I saw my first 1 series the other day, it looked a smidge cartoonish. But I've got to give props because it's about as small as you can make a 4-seater-front-engine-rwd car these days.

I often give them crap for "ultimate driving machine"s that weigh 4500lbs and are 20 ft long (including model standing in front of the car to complete the mid-life-crisis). Or have initials that begin with S and end with V, yeah, we're all fooled by the A, right.

So anyway, on-topic, the 4 cylinder makes perfect sense in the small (but not ultralight) package. Some people want the handling and feel but not necessarily the power or the fuel-detriment of the 6. Good job all around, BMW.

They should have had them in the current 1 series. Then they'd start at a more reasonable price and get better mpg. 150 or so hp is plenty of power for decent acceleration around town and on the highway and would return a lot better mpg.

I wish BMW would change the exterior styling at the same time they put in the 4-cyl engine.

If people will buy it, build it. Just be sure it performs well or it'll go the same way the 318ti did.

I'd be a fan of a twin turbo 4 cylinder TII version.

The 4 cylinder 1 series automatic will be the ultimate poseur mobile, not the ultimate driving machine.

^ LoL, ultimate poseur mobile

The 4 cylinder 1 series automatic will be the ultimate poseur mobile, not the ultimate driving machine.
I'm not sure I see how it would underperform the E46 323.

I love the power in my 330, but for enough gas savings, I would be quite happy with a decent 4-cyl in a 1-series. I didn't buy beamer because it accellerated quickly (if that was my interest, I would have done better with an Infiniti G-series or the like)... I baught it because of the way it handles.

A truely lethargic engine would be a problem, but I don't think that's a likely case... While it might attract some posers, it would also attract the opposite... people who don't care if you think they are posing or not... people who want a fun car.

who cares its an obviouse choice why are you buying the chepest bmw ? because your dooing well and you want to celebrate your seccess? i highly doubt it , you buy a 1 series because the 3 series is too much money. and what you really want is the 6 series or an M5 or somthing, when your neighbors see this bad boy in your driveway they will not think look theres dennis he must be well off he owns a bmw 1 series, they will say look theres dennis he must be the stupidest guy on earth to spend extra money on a civic with a bmw badge on it, he should have saved himself the extra money and just got a passat if he really liked german cars or he could have waited untill he was actually doing well enough to get a 3 series or equivilant.

americans get caught up in the glamour of owning brands so we rarely look under the bonnet to see what we are buying, we rationalize our decissions on a basis of " what will people think of me if i buy this thing" and thast why alot of folks went out and got a prius and thats why 16 year olds get boners over the new cammaro. in our society our spending habbits are truly form following function.

sorry about he grammar errors fols and misspellings

oh and its "function following form" in my example

bad grammar sorry guys

That has "chick car" written all over it.

We can give shit to BMW styling all day long, and I'll just keep on nodding my head in agreement. These cars are well overdue for some style upgrades.

I would like to see a return to the philosophy of the last gen 3 series, which was minimalist and functional, over the current "flame surfacing" or whatever Bangle-Brains is calling it now. Get a real designer please, hell a communist could design better cars than Bangle and thats including the fact he'd put a hammer and scythe on the front!

To the 4 cylinder: you buy a BMW for good handling, not because it has oodles of power. Anyone remember the E30 M3? Power was also in the hundreds, but it was so good around turns you felt like you could just keep pushing it harder and harder. Great car that.

Then again, you might buy the cheapest BMW because it's the lightest and weight is the enemy of performance. You might buy the 4 cylinder because it still goes faster than anybody ever has any need to, but it corners better than anything else that doesn't have an M in multiple colors stuck all over it and rides better to boot. You might buy this car because the Xcuseme6 or the 7000lb-series are the ultimate poseur mobiles whereas the smallest lightest BMW is the ultimate performance machine...

Because, again, weight is the enemy of performance.

4 doors <> performance
Folding Hardtop Convertible <> performance
Midsize <> performance
SAV <> performance

lightweight = performance
hp / lb of engine = performance
hp / lb of car = performance

And hey, if the best performing happens to be cheap, that's a bonus...

I like how BMW fans think BMW's are the best at everything. It isn't true and they make up all these things but what they really desire is being seen driving a BMW because it makes them feel important or rich. Snobbery. Then they imagine it is the best to justify the outrageous price for what they get.

No this isn't the best performing car
It isn't even the best performing car with 4 seats
Its back seats are more like child seats
It is ugly
It costs too much
That interior is hideous and dated
You look like a Yuppi snob driving a cheap Beemer

I actually have a BMW but I bought an 'M' because I'm not a poseur. I tinted the windows so no one could see me driving it etiher. I won't even tell most people what I drive because everyone thinks just like you.

The thing is, I agree with you, but I'm not one of the people you're refering to. I'm the 'BMW prick' that passes you with the car sliding sideways when you're already going 20 over.

Bmw's are not the best at everything either, the S54 engine is proof that even german engineers screw up every now and then.

The e30 m3 weighed 1000 pounds less than the 1 series too... Newer cars need lots of power to overcome emissions and safety equipment. I was a fan of the 1 series until I saw how much it weighed.

BMWs aren't the best at everything. Nothing is. It appears there are three types of people here:

1. The people that are absolute fans of BMW.
2. The people that despise BMW because they think they're for poseurs.
3. The people that appreciate the machine as a whole.

BMWs aren't the fastest. BMWs don't handle the best. But they offer a driving experience that most cars just cannot match. I've been reading reviews over the 335i for a while now, and they are all pretty positive about it. So I took one for a test drive, and it is just such a positively balanced machine.

Look, you typically get what you pay for. Would I purchase a new Lancer EVO over the new BMW? It offers comparable performance, if not a little bit more than the BMW, for less money? Of course not.

For people who have money and means, will buy the BMW, simply because it (at least in the 335i's case) is the better car. There is also nothing wrong in purchasing the Lancer EVO. Who cares?

I drive a 335i Coupe, and yes, I am quite uncomfortable telling people that I drive it. I'm 21 years old, and make my own money, and when I answer that question, I know they are thinking that my rich parents bought me the car. It shouldn't be that way. Get over yourselves, people. Let me drive my BMW without the hatred. Is it a more expensive car than yours? Probably... but that doesn't make me any better than you. Sucks that people automatically think that I reason like that...

Ah well... 'tis life.

BTW: My parents work for the cable company and drive 2002-2003 Ford Focuses (Hatchback and Station Wagon).

@ Joan of Arc

Is it a lease? or do you sell drugs?

I hope you're not over extending yourself. If you pay more than 25% of your income for your car (Including gas) you're in bad shape. I could qualify to make payments on a new Porsche, but it'd be too much money relative to my income.

You have to be responsible to even have a high enough credit score to get a 335i anyways. But still, just be careful.

And btw, don't chip it. My friend is a bmw tech (that's how I afford to maintain my out of warranty e46) and they specifically instruct them to look for the telltale signs of piggybacking mods. They will void your warranty.