout for the neck muscles. The heads of the driver and passenger tend to tear away from the body, and then you look for them blindly on the rear seat.

At the end of a winding but rather monotonous road, a reward awaited us — the Gotlandring race track. The three-kilometer circuit, fenced with old tires for safety, is a volatile mixture of turns and straights where the car can be accelerated almost to the limit. Some colleagues who dared to turn off the stability control plowed dozens of meters through the runoff area.

However, the disabled stability control does not mean that the driver is left alone with the car. To improve traction in DSC-Off mode, that is, with the DSC system completely turned off, strong wheelspin of the drive wheels is damped by proportionate braking, for which the software-controlled differential lock function is responsible. This allows the car to accelerate without compromising handling. Simply put, the driver retains maximum control during maneuvers in extreme modes.

Safety first

2008 BMW 1 series
© Photo: BMW

A car with 306 horsepower must have impeccable protection. And so it is. The engineers assure that the new coupe not only meets current standards, but also exceeds the requirements of European legislation. The bet is traditionally placed on high-strength steel grades, an original power structure and special deformation zones. The best results are expected in a side impact according to IIHS standards. Perhaps EuroNCAP experts will award the newcomer six stars for the first time? We'll see — crash tests are ahead. In the base, six airbags are responsible for the safety of the driver and passengers. The front airbags are two-stage — they deploy depending on the force of the impact. And the airbags in the backrests of the front seats reduce the risk of injury in a side collision.

Driving
The behavior of the first series coupe is almost no different from other "charged" Bavarians.

Interior
The interior decoration is maintained in the usual BMW style.

Comfort
A coupe is not obliged to pamper with comfort. Here the main thing is dynamics and drive.

Safety
The creators claim that the small coupe even surpasses current safety standards.

Price
Sports coupes are bought by true connoisseurs and fans, and such people do not feel sorry for money for their favorite toy.

Advantages and disadvantages
+ Liveliness, excellent handling, driver's excitement, memorable appearance.
- No spare wheel.

Our opinion

2008 BMW 1 series
© Photo: BMW

2008 BMW 1 series
© Photo: BMW

Such a car is rarely seen in city traffic. But if it does flash among the gray mass of identical cars, it will definitely attract attention. The BMW 1-series is unlikely to bring huge profits to its creators, but the obvious image benefit will certainly affect the sales of other models of the Bavarian brand.