Spyshots of a PRODUCTION BMW 1-series coupe

[LonghornTX]

Check it out.  You cannot see a whole lot, but you can start to tell how the shape of the car is going to turn out.  Look for the tail lights to resemble the E46 lights.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/spied-bmw-1-series-coupe.html#more-4750



A 135i is almost 100% confirmed from the beginning.  Look for an official release of images in May....

[LonghornTX]

[TheIntrepid]

That looks like ass IMO.

[Raza]

Now that is a BMW I would buy, even though I'd prefer the 3 door hatch.

[Minpin]

WTF? It looks like BMW just cut a random ass piece of sheet metal and slapped it on the back and called it a rear bumper....

[Catman]

I don't like the curve at the base of the door, it's too pronounced.  Not bad though.

[the Teuton]

The rear bumper is really huge, but other than that, I really like it.

[Raghavan]

I like what i see so far.

[Minpin]

I like what i see so far.

If you like the ass ugly bumper....I guess its not too bad, you cant see it when youre driving. Only every other person on the road sees the huge "bumper".

[Secret Chimp]

Eh, it's still expensive for a teeny car. I'd buy a Cooper S if I wanted an expensive teeny car, or just spend the same money on an older 3-series if I wanted a "cheap" BMW.

[TheIntrepid]

Eh, it's still expensive for a teeny car. I'd buy a Cooper S if I wanted an expensive teeny car, or just spend the same money on an older 3-series if I wanted a "cheap" BMW.

See sig.

[sandertheshark]

I think I love it.  The bumper doesn't look bad really.

[Tave]

Those pics aren't working for me.

And wow, this might be the only BMW design I don't like. I think it's hideous.

[mazda6er]

The fact that I could probably afford this straight out of college excites me. The prospect of driving what will undoubtedly become the most poser-rific bimmer in existence, however, does not. Winter probably won't be too great either, based on what I can only imagine will be a somewhat light weight.

[ro51092]

That's very, very good looking.

[Tave]

The fact that I could probably afford this straight out of college excites me. The prospect of driving what will undoubtedly become the most poser-rific bimmer in existence, however, does not. Winter probably won't be too great either, based on what I can only imagine will be a somewhat light weight.

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I've always been under the impression that less weight in snow is a good thing. My friend could drive his little Festiva around town when everything else was shut down.

I don't think the 1-series is particularly light. Someone mentioned that it's actually a heavy car for its size. I think they said it was over 3000 pounds.

[mazda6er]

?????????????????????????????????????????? 

I've always been under the impression that less weight in snow is a good thing. My friend could drive his little Festiva around town when everything else was shut down.

I don't think the 1-series is particularly light. Someone mentioned that it's actually a heavy car for its size. I think they said it was over 3000 pounds.

Well, most Festivas aren't RWD, last I checked. For instance, what would you rather drive in the snow: a Crown Vic or an Elise? Now you know.

You're probably entirely correct that it will not be as light as most cars its size, however.

[LonghornTX]

Personally, I love it so far.  Look for the coupe with a N52/N53 to be 3000-3100lbs and the N54 to be another 250lbs more.  Talk is that the coupe will provide an even sharper ride/handling combination than the current hatchbacks, through what means though, I do not know.

[Tave]

Well, most Festivas aren't RWD, last I checked. For instance, what would you rather drive in the snow: a Crown Vic or an Elise? Now you know.

You're probably entirely correct that it will not be as light as most cars its size, however.

Well that's not a good example either. The Elise has a high power-to-weight ratio, and you don't want a high horsepower car in the snow, period, regardless of which wheels are being driven.

Let's do a thought experiment:

2 cars with the same brakes are driving down an icy road. One weighs 5000 pounds and the other weighs 2000. They are both going the same speed. Which will be easier to stop?

A better example would be, would you rather drive a crown vic in the snow or an RX-8? Would you rather drive a S550 or a BMW 335? An Audi A8 or an A4? I'd take the lighter car every time.

I can't get the image out of my head of driving around in my buddies '69 Camaro in January, approaching a stop sign, and then suddenly being pointed in the opposite direction.

I'm a lot more worried about stopping in snow than I am about putting power on the ground.

[850CSi]

When you posted the first sest of pics back in early Feb. 2007, this is what I said:

I'm getting a headache trying to imagine how it's possible to pull that C-Pillar off without making it look like crap.

I was right. It looks like the E46 3er compact, which was fugly IMO. I'm sure it'll be fun as hell to drive, but at this point I'd much rather have a 3-door 1-Series (which we don't get) or an A3.

[ro51092]

I'd rather have a GTI than an A3.

[850CSi]

I'd rather have a GTI than an A3.

GTI doesn't really compete with the 1-Series.

With that said, I think I would also take a GTI over an A3.

[mazda6er]

Well that's not a good example either. The Elise has a high power-to-weight ratio, and you don't want a high horsepower car in the snow, period, regardless of which wheels are being driven.

Let's do a thought experiment:

2 cars with the same brakes are driving down an icy road. One weighs 5000 pounds and the other weighs 2000. They are both going the same speed. Which will be easier to stop?

A better example would be, would you rather drive a crown vic in the snow or an RX-8? Would you rather drive a S550 or a BMW 335? An Audi A8 or an A4? I'd take the lighter car every time.

I can't get the image out of my head of driving around in my buddies '69 Camaro in January, approaching a stop sign, and then suddenly being pointed in the opposite direction.

I'm a lot more worried about stopping in snow than I am about putting power on the ground.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction#Classical_approximation

[Tave]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction#Classical_approximation

Err, thanks, but I'm not sure what you're getting at.

[LonghornTX]

When you posted the first sest of pics back in early Feb. 2007, this is what I said:



I was right. It looks like the E46 3er compact, which was fugly IMO. I'm sure it'll be fun as hell to drive, but at this point I'd much rather have a 3-door 1-Series (which we don't get) or an A3.

Granted we are working with rather limited photo evidence, but what makes you think this looks like the compact?  I am curious......

[mazda6er]

Err, thanks, but I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Normal force. The amount of force being exerted by the ground on a given object, which is in direct proportion to the weight of that object. The greater the normal force (aka the more the object weighs) the greater the friction. Friction helps you start, stop, and remain in controlled contact with an object.

[MexicoCityM3]

The 1 series are probably the best driving and best balanced BMW cars today. I like the hatch a lot. I'll reserve my opinion on this coupe till its undisguised, but it seems nice for now.

[Raza]

GTI doesn't really compete with the 1-Series.

With that said, I think I would also take a GTI over an A3.

Everyone pits the 1 series with the the Golf line.  All the way up from the smallest engine to the 130i (compared to the R32).

[Tave]

Normal force. The amount of force being exerted by the ground on a given object, which is in direct proportion to the weight of that object. The greater the normal force (aka the more the object weighs) the greater the friction. Friction helps you start, stop, and remain in controlled contact with an object.

So a heavier vehicle is easier to stop, simply because it generates more friction with the ground? I don't think so.

Apply my model to dry road conditions. 2 cars with the same size brakes and same size tires are traveling at the same speed. One weighs 5000 lbs and the other 2000. If both drivers apply the same force to their brakes, at the same time, which will stop sooner?

[MexicoCityM3]

Everyone pits the 1 series with the the Golf line.? All the way up from the smallest engine to the 130i (compared to the R32).

Yeah, though I believe the A3 is a closer competitor (its a Golf anyway ).