2008 BMW 135i uses air pump to reduce emissions

It's the Second Coming!

Relax. It doesn't have anything to do with religion. It's BMW's way of describing the 2008 1-Series coupe and convertible. They are all-new additions to the Bavarian manufacturer's lineup of high-performance luxury vehicles.

There's a lot of talk about ectoplasm surrounding the introduction of the new 128i and 135i models. They are, according to BMW, the spiritual successors to the iconic 2002 models, which were sold between 1968 and 1976.

That's a stretch. But there's not much question that some cars have soul, that combination of factors that makes for sensual performance.

The 2002 had soul. It was a two-door sports sedan that started life in 1967 as the 1600-a reference to its 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. With overhead camshafts, it delivered 96 horsepower to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox.

But Uncle Sam intervened. In 1968, for the first time, the government mandated pollution-control devices on automobiles, and BMW added an engine-driven air pump to reduce emissions. But it strangled the 1600, so the company lifted its 113-horsepower, 2-liter four from the larger 2000 four-door sedan and installed it in the 1600. The new model was dubbed the 2002, which stood for two liters and two doors. Later the 1600 became known as the 1600-2.

Without the air pump, the 1967 1600 was an instant sensation, a unique sports sedan. Car and Driver Magazine dubbed it "the world's best $2,500 car." When the 2002 came out a year later, it cost just $250 more, but offered exhilarating performance for the era.

In 1968, the factory listed the 2002's zero-to-60 acceleration at 9.8 seconds, and the 1600's at 11.4 seconds. But that was with the air pumps. The unencumbered '67 1600 was much quicker, closer to the '68 2002.

Despite the 2002's better performance, it was not all roses. The air pump robbed horsepower and caused the engine to run on between shifts of the four-speed manual gearbox, which was at minimum annoying. Because there were no restrictions on owner modifications in those days, any number of 1600 and 2002 savants disabled the air pumps to restore the power.

Though the 1600 continued to be sold, the 2002 became the icon of sports sedans, especially after BMW brought out even higher-performance models: the ti and fuel-injected tii. It was tall, with great visibility, comfortable seating for four and a trunk so spacious it could hide all of Santa Claus's presents for four kids.

Now BMW seeks to recapture some of the aura of the 2002 with the new 1-Series. In Europe, the car is sold as a two-door or four-door hatchback, but the gurus at BMW figured their youthful audience in the U.S. wouldn't cotton to hatches, so the 1-Series comes here as a coupe or a convertible.

These are small cars, just 14 feet 4 inches long and classified as subcompacts by the government. They now are the entry-level BMWs, priced below the 3-Series cars. But that doesn't mean they're cheap. BMW makes premium cars, so the 128i coupe starts at $29,375 and the convertible slots in at $33,815.

Move up to the 135i coupe and it starts at $35,675, with the convertible priced at $39,875. That, of course, is without options. The 135i coupe with an automatic transmission and a nearly full load of options topped out at $46,645.

The 1-Series cars use the same engines and transmissions as the bigger and heavier 3-Series. The base 128i coupe and convertible come with a 230-horsepower, 3-liter, in-line six-cylinder engine linked to a six-speed manual gearbox. The 135i has a 300-horsepower, twin-turbo, 3-liter in-line six, also with a six-speed manual. Both models are available with the six-speed automatic.

Forty years and monumental strides in technology, especially computer controls, result in awesome advances in performance and drivability. Where the 1968 2002 took 9.8 seconds to reach 60 miles an hour, the stick-shift 135i rips it in 5.1 seconds, according to BMW's tests. Even the lower-powered 128i comes in at 6.1 seconds. With the automatic transmission, the times are not much slower: 6.7 for the 128i and 5.2 for the 135i. The convertibles weigh 250 pounds more than the coupes, so they are fractionally slower as well.

Although there always will be buyers who want the maximum, the 128i has plenty of power. The six-speed manual gearbox has ball-bearing smoothness, although the clutch on the test car was slightly grabby, forcing the driver to slip it for smooth starts.

Where the 1-Series gets exhilarating is with the 135i's 300-horsepower engine mated to the automatic transmission, which has an instant-shifting manual mode controlled by buttons and paddles on the steering wheel. Cruise in sixth gear, punch the button for a rapid downshift to fourth and the engine automatically blips to match the revs. The little coupe rockets forward and pins you back in the seat.

BMW is famed for supple suspension systems, and the 1-Series is no exception. It offers an optimum trade-off between rapid, balanced handling around curves and a good ride on rough surfaces.