cars4you

Upon its introduction, BMW’s smaller than-a-3 Series coupe was seen by many as the spiritual successor to the much-loved 2002 of the late 1960s/early 1970s. We didn’t entirely buy into that. Those were smaller, four-cylinder cars, while the new BMW 1 Series is offered only with an inline-six powerplant. The 2002 was a study in minimalism, while a new 1 Series can be lavishly equipped.

Choose between the 128i, powered by a 3.0-liter, 230-horse DOHC I-6, or a twin-turbocharged engine of the same displacement, spooling out a torque-rich 300 horsepower. Both engines can be had with stick or automatic transmission. Our tester was a full-boat 135i, but we’ve also driven a less-optioned 128i with a stick and can tell you this car is a scream to drive, even in its most basic form.

That was then, this is now, blah-blah. But none of that makes the 1 Series any less special. It is, of course, based on the 3 Series, but it rides on a four-inch-shorter wheelbase and is an average of 100 pounds lighter (depending upon equipment). Yet it gets the same powertrains as the 3 and costs less. Hmm…same power, lighter weight, fewer bucks.

So does the BMW 1 Series have the goods to be the Motor Trend Car of the Year 2009? Let us know in the comments below and find out who wins at 18th of November .

As with many Bangle-era Bimmers, the arguing point is design. Some testers like the squat proportions and “flame-surfaced” detailing. Others have described it as “frumpy” with “too many lines stamped into its little body.”

Photography by Brian Vance and Julia LaPalme.